For all those who've expressed interest in these boards lately here is a bit about Treehouse Surfboards. Please send me a private message if you'd like to know more or get in touch with Dave...
David Porter is a 27 year old surfer/shaper driven by a simple ideology:
'To craft beautiful surfboards that they can be enjoyed for a lifetime, while carefully considering the resources that he uses.
David first began building polyester boards when he was 15 years old. In those days, the passion behind building boards stemmed from the need for a new quiver each season and for a 15 year old, the cheapest way to get a new quiver was to build one. Numerous boards on; numerous snapped and dented boards on, it became apparent that the polyurethane/polyester combination that has been standard (and marketed) for so long may not be the best method for constructing a lightweight/modern surfboard. A growing concern for the impact of the materials going into each surfboard also necessitated a re-think of surfboard construction.
Inspired by respected craftsmen such as Gary Young, Burt Berger, Danny Hess, Chris Garrett and David Franks, David began testing Australian timber laminates, glass-less boards, organic sealing methods, alternative low impact glues,low VOC epoxies and extruded polystyrene foams. Borrowing techniques that have been around since the 70's and by combining these with modern materials, boards started to emerge that were not only equisite to look at but also perfomed beautifully in terms of strength, durability, speed and projection. Achieving this required building strength and flex memory into the core of the board rather than solely relying on the monocoque skin. This means that all blanks are made by hand and pre-stressed with custom stringers. By utilising an alternative method to finish the glass/timber composite skin, the amount
of resin used has been reduced to less than a quarter of that required to manufacture conventional boards. What this means is an increased strength to weight ratio, improved flex characteristics and reduced environmental impact. David's boards do not take in water due to the closed-cell XPS foam used and do not pressure dent.
Experimentation and creativity lie at the heart of both surfing and shaping surfboards. David will continue to develop these beautiful boards with the help of like-minded surfers and continually reflect upon resource usage as more sustainable materials and processes become available. David's boards will always remain uniquely Australian and embody true surfing spirit.
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The board featured in the photos is a 6ft 5 x 20 1/2 x 2 1/2 Quad Egg. The fins are Speed Dialers designed by Rich Pavel. This is my latest toy, and I'm just stoked on it. Besides it looking great, its proving to be really fun to ride in typical Perth waves.
Cheers.
porka
> 9 months ago, 9 Jul 2008
