ACM CRC project to develop composite travel surfboard

The Australian Composites Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (ACM CRC, formerly SoMAC CRC; New South Wales, Australia), has begun a new project with investment company Gowing Bros Ltd. (Gowings, Australia) to develop a travel surfboard — boards that requires minimal storage space, but that surpass current surfboard standards and delivers equally, if not better, on performance — through Gowing’s brands Gowings Pacific Trader, FCS and Softech.

Through this partnership, ACM CRC will identify and develop advanced manufacturing techniques for increased board laminating quality, and will adapt automated processes for core shaping, composite material deposition (glassing) and finishing, retaining the board’s high quality while reducing manufacturing costs.

Gowings will lead the project, managing the design scope and drawing on essential market information. In addition, it will oversee compliance and standards testing, ensuring that the surfboard meets regulations and market expectations, even engaging surf athletes for field trials.

Lead research partner, The University of New South Wales (UNSW, Sydney), will also offer input into the technology-informed design, exploring the board’s performance characteristics — flex, damping, rebound and “feel” — so that they may be optimized.

The extensive research capabilities of the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) Surf Flex Lab will also be leveraged, to encompass the entire surfing experience.

“These premium travel boards are an exciting potential for national and international markets, offering enhanced durability, performance and sustainability,” John Gowing, independent non-executive director of Gowings, notes. “This means no more lugging around sizable, weighty boards for traveling surfers, including, potentially, our athletes.”

On April 23, Gowing was joined by Paul Amos, Mayor of Coffs Harbour, Shadow Minister for Tourism, Gurmesh Singh MP, ACM CRC’s Dr. Steve Gower (CEO), Professor David Currow (Deputy Vice-Chancellor – research and sustainable future, UOW) and professor Ganga Prusty (director of research, ACM CRC), to undergo a contract signing ceremony that made the project official.

“This is an exciting project for the CRC — one that has global potential for us, our partners and for Australia as a nation, with the boards being designed and manufactured right here on our shores,” says Steve Gower. “Australia needs to reposition its manufacturing and sovereign engineering capability to capture emergent markets. This project presents a great place to start.”