Australian invention weaving cloth from volcanic rock hoping to change the surf industry
Grant "Twiggy" Baker riding a Mike Wallace-shaped basalt big wave board at Mavericks in California. (Supplied: Euan Rannachan)
A novel new technology for surfboards developed and manufactured in Australia is turning rocks into high-performance surfboards.
Key points:
- Environmentally-friendly basalt cloth surfboards are being shown to generally perform better
- The cutting edge technology is stronger than fibreglass and less brittle than carbon
- Basalt releases almost no volatile organic compounds or other pollution in production
Basalt fibre is a fibreglass alternative that its creators say is vastly superior in performance and environmental impact to its traditional counterpart.
Sunshine Coast surfboard shaper Steve Hann said the industry was still catching up to more environmentally friendly alternatives — with the alternatives generally performing better.
"Basalt is stronger than your normal fibreglass, but it's also less brittle than carbon, so you're less likely to get boards snap," he said.
Steve Hann with two of his boards glassed in basalt. (Supplied: Steve Hann)
Surfing as a sport has been grappling with the toxic impact on the environment of surfboards.
Mr Hann said basalt's duality made it a more environmentally friendly option because surfboards lasted so much longer.
Steve Hann shapes under the brand etc surfboards and uses basalt along with other eco materials. (Supplied: Steve Hann)
"I just got a trip to Indo [where] I was surfing pretty large surf and two or three boards were basalt and they came back injury-free," he said.
"I want to do my bit. I've got a couple young kids, and if we can leave the planet a better place than what we started with then I think we're doing the right thing."
He said there are two kinds of surfers — ones worried about the planet and want a board that is more sustainable, and others who want to stick to the same, old-school boards.
"I'm just so grateful that we have John [Dowse from Sanded] and Colan pushing through these products that us backyard shapers can use and we're on the cutting edge of technology here as far as glassing and and boards go," he said.
"Guys on forums in America wish they could get their hands on this stuff. They're envious of how easy it is for us."
An etc board shaped by Steve Hann in the surf. (Supplied: Steve Hann)
Future of surfboards?
John Dowse from Sanded Australia, which developed and sells the basalt fibre cloth, said the rock releases almost no volatile organic compounds or other pollution in production so it was better for the environment than regular glass — with added performance benefits.
John Dowse from Sanded Australia with a basalt board. (Supplied: Sanded Australia)
He said the production was similar to making regular glass in that the rock is melted down, then extruded into a fine strand which is then woven into a fabric.
"We weave it in our facility down at Eastern Creek in Sydney, so it's all done in Australia," Mr Dowes said.
The basalt cloth is made out of volcanic rocks. (Supplied: Sanded Australia)
He said there had been extensive testing with a machine that replicated a heal smashing into the top of a surfboard.
"[Regular fibreglass] was at 350 kilograms when it broke through the glass, but with basalt it was over 450kg," he said.
"It then kept on going and it actually maxed out the machine.
"So for durability it is actually a lot better than just normal fibreglass."
Style king Rob Machado riding one of his shapes in basalt. (Supplied: Firewire)
Mr Dowse said they had also developed a combination of basalt and fabric from recycled water bottles, which major manufacturer Firewire is now using.
"It's about 18 water bottles per metre, but when added into the basalt cloth it gives more impact strength," he said.
Basalt boards have similar properties to fibreglass but better vibration dampening. (Supplied: Sanded Australia)
'Pro surfers need to get onboard'
Mr Dowse said for the fabric to gain more widespread acceptance more elite surfers would need to use it.
"Everyone's used to seeing whiteboards," he said.
"If someone actually started riding it in the World Surf League you would then definitely see more of an uptake.
"Knowing what Firewire are doing the next year or two, they're [proposing] pretty much every single model of their boards will have a basalt option."