Snapped board repair query

General Discussion
1

Hi,

I’ve read all the guides on repairing a snapped board (thanks for all the info, the repair is looking good so far).

I’ve used two pieces of 5mm ply down either side of the stringer and glued with resin. Then filled with a Q-Cell mixture and sanded down.

I’m at the stage where I’m ready to glass. The board is a 6’4"x18.75x2.25 so I’m going to do 1 6oz top and bottom.

Basically, my query is when I’ve seen repaired boards before they always appear to be really flush to the deck (admittedly I haven’t looked that closely), but I know that with this repair with the snap and stripped glass area filled that once I’ve applied the new glass it’ll be slightly raised on the deck, base and at the rails, especially at the laps. So my query, should I sand the existing glass a little more to make a ‘depression’ for the new glass or should I abandon the idea of a repair that is completely flush with the existing board? I guess my basic question is: How do I get it looking good without sacrificing strength?

Thanks in advance for any advice offered.

2

Try checking this link. http://www.cflsurf.com/boardrepair.html

3

I’ve always stripped the glass off on both deck and bottom several inches on either side of the break, then cut a patch to fit perfectly in the space where the exposed foam is. A second patch overlaps that and extends over the existing glass (which has been sanded down to the weave). Make sure there’s no excess resin in these laminations. The lam has to sit flat and tight against the old glass and the bare foam. You can do two layers of 6 on the deck, and 6 inside patch and 4 outside patch on the bottom because you want the bottom to be perfect. The deck dosen’t have to be. The edges are then faired out and then the whole area is hotcoated and sanded smooth. You should feel no bumps or transitions if you do it right.

Keep in mind the strength when repairing a break is most critical in the bond between the lam and the stringer, not the lam and the foam or the foam-to-foam bond along the “fault” of the break. Beefing up the broken stringer is important, but getting a good, solid bond to the deck and bottom glass is the key. It will never flex the way it did before it broke, but you’ll still get many good sessions out of it.