How to Maintain a Surfboard

Surfboards are expensive and damage easily, so take care of the one you have. Beat-up boards don't perform as well as those kept in good condition.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Women's Athletic Swimsuits
• Duct Tape
• Sunscreen
• Adhesive Traction Pads
• Bubble Wraps
• Board Shorts
• Surf Leashes
• Surf Waxes
• Surfboard Bags
• Surfboard Ding Repair Kits
• Surfboard Racks
• Surfboards
• Surfing Wet Suits
• Duct Tape

1. Invest the extra $30 or so in a "board sock," or cloth surfboard bag, to protect and store your quality board.

2. Get a surfboard rack for the top of your car. Loading boards into the trunk, backseat or back of a truck can damage them.

3. Avoid leaving your board in the sun. Ultraviolet rays can degrade the hard fiberglass shell around the soft foam core, causing delamination, as well as melt the coat of wax off your board.

4. Try not to whack your board into walls, other surfboards or other objects when you carry it.

5. Avoid standing your board on end up against a wall, since a gust of wind or a small bump might topple it.

6. Fix any dents that may leak water into your surfboard's foam core with a ding repair kit, or have it done by a professional at a surfboard shop.

7. Invest in a quality board bag to protect it from abusive baggage handlers if you need to take your board on an airplane.

8. Consider wrapping the board in bubble wrap and brace the fins so they can't snap off when carrying the board on a plane.

Tips & Warnings

• If the surf's great and you don't want to miss any waves, temporarily cover dings with duct tape.
• You can check to see if a ding leaks by sucking on it with your mouth. If you taste salty seawater, it leaks.

Who Can Help:

• Tired of Being Tired? Fight Fatigue and Try FRS for FREE!

on 8/8/2006 If you only have a few minutes and you need a really quick fix, just wax over the crack with a heavy coat. It sounds stupid, but it works. Of course when you're done take that wax off and repair it or take it to your local surf shop to get it repaired.

on 11/22/2005 Don't use tape. Get a bottle of clear silicone and an ice cube. Put the silicone over the ding and smooth it out with the ice cube. When you go to fix the ding, the silicone will peel off. Silicone cures fast and won't come off in the surf or keep water in, like tape will.

on 11/22/2005 Use this to separate your boards from each other, cushion, traction, and a safe amount of space from each other to avoid dings, wax jobs, shatters, and slipping and sliding out and onto the road!

on 11/22/2005 Found to be the best method for all around board protection, functionality of it's design, and construction and durability while on overseas travels. The soft cushioning protects the boards from each other, while not having to be stuffed into a boardbag.

on 11/22/2005 Get a stacker. When putting boards on racks, it goes between the boards.