From idea to ocean: advanced manufactured travel surfboard set to make waves

 

Gowing Bros Limited (Gowings), an investment company, has identified a market opportunity for such a travel surfboard, planning to turn the vision into a reality in partnership with its brands Gowings Pacific Trader, FCS and Softech. This is an ambitious project under the Advanced Composite Materials Cooperative Research Centre initiative that has the potential to change the surfing industry by developing advanced manufacturing techniques for surfboards. The project focuses on enhancing the laminating quality while adapting automated processes of core shaping, composite material deposition and finishing. This will retain the high quality of the board while significantly reducing the costs of manufacturing, hence making it a win-win solution for both manufacturers and customers.

The vision and leadership

Gowings will lead the project management support and control over the design scope, drawing on critical information from markets to ensure that what will be realised in the final product meets the surfers’ needs today. They will oversee compliance and standards testing to ensure that the surfboard meets all necessary regulations and market expectations. In terms of board performance checking, Gowings will engage professional surf athletes for field trials, which will deliver valuable feedback for shaping the final design.

Gowings will be at the helm of the project, while UNSW Sydney will contribute specialist research. As lead research partner, University of South Wales (UNSW) will have a legitimate contribution towards the technology-informed design process in working out performance characteristics within the board for flex, damping, rebound and overall ‘feel’. It sets an objective to seek optimisation. Ultimately, the aim is for the surfboard designed not only to meet performance standards, but to exceed them.

Collaboration with University of Wollongong’s Surf Flex Lab

The vast research capabilities of the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) Surf Flex Lab will also be harnessed to cover all aspects of the surfing experience. It is expected that this proposed collaboration will marry cutting-edge scientific research with practical surfboard design in a product that is innovative yet highly functional. “These premium travel boards present a rather exciting opportunity for national and international markets with improved durability, performance and sustainability,” says John Gowing, the independent non-executive director of Gowings. “In other words, no more lugging around a full-size, heavy board for travelling surfers, including, potentially, our athletes.”

Left to right: Prof. Marc in het Panhuis (dean of sport/professor of materials science and surf engineering, UOW/Surf Flex Lab), Prof. Ganga Prusty (director of research, ACM CRC), John Gowing and Dr Steve Gower (CEO, ACM CRC)