A Surfboard Made By a Rocket Scientist
Courtesy of VarialOne of Varial Surf Technology's surfboards.Edison Conner, a former SpaceX rocket scientist and co-founder of Varial Surf Technology, tried for years to create a durable surfboard from aerospace material. In his eyes, the surfboard industry was ripe for disruption. Makers had clung to one manufacturing method for more than 50 years. For strength and flexibility, they created a spine from a strand of wood (known as a stringer) and glued it into a polyurethane foam cast. The cast was sanded and wrapped in fiberglass and resin.Peek InsideCourtesy VarialThis 70x magnification of the Varial Foam microstructure reveals a tight cell structure made up of defined angles and polygonal shapes. The rigid structure of the foam makes surfboards lighter, stronger, and easier to ride.Conner and the other engineers at Varial tried something different. They replaced the wooden stringer with an ultrarigid foam similar to the type...