Ice_Nine Takes a Fresh Approach to Polyurethane Surfboard Blanks

October 7, 2007 Orange, CA - On October 14 at 10:30, Ice-Nine Foam Works founder Jon Stillman will present a new take on foam blanks at the 2007 Sacred Craft Consumer Surfboard Expo at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California. Called “Core Values: Polyurethane in a Post-Clark World (the Coming Foam Fantasia),” it’s all about returning to surfing’s foam roots while riding the blanks of tomorrow.

In other words, what’s up with polyurethane? As Stillman will discuss at this seminar, the widely used compound has changed a lot in the past four decades. But the post-Clark surf biz hasn’t heard the news and riders are getting worked when they buy new boards. “Polyurethane is basically a new material,” Stillman says. “Props to Grubby but it’s much bigger now. The science has come a long way and there are many untried possibilities that could enhance surfing.”

Ice-Nine Foam Works, Inc. began at the dawn of 2006, shortly after Clark Foam left the stadium. Since then, it has followed a program of creating a space where shapers and surfers would be heard and a concern for health and the environment would drive the next developments in surfboard blank manufacturing.

To that end, the company has ventured deep into the strange world of polyurethane and came back with two startling new kinds of foam. They are called “CANE” and “ABLE”. Both types of foam use MDI as an alternative ingredient in place of the highly hazardous TDI that has been in the surfboard industry for years.

ABLE is designed with performance in mind, and uses the highest performing polyester polyols to maximize the flexural properties. It takes a bit more time to shape then traditional blanks, but many test riders have reported a noticeably better ride than with the foam they are used to riding.

CANE takes the Greener alternative one step further; it not only uses the safer MDI technology but also incorporates a sugar-based polyether instead of traditional petroleum products. It’s about as “green” as polyurethane can get, and shapers find it durable and easy to shape to boot.

Throughout the two-day Sacred Craft Consumer Surfboard Expo, Ice-Nine products will be on display at the Ice-Nine Foam Works booth. These include Ice-Nine blanks in a variety of stages – shaped blanks before they’ve been glassed; finished new boards by prominent shapers; well-used boards that demonstrate dent resistance, and test boards. The booth will also feature a video tour of the Ice-Nine shop and a demonstration of their custom online rocker program. In addition, riders will be on hand to talk about how each kind of blank performs and technical staff will be available to answer questions.

For more information on Ice-Nine Foam Works, please visit www.Ice-NineFoamWorks.com
For more information on the 2007 Sacred Craft Consumer Surfboard Expo, please visit www.surboardshow.com