A surfboard stringer is a thin strip of wood that runs from nose to tail down the center of the polyurethane (PU) foam blank. The center stringer adds stiffness and rigidity to the surfboard. The stringer was introduced in surfboard design in 1958 by Gordon Duane, the founder of Gordie Surfboards. He wanted to reduce the flexibility, and add strength to the polyurethane core structure. So, how is a stringer inserted on a surfboard? The pre-shaped, molded PU blank is cut in half lengthwise, and then the stringer is dropped in and glued before clamping the pieces together.

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What is a surfboard stringer?

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