Author Topic: What do you know about VESL ?  (Read 13377 times)

Vancouver_foiler

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Re: What do you know about VESL ?
« Reply #30 on: October 06, 2021, 07:24:49 PM »


As someone who has fixed most types and brands of boards, Naish boards-SUP, KiteBoards,etc are consistently of the highest build quality no question. Sunova is right up there too.
I’d have a hard time believing that a 14’ x 24” VESL is any lower quality than my 14’ x 25” Riviera, but I just don’t know enough about material properties or manufacturing to know for sure. I mean, I think the phone I’m typing on is made in China, and it’s pretty nice.

Anyone would have a hard time knowing the difference, including the people that make them. There's no computer that sands the boards (that I've ever heard of), it's just a skilled sander. Sand them too thin, and that board is weaker than the next one they sand. What's the name on the board? Maybe it's a run of Riviera's or VESL's? Won't know until it gets painted. Point is, these places run through hundreds if not thousands of boards. They are 1# or 1.5# EPS that was CNC'd from someones file. They get a layup schedule, glass it, sand it, and paint it. The glassing schedule determines the strength and or weight. Type of composite, and how it's laid up. Some companies have the same board but with different layup options. The cheap and the more expensive. Brand and sell as you may, but most cheap boards are very similar in quality.
When you hear PVC sandwich, that's a whole other level. PVC foam (which is a thin wrap over the EPS foam) is very expensive. Like $100 to $200 dollars just for the material. Then it gets vacuum bagged, and you get a bullet proof shell. Drop it on rocks, drag it along the beach no problem. You're now talking $1,800 range for that kinda board. I don't think anyone does a race board with a PVC sandwich. Usually just Carbon to keep it light and stiff.
I still have my 12 year old Naish Nalu with a full PVC sandwich. It's been slammed on the the rocky shore in big surf, and dragged miles by my kids with stuff piled on top of it. It's never had to be repaired, ever!

 


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