3rd snapped Firewire this year. With video of board snapping in 2 foot surf!

[indodreaming]

Sorry but very hard to believe there is not a bit of spin here...

Im placing my money on this is not the third snapped FW board but the first!

Putting aside the fact is hard to believe anyone could snap three FW,s in a year unless you either keep on doing one of a few things.

1. Started to learn airs and trying to land them in the flats or extremely shallow water, like a shore break, this will snap/crease any board.

2. Trying to do other turns on almost bare sand shore breaks or reefs.

3. Surfing very heavy waves.

4. duck diving in very shallow water or letting you board go in very shallow water

Sure you can snap boards in tiny waves but most of the time if you do the board is hitting the bottom in some way

And if its true than you would surely be snapping just as many if not more PU boards.

Sorry but I do find it hard to believe anyone who has also worked in a surf shop and has a degree of knowledge would after snapping two FW's, not buy a third one in FST instead being well known it is the stronger construction.

Its actually hard to believe anyone would actually buy the third FW board after already snapping two within a year, I love fW boards but i know i even wouldn't.

BTW. I lived on the Gold coast for years and surfed almost every day often a few times a day mostly burleigh, south straddie and the beachies in between and i only ever snapped one board a PU DHD in a 2ft shore break trying to do something silly that one last dry sand turn.

Anyway thats just my 2 cents worth.

[seabass]

I have had 6 FW FST boards over the years - since FW started really and I have had two experiences. Five have held up so well its mind blowing, like its really amazing and these boards are a credit to FW. I have had one board snap after been ridden approx 20 times in small average surf, it snapped at the same spot across the deck about 2/3 the way up where i have seen other FST boards snap. I still belive this board was not build correctly(it didn't feel right from the first surf) and passed through a quality control loop hole as i have punished my other ones so much more sever and nothing and this one had a easy life and snap. i know its all based on physics of the wave force on the board etc etc. But i still belive it was quality control and all i ask has anyone else experienced this and if so perhaps FW could look at thier quality control and see if they could improve it to avoid this perhaps they are missing something sometimes. i am not complaining I am suggesting as i hate it when a product you have so much faith in fails you.

[Wandi]

I did read in the latest surfing life that during the trip for the 2013 board bible that they creased the Vanguard after its 2nd surf
They mentioned in the magazine that FireWire rushed the board out the door and didn't allow the board to cure properly
Not good publicity for FW as its in a national magazine
Too impatient
Goes to show it still happens

[FW - Fan]

I did read in the latest surfing life that during the trip for the 2013 board bible that they creased the Vanguard after its 2nd surf
They mentioned in the magazine that FireWire rushed the board out the door and didn't allow the board to cure properly
Not good publicity for FW as its in a national magazine
Too impatient
Goes to show it still happens

My understanding is there is no "cure" time on epoxy boards post the initial curing...unlike PE/PU that continues to cure for weeks after the initial flash cure...correct me if I am wrong but I believe thats one of the attractions of epoxy.

[indodreaming]

I did read in the latest surfing life that during the trip for the 2013 board bible that they creased the Vanguard after its 2nd surf
They mentioned in the magazine that FireWire rushed the board out the door and didn't allow the board to cure properly
Not good publicity for FW as its in a national magazine
Too impatient
Goes to show it still happens

Yeah saw that, not a good look at all.

[indodreaming]

My understanding is there is no "cure" time on epoxy boards post the initial curing...unlike PE/PU that continues to cure for weeks after the initial flash cure...correct me if I am wrong but I believe thats one of the attractions of epoxy.

I've done a bit of commercial boat building with epoxy resins years ago, but I really cant remember, all I remember is it was so much better, easier to work with and way less smelly than polyester resin.

[Chris]

Hey all,
just a heads up, the board was being ridden in good waves by aggressive surfers. when doing big airs and such, breaks happen. so goes the sport. with that break i am confident in saying that it was put in a "wrong place at the wrong time" situation by the surfer with obvious results. For some reason, when 10 PU boards break its not news, but when o I have watched Daniel Thomson ride his Firewire tech and it looks insane. Stuey's board rips. Wandi it has nothing to do with patience or impatience, it was just an unfortunate circumstance.

Also for the record, the statement that we rushed the board out and the resin didn't have time to cure is incorrect. Boards do not leave our facilities until they are 100% completed. That is just the way it is.

Cheers

[indodreaming]

This is what was reported in "Surfing life issue 293" on the page that featured the FW Tomo Vanguard" (page 64-65) for those that don't have the mag.

Two pages on the board and the testers findings etc

Then under a smaller heading (THE CREASING SOLVED)

"The damage we inflicted on this board was out of all proportion with Firewires excellent rep as a maker of tough light boards. So Back in Oz after the test, Raz Mehlsen from FW checked with the factory and discovered the board had been made in an extreme rush for the Test without the usual curing processes applied. This left a softness in the resin which exposed the board to creasing."

(then it goes on about chopping the board to look at the carbon rods and shows two pics of the board cut showing the rods and crease, about two inches above the front fins)

BTW the testers had good things to say about the boards performance and even though the board creased it wasn't written about as a huge negative.

[Chris]

If that is the case than it would have had to have been a special order rush request.