Today, while surfing Cardiff Reef on my 10,0 (without a leash–bad idea today), I was falling and decided to grab my board to avoid a long swim. While bouncing around in the whitewater of a seven foot wave, the board must have bent enough to shatter the glass job. It has 7.5oz volan glass and is a year old. The fractures are on the bottom of the board and reach from the nose to about three feet back. They are hairline cracks that run the width of the board and there are about fifty, all within a three to four foot area. So, I have two questions: One, how bad is it? I love the board and hate the thought of it falling apart. Two, how can I avoid this from happening on my next board? More stingers and wider stringers? By the way, I didn’t shape or glass this board. It was all shop work.
Today, while surfing Cardiff Reef on my 10,0 (without a leash–bad idea > today), I was falling and decided to grab my board to avoid a long swim. > While bouncing around in the whitewater of a seven foot wave, the board > must have bent enough to shatter the glass job. It has 7.5oz volan glass > and is a year old. The fractures are on the bottom of the board and reach > from the nose to about three feet back. They are hairline cracks that run > the width of the board and there are about fifty, all within a three to > four foot area. So, I have two questions:>>> One, how bad is it? I love the board and hate the thought of it falling > apart.>>> Two, how can I avoid this from happening on my next board? More stingers > and wider stringers? By the way, I didn’t shape or glass this board. It > was all shop work. A man after my own heart… Life without a leash, surfing 7 foot Cardiff and fell grabbing your board to putting it thru it’s worst nightmare twisting and turning stressing it to point of cracking it’s shell… It could be just plane old stress on a thick gloss coat… Gloss is a hard resin so it will crack. If that’s it all you have to do is live with it. You may find a sander and a lot of 60 grit. Then sand it down but it’s a job for a good sander cause you have to sand all the gloss off. Then gloss and polish. Cost?? me i would charge “BIG” for a ten footer??? $150 i’m not cheap though?? Now it could be even worse check your stringer area and look for a broken stringer you may have broke it?? Look for a small ding on the stringer it could have a broken stringer… No matter what Shit happens and boards break.and some live a very long life with stress. It will never be the same so think about a three stringer next time. If i was looking to build a strong LB it would be a 3 string Volan 7.5 with 2 1/2 wide laps. Just a little wood out on the rail is worth the money… Look at it this way a $700 three stringer is worth more then that stressed cracked 600 board. I have broke many a longboard more then i can remember. The thing is i have never broke a 3 string??? Live to surf without a leash… Rob
I bought a used Eaton Zinger that had more stress cracks than you describe. The price was right. Right after buying it I brought it in to see how much it would cost to have it fixed. The repair guy said don’t bother-it’ll eventually break-have fun with it and accept it. Years later i decided i was having so much fun with it i brought it back to the same guy and had him rout in and sister a hi density foam stringer to the existing stringer. He reglosed the bottom, but the stress cracks are still there. I surf it pretty hard and don’t think about any weakness in the front of the board. I’ve done what I can do and the rest will just work itself out. It will probably outlast me.
Mike I find that one quarter inch(6mm) tband stringer is all that is necessary on the majority of boards.I also think a good glass job is the key to longevity. Since building my own boards I have never snapped one. But I have put stessies in a couple. I glass all my own boards with a 6 on the bottom and a 4 + 6 +4 patch under the back foot.( i am 6’4" and 280lbs and put a fair bit of leverage on a 9’6"or 10 footer.)I have seen a number of triple stringer and wider stringered boards break. I believe it is from them becoming too stiff.They are put under pressure and instead of perhaps flexing and then stressing and or creasing they are that brittle that they just snap usually quite cleanly.If on the other hand you are adding stingers to increase weight for glide on small point breaks triples or big fat stringers are the way to go and they look great with a nice volan or tint glass job.
about the only way to know if you really have a problem is when the foam starts turning brown right at your stress cracks. Then you know you are in trouble. If this happens you will need to have the board sanded down right into the glass but not through the glass. (You need someone that knows what’s going down to have this done right) They will then bring it back up through the hot coat, and gloss coat. A lot of work. I feel that not enough people look at the type of foam that is being use to make there boards. A high density foam stringer is supper green, and no long board over 9’6" should be made of any foam less then supper green. Try classic foam use a wedge stringer, glass 6oz on the bottom and 2 6 oz on the deck, you will not have stress cracks.
