TECHNOLOGY
JUC SURF are the specialists in carbon fibre surfboards. With over 10 years experience in carbon fibre research, PhDs in Aerospace Engineering and Chemistry and a history of working with world leading companies, the JUC SURF team use recycle carbon fibre to create amazing world unique surfboards. By using cutting edge chemistry, our 'Walter White' chemist improves the performance and delamination resistance of our carbon fibre ensuring that our carbon fabric is the most scientifically advanced on the market. This means you environmentally friendly surfboard, with the strength of carbon fibre, and for the first time - a carbon board that flexes like an E-Glass board.
Each year 4 Eiffel Towers worth of carbon fibre enters landfill despite it maintaining its amazing strength. The truth is while carbon fibre is famous for its high performance, there are very few secondary uses for scraps and recycled fibre.
By using our creativity, scientific background and the experience of master shapers on Australia’s Great Ocean Road, we have been able to create the world’s first RECYCLED CARBON FIBRE SURFBOARDS. But that's not all what we do. For those looking to push the limits of their board and performance, we also use pristine fibre to create a range of durable, lightweight, strong and performance driven blades.
Imagine having a board with the strength of carbon fibre, designed by aerospace engineers and shaped by a master - safe in the knowledge you haven’t added to landfill. Imagine no longer.
Welcome to JUC SURF.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why Carbon Fibre?
Carbon fibre can be up to 6 times stronger than e-glass fibre while being 20% stronger. When used properly the fabric density required for carbon fiber is also less which reduces the weight of your board further for no loss in strength. Simply carbon fibre is the stronger, lighter and the superior material. The carbon is used in space, aviation, automotive, building and sporting industries. Why not surfing?
Will these boards be expensive?
NO. Our surfboards will be priced exactly in line with those on the current E-Glass market with optional extras for customisation also available.
What is Recycled Carbon Fibre?
Sustainability is a core value of JUC SURF. Living on the Great Ocean Road allows us to see the beauty of nature every day. But with this comes the responsibility to leave a better future for our children to enjoy.
While carbon fibre is praised for its use in fuel efficient transport, it is estimated that 45,000 Tonnes of it will end up in landfill by the 2021. That’s equal to 4 Eiffel Towers in weight! This statistic is set to increase by 20% by 2025. The main reason for this environmental disaster is that there are very few uses carbon fibre in its recycled chopped up or milled form. Here at JUC SURF we have developed the technology chopped and milled fiber to create surfboards while also creating our own fabrics using scraps of fibre that would have otherwise ended up in landfill.
to use carbon fibre as a super low cost, yet high strength material alternative to create some fun, amazing boards that future generations can also enjoy.
Won't these boards be too stiff?
NO. Its true, carbon fibre is 3 times stiffer than e-glass used in modern boards. But it’s not the stiffness of the carbon fibre that is the issue, but rather how much of it is used. By having tackled the same design problems in aerospace and automotive sectors, our team is able to fabricate its own carbon fabrics that are tailored to the needs of the surfing industry. The result is a board that flexes like a normal E=Glass board but is as strong as a carbon fibre board. Experience is the key.
What is Carbon Fibre 'Tailoring'?
‘Tailoring’ carbon fibre means fitting a carbon fabric for the needs of the consumer. There are limitless variables to consider when using carbon fabric and each will result in a different final product. These include the manufacturer, carbon fibre shape, weave pattern, weave density, tow density, alignment and importantly the final surface treatment of a carbon fibre before it’s used. JUC SURF takes all these variable into account when designing and manufacturing its surfboards.
What is the Carbon Fibre 'Interface'?
The ‘carbon fibre interface’ is the bonding point where carbon fibre meets resin. Just like where brick meets mortar in a house. If this contact point is poor, so is your entire structure. Unlike glass fibre which has a very reactive chemical surface that bonds well with resins (epoxy and polyester), carbon fibre does not. Research by the US Research Air Force Laboratory even suggests that that “the strength of the current state-of-the-art carbon fibre composites remains less than 10% of their theoretical value”. Here at JUC we are the only surfboard company in the world that has an active involvement in considering interface chemistry and bonding. This means that our boards are more crack proof and delamination resistant than anything on the market. For proof of our research track record, please see the LinkedIn publications of all founders from JUC SURF.
Why use a full carbon board and not a glass/carbon hybrid?
Have you ever had a glass board with carbon patches or carbon fibre rails? Has it ever snapped on you right where the tail patches were placed? Or have you ever noticed cracks forming across the rails where the two materials meet? With any luck no. But for the unlucky there is a simple reason.
In engineering these cracks are called stress concentrations. Because carbon and glass are two different materials that bend, flex and respond different to load, over time micro-cracks between the two occur and grow. However, if a surfboard is made of just one fabric, there are no points where stress concentration or ‘hard points’ occur due to material differences. This is one of many ways damage can be reduced in a board.
Why can JUC use carbon differently?
All three founding members each have experience working in carbon fibre manufacturing facilities and have/are completing their PhD’s in carbon fibre research. They have worked with world leading companies including Boeing Aerospace R&D, Ford USA and defence groups to name a few. It is this depth of knowledge focused solely on the production of carbon fibre that gives JUC SURF the unique perspective required to solve the limitations of carbon fibre surfboards.