Surftech
Encyclopedia
Surftech is an American
surfboard
manufacturing company. It specializes in mass-produced expanded polystyrene boards pressed in molds designed by established surboard shapers. It is currently the largest surfboard manufacturer in the world.
in 1992 by surfboard shaper Randy French, who wanted to see the industry expand from its focus on individually shaped boards to efficiently manufactured mass produced boards. French had previously owned a sailboard manufacturing company, SeaTrend, where he developed the production techniques he later employed at Surftech. The success of his initial product attracted the interest of other professional shapers such as Dale Velzy, Reynolds Yater, and Donald Takayama. Others include Mickey Munoz
and Robert August
. Surftech boards are now manufactured in Thailand
and shipped throughout the world.
Surftech came to the fore at a time of increased focus on new technologies within the surfboard production industry. Whereas traditional boards are made using polyurethane
foam "blanks" that are then cut and sanded to form by shapers, Surftech uses a process of blowing polystyrene
blanks into preset mold
s designed by its various shapers. The blanks are then coated with polyvinyl chloride, laminated, and finished. This results in a board that is stronger and considerably lighter than traditional polyurethane boards.
They also make paddleboards
, kiteboards
and skimboards
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
surfboard
Surfboard
A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...
manufacturing company. It specializes in mass-produced expanded polystyrene boards pressed in molds designed by established surboard shapers. It is currently the largest surfboard manufacturer in the world.
History
Surftech was founded in Santa Cruz, CaliforniaSanta Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
in 1992 by surfboard shaper Randy French, who wanted to see the industry expand from its focus on individually shaped boards to efficiently manufactured mass produced boards. French had previously owned a sailboard manufacturing company, SeaTrend, where he developed the production techniques he later employed at Surftech. The success of his initial product attracted the interest of other professional shapers such as Dale Velzy, Reynolds Yater, and Donald Takayama. Others include Mickey Munoz
Mickey Munoz
Mickey Munoz, born in New York City in 1937, is one of the early pioneers of surfing but is perhaps more famous for his work as a surfboard shaper. Munoz, a historical figure in the surfing world, has been featured in many popular surfing documentaries such as the 2004 film Riding Giants...
and Robert August
Robert August
Robert August is an American surfer and surfboard shaper. Raised in Huntington Beach, California, he attended Huntington Beach High School where he was ASB President his senior year. He is most famous as one of the subjects of Bruce Brown's 1966 surf documentary The Endless Summer, along with his...
. Surftech boards are now manufactured in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and shipped throughout the world.
Surftech came to the fore at a time of increased focus on new technologies within the surfboard production industry. Whereas traditional boards are made using polyurethane
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
foam "blanks" that are then cut and sanded to form by shapers, Surftech uses a process of blowing polystyrene
Polystyrene
Polystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry...
blanks into preset mold
Molding (process)
Molding or moulding is the process of manufacturing by shaping pliable raw material using a rigid frame or model called a pattern....
s designed by its various shapers. The blanks are then coated with polyvinyl chloride, laminated, and finished. This results in a board that is stronger and considerably lighter than traditional polyurethane boards.
They also make paddleboards
Stand up paddle surfing
Stand up paddle surfing , or in the Hawaiian language Hoe he'e nalu, is an emerging global sport with a Hawaiian heritage. The sport is an ancient form of surfing, and reemerged as a way for surfing instructors to manage their large groups of students, as standing on the board gave them a higher...
, kiteboards
Kitesurfing
Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...
and skimboards
Skimboarding
Skimboarding . is used to glide across the water's surface. Unlike surfing, skimboarding begins on the beach by dropping the board onto the thin wash of previous waves. Skimboarders use their momentum to 'skim' out to breaking waves, which they then catch back into shore in a manner similar to...
.