Epoxy/Surftech vs. Poly

[CountryBoy]

Howzit,

I was wondering what your guys' takes is on epoxy and surftech/Tuflite. Do you like it better than poly? How different does it ride? Can they really take a beating? Let me know your thoughts, i'm thinking about possibly getting a BushMan shaped 6'4" Surftech and a 5'11" to replace my current 5'11" poly that can't handle the beating that is rocky point at low tide Let me know your thoughts. Also, a friend of mine had a Matt Biolis shaped XTR epoxy board and it snapped at gas chambers. It was only like 5 months old tops, aren't epoxy supposed to be hardcore tough? Let me know. Mahalos

[bammbamm808]

Been doing lots for Pyzel. Hand-laminated epoxies, that is. What I know: 1.5lb EPS, plywood stringer and 4/4+4 is too weak. They're buckling like mad. Very light, but not durable at all. What i would suggest, is: 2lb EPS, solid wood or PVC stringer, 6oz bottom, 4+4 deck. They have to be postcured in a board oven, also.

Just took out my new 6.2 today. 2.lb, redwood stringer, 6/6+4. Feels like a slightly lightish conventional board, but should prove way stronger. For some reason, is really lively, even though it's only a little lighter than average. I wasn't shooting for the lightest board by any means, but a little lightness, and a lot of strength.

With all the EPS/epoxy stuff, and also the XTR stuff, it all depends on construction and glassing schedule/technique. There are so many people making blanks and glassing them now, you really need to know what's available, and about how strong/light it is or you'll end up with a broken board, and not understand why. Personally, I so far like the EPS hand laminted ones.

Don't know about all the molded/sandwich type popout boards, but good luck finding one of their "models" that really works for you. Custom boards are where it's at. Also, most of those epoxy sandwich popouts tend to snap suddenly, though they hardly dent. Personally, I'd prefer my board to dent, rather than break in two.

[LGREANZ]

i got a tuflite, sometimes it feels like the best board i ever rode and other session it sucks ass.

i cant really figure it out, but if its windy i wont even look at that board to ride. catches the wind like a kite and makes gettin over the ledge extremly frustrating.

another thing is that ive had great sessions on it in town and medicore sessions in the country, in the juice it just dont seem to lay on the rail like a glassed board.

[red]

Tufflites come up out of the water on heavy bottom turns with lots of speed, which makes it very hard to control. I learned that the hard way when I first moved here and paddled out on my first 6'+ NS swell.

They may be more resistant to dings, but will snap just like a poly board in heavy waves.

As far as shaped epoxy goes I had only one that worked great, but it was a new england fish which means nothing out here.