I was wondering if anyone has experience in cold to freezing cold conditions (snow in the air, ice on your eyebrows and wetsuit zipper, ice in the water) as to what construction(s) are best.
I have defaulted to EPS and epoxy since I can source EPS locally and get epoxy, glass, finboxes, etc. through the mail. I use a stringer and E-cloth, 2 x 6oz decks and 1 x 6oz bottom with a tail patch.
Do PU blanks and poly resin hold up? Is EPS and epoxy better? Are hollow wood and compsands risky in freezing air and water conditions? Is ice-cold air bad for all composites?
Thanks, J
PS 6-10 inches of snow and temps below freezing all this week where I live, winter is here to stay for a few months…
Where I live, temperatures can go as low as -10C (~14F) and I store my boards outside all winter for more than 10 years. Never had any issues with epoxy/XPS, PU/PE or epoxy compsands (vented windsurf boards).
I can imagine that water intrusion and expansion by forming ice could damage the board. But I never had an issue with that.
I have the impression that high temperatures are way more damaging.
…no problems after all the chemical reactions; the problem with very cold weather is before. How can you deal with a right room temp to produce a good reaction and to not inhibit it when you are glassing the board.
By the way, I always see that you guys up there talking about how -C have, snow, etc; HOWEVER, here with 0-7 C you barely can live without too much cloth, a heat source and all the time in movement.
I see plenty of images with Snow and t shirts or like that; I tell ya impossible here with cold+wind+95 100 % humidity in winter.
In bikes forums you see that they talk about using gloves etc and that s no necessary the use of heated gloves to ride normal distances; well, with this type of cold weather is impossible to ride a motorcycle with less than 4C + wind without the use of too much protective cloth and heated gloves.
No comparison between a dry cold than a wet winded coldness
Thanks for the replies. It’s good to hear that there are options for a durable board for cold use. Anyone have thoughts about HWS for cold-water use?
Reverb-Getting up to temp for glassing is not a problem for me for boards under 9’. I have 5 x 10’ room I use for glassing with its own heater, works good for epoxy but I wished it had an air exchanger for poly, even with a respirator. The heater is electric and oil-filled so the hot parts are not in contact with room air and there are no fans. I agree that being cold on a motorcycle is no fun!
Hans-I have been keeping my boards in the ceiling of the little glassing room, maybe I am babying them too much? Room temp in the glassing room, room temp in the car, then out in the cold for a surf. Maybe being at outside temp would be less of a shock? It is hard to wax them cold though, I learned that the hard way the first time. All the boards are vented.
I had the opportunity for a while (actually a long time ago now) to purposely break a lot of stuff, and man, was it fun. Anyway, consider taking a peek at Progressive Failure Analysis of Glass/Epoxy Composites at Low Temperatures in particular at some of the graphs and especially the conclusion section. You need not be a material scientist (which I am not) to appreciate what is being done, nor to appreciate the results/conclusions. (And then draw your own.)
Small beside on ‘breaking crap’
One of my favorite videos is NSP’s NSP Board Breaking Test 2013. It’s not about thermal stressing, but more about simple mechanical stressing at (what I assume to be) room temperature. Think what you want about NSP, but as modern surfboard manufacturers go, putting out that kind of video takes balls and confidence in the mechanical properties of your product. (Regardless of whether or not you like the way their surfboards surf.)
Only issue I’ve ever had with boards in the cold was an epoxy board with color work under the glass that the glass job turned milky when I took it from the warm house and car and plunged it into 36* water. Did not affect strength but the glass job took on a milky look.
Epoxies vary. the Gougeon brothers who pioneered WEST epoxy told me that their ice boats operate at -40 on a regular basis without problems. I don’t think the cold is too detrimental as long as the epoxy is fully cured and prefereabl post cured.
Never had a problem with cold temps & board materials! Have a shelf above the canopy on my Toyota hi lux where I always have a board stored. I work on the river Spey in the north of Scotland & spend a majority of time throughout the winter at our salmon hatchery in Glenlivet often leaving from there to surf in the afternoon before dark sometimes in temps of -20c. polyurethane & E.P.S with epoxy no probs! -3c this morning. Slanj
Smile at strangers & use the force.
Mako and Artz are right on both accounts. Some cheapo tickets to Maui thru the winter if you shop Hawaiian’s monthly calender and are flexible enough to book on the off days. Jersey Boyz like Mako and guys up in Maine have been walking thru snow to get to the water since the 60’s . So no problema it seems. I would say as was mentioned though that you need to acclimate your board when taken from the house. Got into a discussion recently about whether or not it was colder in the Northwest( Or and Wash) or the Northeast in places like Jersey and Maine. I’m giving it to Jersey and Maine. It’s 29 outside right now at 11:00 AM. How many degrees warmer am I here on the Coast of Oregon compared to where you guys are??
Thanks everyone for the information. Looks like the standard materials are up to the task.
I daydream of big ol’ PU longboard with the mexican blanket polyester resin dripping off the rails right before lamming them in tight…then I get back to work.
Lowell, how are things? 15 degrees F here today. I think cashing in some airline miles for an off-season trip would be awesome. -J