When I repaired my gas furnace this past December, I used a high-end duct tape to seal up the chimney. The tape is actually aluminum, unlike the classic duct tape, which sucks. Anyway, after a minor collision between my board and my head, the bottom of my board had a big crack in it… (my head may also have suffered some damage, but its difficult to tell?) So given we still had some waves today, and I wasn’t about to miss out on this modest but clean swell, I duct taped the massive crack [on the board] with my high-end all aluminum duct tape. Man… this stuff works – water tight!
Plus, I’ve got that dangerous crazy kook look going for me now, which kind’a works for me… I’m not sure I want to repair the board. Okay, I’ll repair the board, but I think I’ll put the tape back on too.
Just a tip for those who have yet to discover this stuff – got it at the hardware store, its pricey, but really (really) handy.
Ever tried gorilla glue? Just wash out the ding (or crack) with fresh water, squeeze in some g-glue, let it foam and cure, sand down, and off you go. Its not pretty but its quick and it seems to work.
edit ps- rinse it out if its PU, for eps, rinse with alcohol (to dry out the foam) and then wipe with water…
If you are only looking for quick leak proofing, packing tape is cheaper, thinner, and comes off cleaner. That Solarease is the freaking way to go though. You are patched and ready to go faster than you can trim the tape…and its permanent!
“Tuna” who posts around here sometimes just built a new board that looks old.He made it look brown and sunburned with a bunch of fake dings.It faked me out.The guy who ordered it figure it would less prone to being ripped off.Tuna has a shop called www.undergroundboardworks.com .The smallest factory in the world.
I’ve had some of the thin aluminum tape on one of my boards for a couple of years now after a crack along the rail showed up. Never got around to doing a real repair, but it has held up like nothing ever happened. I just hope the shiny silver doesn’t act like a lure for big fish.
I’ve been recomending this stuff for field/temp repairs for a while. I tell people not to use duct tape as it isn’t water proof and is a pain to get off. We call that stuff aluminium flashing tape here. only thing to watch for is that is on flat with no creases or pointy bit sticking up to spike your feet on.
No boat owner should be without “AquaMend”! Just cut, mix and apply. This family of hand-mixable epoxy putty sticks are quick and easy to use. They can be drilled, tapped, filed, screwed, sewed, sanded, painted, and machined. This is a 4 oz. stick.
Maybe that’s [as in there lack of thought] why they call them kooks?
But I agree, a lifted corner or edge could do some serious damage to a foot, or any other bit of exposed skin – it is metal, and it’s razor thin. There are better and safer techniques for quick repairs. - especially if you have the time and resources at hand.
I’m not saying its the best way to fix a board, but there are people that always reach for the tape as soon as they get a ding. All I’m saying is if you have to use tape atall this suff is water proof and duct tape is not. I hate people how fill there dings with wax, its such a pain in the arse, I’d rather someone used tape than wax any day.
Don’t let it pool up. That stuff generates a lot of heat.
Not a big problem in 5 degrees. The problem is the other way around most of the time. Throw it in the car and run the heater for 15 minutes to make it go hard…
Aluminum tape (used for ducts, but not “duct tape”) is what I use for makeshift repairs. It’s watertight, sits really flat, and doesn’t come off. It’s a pain to get off when you’re ready to do proper repairs, but that’s a small price to pay for an easy fix. I’ve found that other tapes come off (especially packing tapes) and pastes or solar rez don’t prevent further cracking and leaking. For me a proper ding repair almost always includes new glass over the damaged area. It’s a three or four step process that takes most of a day when you include cure times. Aluminum tape is instantly gratifying.
I always keep a roll and scissors in my truck, just in case. If you round the edges you’ll never have a problem with them peeling up.
I’ve got a few boards that have had the tape on them for years… no problems. What’s temporary becomes permanent sometimes. I’ve got too many boards and not enough time to fix damaged ones. It’s easier to glass a new board than it is to fix dings so I just get new boards. I only do repairs when my friends beg me to help them fix their boards. I’ll throw in a couple of mine at the same time to use my time more efficiently.
I admire the guys who bring old boards back to life. That’s just not me. I’m a kook.
