How to Care for Your Surfboard
Your surfboard is legendary, it carried you over killer waves and now it carries over memories, all market by scratches and dings. You want your board to live with you as long as possible. But a bashed board won’t ride like it used to and if looks matter don’t expect any head-turning as you stride by with your board under your arm. Check out these basic maintenance tips to keep your legend riding longer and looking better.
Here are a few pieces that will protect your board from damaging elements.
• Board bag - Keep your board out of harm’s way in a special bag designed for surfboards called a board bag. Sun, grabby hands and sand will all claw at your board over time. Long exposures to the sun leave your surfboard hot. High temperatures can damage the protective fibreglass coating the board. Too much heat and the fibreglass will simply pop off leaving the foam underneath exposed and your board unusable.
• Board rack - You’ll definitely want one of these at home if you have kids or pets. If you stand your board up you won’t want curious claws knocking it down. A tumble or two might not hurt, but with every fall comes the risk of a ding, and dings let in water. It’ll be a nasty surprise when a wave swallows your drowning board. Board racks come in a variety of sizes and can even hold many boards at once. Keep your board rack in a cool dry place. Remember to not keep your boards baking in the sun!
• Soft roof rack - Taking your boards on a road trip? They might not enjoy a hot back seat ride as much as a breezy roof. Get yourself a soft roof rack for flexible, safe car-roof transport. Roof racks will fit any car and if you have more than one board some places sell double soft roof racks. Keeping your board in the board bag is a must. Sticks and stones will break your board’s bones. Special car seat covers keep your seats from getting wet if boards do sit in the back, the next beach might just be a short drive over. Make sure to never leave the windows rolled up or your babies will be crying.
What exactly is a ding?
No matter how well you treat your board, riding over raucous sea water roughs up a board. Your board will hit rocks. That’s just the nature of surfing. These dents are also called dings and dings are dangerous. A ding can leave a hole in your surfboard’s coating and a hole will let in water. Water will sink your board while salt will eat at the materials. It is dangerous to surf on a damaged board. Take your board to a surf shop and let a professional repair your board before riding.
Maintain and protect
Regularly apply surfboard wax to your beloved boards. Think of it like gel to keep your board looking dapper. Every entry and exit from water sees your board dragged through sand. Sand scuffs and scrapes at the bottom of the board. Wax reduces the stresses to the coating and keeps your board smooth so you can keep gliding over those monster waves.
Your surfboard is like your child, be a good parent and protect it from harm. Provide it with the care and attention it needs and you'll have a wonderful, long-lasting relationship.