Parking a car for a week in the sun

[jse]

I'm off to Chicago tomorrow (Sunday) for work and will return Friday about the time 3rd Avenue will be going off (I hope). So I'm parking my car at the airport parking (I usually use Park'n'Fly), with my gear. Since my car is usually garaged, I'm wondering what's the best way to store the boards so they don't get heat/sun damage. I have nice Airwave bags for both (JP FSW's), and I can move them inside the car before I leave. I'm wondering if they're better off on the roof. I'd prefer not to leave them there because of theft. If I leave them inside, should they be in the bags and should I open the vents? Crack the windows? It's supposed to be sunny all week.

Steve

[jse]

On second thought, tides don't look so good for 3rd next Friday. Maybe I'll sail somewhere else.

Steve

[jp5]

I once took my board to Laughlin Nv to sail Lake Mojave. It was 115 outside and I kept my board in the car to prevent theft. It was an old Seatrend with a vent plug so I removed the plug to allow for expansion. The board was fine but I forgot to put the plug back in when I went sailing.

[isobars]

I wouldn't leave so much as an old pair of sneakers in a car in a public parking lot, unless maybe I was in a restaurant eating lunch in full view of my car.

Oops, scratch that. My bud had his cartop stripped of gear during a short lunch in a west/rural (oops, that's redundant, repetitive, and pleonastic) Texas town, nowhere near water, decades ago. I'm takin' those sneakers inside with me.

That said, what color is the car? Dark? I wouldn't. White? Maybe, with the board vents open. Bags would make no difference inside.

Mike \m/

[windward1]

One of the Park n Fly hotels south of the airport not far from Coyote Point has parking under the building that is the hotel. No sun damage and maybe a little bit more secure. It has been a while since I used it, but it was one of the less expensive ones on the Park n Fly list.

[radross]

Oakland Park N-Fly has indoor parking in the back of the lot. $$.

Ross

[swchandler]

For many years my van was always outside, and it had all my gear inside at all times. Also, I never open my vent plugs unless I'm going to drive in higher elevations. Some boards are in canvas bags, while others are in DaKine padded bags. I've never had a problem of any kind, but I should point out that my van is white.

However, in your situation, I would caution you about leaving your gear in an airport parking lot. If I'm flying out of Santa Barbara Airport, I have no worries about my gear, but I wouldn't dream of leaving my van with anything in it if I was flying out of LAX, given my past experiences with break-ins. In fact, my current policy regarding LAX is never to leave my van in any of the airport parking lots. If I'm going to fly out of LAX, I rent a car for the trip down and back, as the cost variance between renting the car and paying for airport parking isn't that great.

[jse]

Actually, theft isn't one of my worries. Sure, I don't want to leave my gear on the roof, but I've never had problems at Park'n'Fly, as the lots are enclosed and regularly patrolled - that is their buses are constantly circulating looking for pickups. SFO long term parking is another thing entirely. My only worry would be someone coming home from a flight, seeing my board on the roof and nabbing it on the way out. I think the likelyhood of that is slim.

STeve

[ctuna]

The board lady says to leave your vent plug open always as long as its not in a bag with the straps wet. I wouldn't leave equipment in a car at an airport unless it was a guarded facility .

[mogunn]

Steve,
If your question is will heat damage your board(s) in the car, I don't think you need to worry. The temps forecasted for next week are pretty moderate.
My stuff lives 24/7 parked outside in a dark van.
I keep boards in a bag (mostly for knock-about protection) and vents opened. Done the same since vent plugs became the norm. No probs ever.
I would never consider leaving a board on top in a Park n Fly lot.