I’ve had this board for almost two years and this ding happened about a month after I got it. It sucked, but it looked like it was just my knee or elbow that did it, and no gash, so I didn’t figure I needed to repair it. Well the other day as I was putting my board away I glanced at it and it looked a touch yellow to me, and there is also a darker yellow spot within the ding. If it’s getting yellow, that might mean that water is getting in right? I’ve already done one nose repair and I’d rather not do this repair because I don’t want to throw the balance of the board off with extra weight. It’s hard to see, but I’ve attached a ton of photos so you can take a look and let me know what you think. Thanks!
Oh yeah, a tiny patch of 4 oz. over the ding wouldn’t add much weight, and would seal it against water getting in. Make sure it’s dried out real good first.
You might have to shift your weight over 1/32" from where you usually stand. Maybe 1/16" if you use 6 oz. cloth. Yer funny.
Make a new ding, the same size, on the opposite side of the board. Patch them both, the same way, thus maintaining the all important balance of the board! Otherwise you’ll have to shift your weight, as pointed out by Huck.
ok ok, I get it. Sorry, I don’t know much about surfboards other than how to ride them and that’s marginal at best. I was always afraid that patches could throw off the weight, especially if done wrong. Ok now I know better! Hick you say to patch right over it, should I sand at all or do I need to use a box knife and dig out the old fiberglass?
I mean, I’m not toally wrong about some things weighting the board down or thowing it off am I? Would a delam and the board getting water inside throw off the weight balance?
…to avoid a larger repair; like the one you should do now, you better repaired it when the ding appeared. You ding, you go out of the water, depends on the weather, etc but in the same day or in the next day you have the ding done. That way you preserve the board; a minimal repair possible; less bucks if you let the board repaired by a shop, no yellowing, etc
The problem is not with the unbalance; the problems start when you have several holes and the repair man put gobs of resin to fill those holes; instead of use the core material.
Regarding your ding now: yes; you need to sand the finish coat and the hot coat. Sand a bigger surface; then you start to see the fiberglass; sand it by hand with careful a bit more but without going into the foam; then with a hairdrier kill that humidity. Do this several times; and in this way you pull out the humidity that you have very inside that. So you warm the surface, let the moisture to comes up; do it again. In your case may be you feel that you do not have any; but yes; you have there; most repair onto that; and that is why most times; no matter if you do not have a yellowish color there; the repair turns brownish.
Then put 1 4oz bigger and other smaller on top; laminate; wait 2 hours or use UV resin and wait 5 minutes; apply a hot coat (resin with wax in styrene monomere) soo you can sand; sand it down with 80 or 100 grit; depends on the condition; then apply by brush a finish coat; you can use the same hot coat resin. Then start with 240 grit, 320, 400 and 500 in your case to mimic the finish on that board.
Once it turns yellow that means water has gotten under the glass. You could just brush a layer of sanding resin on it and sand it smooth. While the structural integrity of that spot may be compromised, it is in an area that doesn’t need a cloth patch. If you know as little as it seems, I suggest you keep things as simple as possible.
Should be repaired as others have pointed out. If you don’t, water will continue to leach in and you’ll end up with a delam if that hasn’t already started. Sand it well and resin should be enough on the bottom. If it’s really unbalanced, get a nipple ring on the opposite side.
Hey reverb so that’s what I worry about. lots of holes the board will eventually become unbalanced right? or only if the repairs are done wrong by gooping in resin and no qcell?
also, I don’t think I’ve been doing the hot coat right. Normally I just add more activator to my poly and use that as the hot coat, but it sounds like I may be missing something? I’m in San Diego. I got my repair kit from a surf shop (Mitch’s I think). is there something else I need for the hot coat?
I may just take it to a pro to make sure it’s done right…
…nobody use only resin; they use resin + qcell or aerosil (cabosil) or if you do not access to anything you can go with talc or whatever.
But the best way if you have a hole (you do not have a hole) is to use the same core material and avoid to refill with resin; only a light smear to glue the stuff.
-regarding hot coat, as I mentioned in the other comment, you need to put wax (paraffin) diluted in styrene monomere (you can buy this stuff just ready) to the lam resin (use a clear resin with UV protectors) Reichhold is a good brand.
shit man this sounds way more complicated than what I’ve been doing (which is apparently wrong) I think I’m going to take it to Roper’s. By the next time I get a ding maybe I’ll know what to buy. Thanks for all the help.
You guys are killing me. Garek, keep it simple. Get some sand paper and scuff up the discolored ding and around the perimeter. Tape off around the sanded ding with masking tape. Get a bit of 4 oz. glass and some uv activated sanding resin. Cut the glass so it overlaps the tape a bit. Saturate the glass with the resin. Take it out in the sun for about a minute. Bring it out of the sun and cut the tape off. Back into the sun until it’s sandable. Sand it and fare the edges into the board. Very simple and water proof. Don’t waste time trying to fill that pressure ding back to the surface. It won’t make a damn bit of difference in how it rides. Except maybe in your head. Or, take it to Roper’s and it will be perfect.
thanks Roaster. I see so many different ways to do this stuff. Online the number one video that shows up says to put one small piece of glass, then one slightly larger over that, but here i swear someone said put the big then the small down. I’m so confused. I have fiberglass for bondo, I don’t know if it’s 4oz. I think I’m just going to go to Roper’s. board is still new-ish, so I want it done right. maybe in a few years I’ll care less…
You got excellent professional advice from reverb and others. Sometimes professional advice can be too much when you’ve never done it or seen it done. There are many ding repair videos on you tube, too. Everyone should learn to repair their own boards. If you have a very valuable board I’d take it to Roper or SD Repairman who post here and lives in SD. No offense, but your board looks like a typical throw away board that most people own and you’re way over thinking that little ding which is why the guys are having some fun at your expense. All boards get those on the bottom. Mike
No offense taken at the “throw away” board, although I did buy it new and it was shaped… and it rides great, so to me, I want to try to keep it going as long as I can, or at least until I outgrow it. One piece of advice I received here was to buy one board, and ride it in all conditions, which for the most part, I’ve done with this board, and it has paid off.
What you said makes sense, I’m worried too much about a board that really is nothing special. I can do everything else right, it was just the hot coat I was concerned about. Can anyone recommend a good brand of that parafin stuff?
Besides, Roper’s moved and they are way out of my way now, and if I go to them, I won’t get the board until next weekend, whereas if I do it myself I can be back in the water by Saturday.
