Volan Fabric Fins...stated to be better but are they really?

General Discussion
1

Reading a couple different sources that make flex fins with Volan fabric who are stating that the fin last longer and flexes better.

Liddle and Lovelace are both stating the same thing and True Ames is eluding to it.  http://www.liddlesurfboards.com/materials.html  and  http://www.alkalifins.com/fin-range/lovelace-signature-fin.html http://www.trueames.com/collections/single-fins/products/greenough-4-a-volan

Yes, I understand that the difference between E glass and Volan is an additive in Volan which give it the “coke bottle” color. Marketing jargin or is there something to it?  Also, they are also claiming that a panel made with 6oz is best.  7.5oz is used to build a panel with less layers and save time/money.  Does having more layers make a better fin?  

Dave

2

Yes.      Higher glass to resin ratio, is the reason.

3

I do harken’

Back to the day

10oz, Volan layed up and carved

By one GCL.

I do believe Kirk (the ripper) Putnam

Is licensed to do them now…

Lively but limited life

and now a days more like 7.5oz 

I just love the Coke bottle look.

4

I remember 36 layers of  6 oz …or a mere 27 layers of 7.5 oz for a box fin…loved when we got our hands on 7.5 oz…I could be wrong but someone told me they stopped the manifacture of volan as it contained chromium… anyone know any more???..pretty sure the volan we use these days is not as green…         same with tints containing cadmium,not produced any more,

5

Why not use less glass and more resin? 

6

Resin is the weak link.

7

Because resin adds dead weight and non structural mass. The highest strength to mass ratio in a glass composite piece is achieved by using as little resin as possible.

8

 

Not sure if they stopped making it, but Fiberglass Supply still has 4oz, 6oz, and 10oz in stock, as listed in their online catalog. Scroll down to “boat and tooling fabrics”

http://www.fiberglasssupply.com/Product_Catalog/Reinforcements/Glass_Fabrics/glass_fabrics.html

 

9

Bill is correct.

The best fins are usually more layers of lighter weight cloth.

And of course less layers of heavier cloth is easier to lay up.

I have several fins that Curtis Hesselgrave hand foiled for Future Fins. (RIP).

They were used for the molds when they developed their Vector fins.

They look like 2 oz. cloth was used.

Even the material GG uses for his fins G10, has multiple layers formed under pressure.

Less resin, more glass.

Great stiffness.

10

Scroll down to Industrial Fabrics at Fiberglass Supply.  Volan is also available in 0.58 to 2.1 oz weight.  I have some.

Lemat knows a good bit about glass vs. resin strength.  He has useful information about this topic.

11

http://thayercraft.com/finishes.htm

12

A legendary Santa Barbara surfboard shaper has reportedly stated that the trendy use of Volan by hipsters is misguided at best.  If those hipsters knew the hazards of the Chromium by-product/waste, they’d likely play a different tune.  

Along those same lines, consider the practically breathless, drawn-out utterance of the term “Volan” as if the saleman is trying to convince you that it is something exotic, something that is stronger per ounce than a comparable weight of Silane treated fiberglass… I’ve heard it many times, what rubbish.

For fins?  Buy what you want or use what you have if you make your own.  If it’s the right size, the shape is good, and foil is good, it’ll work OK.  

13

So much of surfing is perception. If it works between your ears, it works on the water. 

14

The Masters have spoken.  

Thanks everyone for sharing their knowledge.  Exactly what I’m looking for.

Dave