Today, while surfing Cardiff Reef on my 10,0 (without a leash–bad idea > today), I was falling and decided to grab my board to avoid a long swim. > While bouncing around in the whitewater of a seven foot wave, the board > must have bent enough to shatter the glass job. It has 7.5oz volan glass > and is a year old. The fractures are on the bottom of the board and reach > from the nose to about three feet back. They are hairline cracks that run > the width of the board and there are about fifty, all within a three to > four foot area. So, I have two questions:>>> One, how bad is it? I love the board and hate the thought of it falling > apart.>>> Two, how can I avoid this from happening on my next board? More stingers > and wider stringers? By the way, I didn’t shape or glass this board. It > was all shop work. TAKE IT TO ROPER AND ASK HOW MUCH TO SAND DOWN AND RECOAT AND DON’T RUBOUT JUST FINESAND, NO NEED TO ‘HIGHLIGHT’ A REPAIR AREA. IT WILL BE WATERTIGHT, PROBABLY $80.
A man after my own heart… Life without a leash, surfing 7 foot Cardiff > and fell grabbing your board to putting it thru it’s worst nightmare > twisting and turning stressing it to point of cracking it’s shell… It > could be just plane old stress on a thick gloss coat… Gloss is a hard > resin so it will crack. If that’s it all you have to do is live with it. > You may find a sander and a lot of 60 grit. Then sand it down but it’s a > job for a good sander cause you have to sand all the gloss off. Then gloss > and polish. Cost?? me i would charge “BIG” for a ten footer??? > $150 i’m not cheap though??>>> Now it could be even worse check your stringer area and look for a broken > stringer you may have broke it?? Look for a small ding on the stringer it > could have a broken stringer…>>> No matter what Shit happens and boards break.and some live a very long > life with stress. It will never be the same so think about a three > stringer next time.>>> If i was looking to build a strong LB it would be a 3 string Volan 7.5 > with 2 1/2 wide laps. Just a little wood out on the rail is worth the > money…>>> Look at it this way a $700 three stringer is worth more then that stressed > cracked 600 board.>>> I have broke many a longboard more then i can remember. The thing is i > have never broke a 3 string???>>> Live to surf without a leash… Rob Howzit Rob, At Hanalei we have a saying, no cords on long boards. Aloha, Kokua
Howzit Rob, At Hanalei we have a saying, no cords on long boards. Aloha, > Kokua I know how in the islands we wouldn’t even think about wearing one. I use to surf in the HLSA and HSA and in the LB div 87 to 89. We never used one… I always ask people if they want a plug in there LB and when they say how much it’s $50 extra… then I smile… Buy the way did you know Adam Guy??? i’m sure you did… Later…Rob
Sounds like the board flexed hard and the gloss coat got stress lines. If they bug you have the gloss coat sanded off and the board re-glossed and polished. No worries. Just watch out for hot-coat pinlines.
I know how in the islands we wouldn’t even think about wearing one. I use > to surf in the HLSA and HSA and in the LB div 87 to 89. We never used > one…>>> I always ask people if they want a plug in there LB and when they say how > much it’s $50 extra… then I smile…>>> Buy the way did you know Adam Guy??? i’m sure you did… Later…Rob Howzit Rob, I’ve known Adam since he was 3 or 4, Lived next door to his family on the north shore from 70’ to 72’. Adam was just here a few weeks back,he’s been living in Seattle for the last 4 years and is a mortage broker these days. His brother Joel still lives here and owns a restaurant in Hanalei named Bamboo Bamboo. We run the Pine Trees longboard classic and this is the 25th year and it just gets bigger every year. No cords allowed except for the meneune division (11 and under) for safety reasons. As far as I’m concerned cords only get in the way. Aloha, Kokua
Howzit Rob, I’ve known Adam since he was 3 or 4, Lived next door to his > family on the north shore from 70’ to 72’. Adam was just here a few weeks > back,he’s been living in Seattle for the last 4 years and is a mortage > broker these days. His brother Joel still lives here and owns a restaurant > in Hanalei named Bamboo Bamboo. We run the Pine Trees longboard classic > and this is the 25th year and it just gets bigger every year. No cords > allowed except for the meneune division (11 and under) for safety reasons. > As far as I’m concerned cords only get in the way. Aloha, Kokua Adam got a HPLB thin and lite from me last summer and broke it at tunnels i guess the last time he was there… Plus guess who his son stay’s with when they come out to westport??? ME!!! He goes surfing and his son plays with my girls… Great guy that Adam is… Rips for as much as he surfs now… Small world… Later Rob
Adam got a HPLB thin and lite from me last summer and broke it at tunnels > i guess the last time he was there… Plus guess who his son stay’s with > when they come out to westport??? ME!!! He goes surfing and his son > plays with my girls… Great guy that Adam is… Rips for as much as he > surfs now… Small world… Later Rob Howzit Rob, Tunnels loves to chew up longboards, and shorties too. Adam grew up right in front of tunnels and has always been a natural when it comes to surfing. Tell him Wildog says aloha and to keep his focus on a good path. Aloha, Kokua