The flatboard method of surfboard construction

As can be seen by our construction pictures, Power surfboards use a flat board system of surfboard construction whereby flat panels are made and then bent and laminated together on a rocker jig, in order to get the desired bottom and deck curves. The system is excellent in every respectWe have been using the flat board method of surfboard construction since May 1995, and as far as we know we were the first to build surfboards using the method.Since then, and in our opinion due to our promotion of the system on Swaylocks.com the method has been adopted by Sunova surfboards (post 2004) Firewire surfboards, and Mike Sabin surfboards.Due to requests from a compsand.com member we have refrained from talking about how my flat board method has been used in compsand construction. . . . . apparently it is supposed to be a secret.The reason why we are mentioning it now is that we have heard that a patent for a version of flatboard construction is in the pipeline, and want to stake our own claim to the genesis and ownership of the flatboard method which we use.We realise that the flatboard method used by some compsand.com members, and by Sunova and Firewire differs from my own in that one of the flat boards is tapered prior to bending the boards on to a rocker table, and by the use of EPS and other foams instead of framed wooden panels. Nevertheless the system is based on exactly the same principles which we have been using and have publicising since 1995.If in the future we decide to use EPS panels in our parallel profile surfboards, then we will do so, as we invented the system independently 14 years ago, and have the right to do it if we want to.Some credit must go to Reuel B Parker of Parker Marine Enterprises, whose book ' The new cold molded boatbuilding' probably inspired my flatboard system even though we weren't conscious of the connection initially..