I read often and post seldom. I have a question that is probably a matter of personal preference. I would nonetheless like some of your opinions. I am thinking of shaping an EPS longboard in the 10’8"-11’4" range. I live in Florida so the board will get lots of use on the anemic surf found here. My question is: Since EPS will yield a lighter board how will this affect the ability to noseride. If I shape the board with down rails in the nose blending to 50/50 to slightly up rails in the tail, classic longboard shape, will the weight, flex or anything else other than my ability to shape a decent noserider (which is still very much in doubt) keep this board(shaped from EPS) from being a success?
The reason for thinking EPS is that I have done my last two boards in RR epoxy but they have been polyurythane blanks and I really want to play with some EPS.
So is a light noserider an oxymoron or can I just put a few heavy stringers in it to make it a little heavier. OK, too many questions for one post. I’m out.
I just posted recently to make a noserider in the classic sense, looking at the 60’s models. I was considering EPS also, my last longboard was EPS and was real durable. However I got the chance to ride a heavy poly with a volan glass job that had a solid opaque resin job and it rode like a dream. Heavier, yes… but if felt better under my feet. More responsive I guess in a way. And the weight seemed to work to my advantage, rather than a hinderance.
Did you feel like the heavier board was more stable? I have never ridden an EPS longboard. If I had lots of time to experiment I would go for it an screw the conseqences. But with work I have to shape a board that I pretty much know is going to work.
Also, I am not planning to do a compsand or vac bag skins onto this board(ie. timberflex). I assumed that traditional glassing would be fine. Skimcoat it with thinned out lightweight spackle and glass it.
Well, both constructions work well, they just work a little differently. PierreB has a great 9’8" or so EPS that he noserides quite well on, and my day-to-day rider is in EPS epoxy as well and it noserides really nicely for me.
You have several options to keep a feel closer to a PU shape if you’d like: greater density blank, your stringer configuration, and your rails of course. I tend to shape rails with a slightly reduced volume (using 30kg/m3 EPS) to keep a similar sensitivity despite the increased flotation, the reduction roughly corresponds to the difference in foam density compared to PU. If you want to stiffen it up, you can always go multi-stringers or thicker.
Finally, I know this is taboo to some, but I always do my more classic EPS shapes with a well-prepared poly gloss. Something about the way that a full polish poly gloss goes through water is just right for me.
I don’t think you have to worry too much about noseridability if your talking lengths over 10’6, as long as all the other elements are in place… nice big single fin, no edges in the rails, a healthy amount of tail kick, full nose template…
You’ll be able to glass it heavier for strength, and that will stiffen it up, so don’t worry about it being too flexy. I like my noseriders stiff, and use some concave under the nose with a bit of chine, 50/50 rails the whole way, kinda knifey in the tail and nose.
Exactly. While I generally use the 30kg stuff, I know that PierreB used approximately 40 kg/m3 on his last one. Sorry, I just don’t have the conversions for square footage. Most shapers that I know here have traditionally gone for the really light weight foam, but I’ve found that by going denser, you cut down on resin absorbtion as well as on water infiltration when you do get a ding. The closer the density to a PU blank, the closer the ride will be in general. Enjoy the shape and keep us posted.