Repair or new board???

[chakochako]

I have a Nelson board that I got from my friend, and I really like it. But it got lots of cracks on the side and the water started to get in. I took it to Soul Performance in Redondo Beach and was told it would cost me $450 to fix it. It will be cheaper if the board has a big damage on one spot!! Anyway, I wonder if I should fix the board spending $450. What do you think? I don't know how old the board is. But it's still in a great shape other than all these cracks.

[cgoudie1]

You can get a pretty nice beater board for $450, but if you really love the
Nelson, then $450 is cheap, as a replacement is gonna cost you triple
that. Might I suggest you leave it out in the sun (for a week) and
let most of the water expand out of it, then sand and epoxy putty
up the cracks (and sand again). Probably cost you $10 in materials,
and a few hours labor. You might get a year more out of the board.

-Craig

[chakochako]

Thank you, Craig. I've never fixed any boards. Isn't it difficult?

Chikako

[isobars]

Once water gets into an EPS core, even a total fillet does not remove all the water, according to Eva IIRC. I left a slightly heavy board in the desert summer sun, wrapped in a black plastic bag, with dry air being pumped through the core, for two months. About a pound of its extra two pounds came out.

Get thee to a swap meet. If you can't find a comparable board LIKE NEW for well under $450, you need to find a new swap meet.

In the meantime, get out the spackle (glass and resin) a la Craig's advice. You'll learn a lot by "spackling" that board, but it's a losing cause. You can chase cracks forever; once a hull starts falling apart, your hobby changes from sailing to glassing and the outcome doesn't change.

Mike \m/

[cgoudie1]

To fix the board proper, yes it would be, ergo $450.

But, my opinion is similar to Eva's. If an EPS core board has water in it,
there's only so much that can be done. You can probably get another
season or maybe 2 out of the thing before it delams, if you:

go to Home Depot and get some epoxy putty and course, medium,
and fine grit sandpaper.

remove as much water as is possible

sand and clean all the cracks and any bits of epoxy resin and glass
that are loose.

putty up the cracks (or resin, but in a case with a hull breach
with water intrusion, I'd just go simple because the board isn't
going to last)

after the board is sealed, keep it out of hot places.

Then just ride it until it delams, and then buy another board.

-Craig

[chakochako]

Thank you sooo much, Mike and Craig. I do appreciate your advice. Okay, I won't spend $450 to fix the board. I will get a new one, but I will use my Nelson to practice my repair skill when I have time. Again, thank you very much for your help.

Chikako

[jingebritsen]

putty will allow for no structural integrity in the repair. long cracks that leak require epoxy paste or resin and some fiber glass cloth. eva's site www.boardlady.com she'll show you how to fix it. i use paste because it comes with filler that eva adds to resin.

marine tex is my favorite stuff for repairs. i can use glass or not. i do use putty for small punctures that don't have much structural significance.

nearly everything that mark has done is worth the work to extending its useful life. even if it's just 20 more sessions or so.

btw, there's a close out mistral screamer at www.progressivesports.com that needs a good home. mark designed it. it's a brilliant board.

[swchandler]

Rather than going to Home Depot for repair materials, I would recommend going to West Marine to get the proper products for the job. As John has suggested, you can pick up some MarineTex, or some West Systems epoxy and microballoons (used to thicken up the epoxy to your desired consistency). Also, to do the right job, it's recommended that you buy some fiberglass cloth to laminate over your sanded repairs, as cracks can have a way of re-surfacing without some structural support. If you go the West System route, which in my view is the best, be sure to pick up their User Manual, Product Guide 002-950. It's free, and it will give you all the information you need to work successfully with their materials. When working with catalytic materials, you really need adhere to the instructions, process steps, and working times to achieve good results.

[rigitrite]

West system epoxy and materials are definitely quality stuff, but they're also really expensive. You might try US Composites, I have found the quality to be about the same at about 1/2 the price:
http://www.uscomposites.com/

Once you get water into the EPS core it require heat and a vacuum bag to get it all out. The water is drawn into the spaces between the beads and held in place with a weak bond like van der Waals forces. Really hard to get it back out.

I think they ought to make old boards into park benches or fences or something.

[cgoudie1]

Well, since we're getting into the how to fix it right category. First
bag the board and pump it down (I like junker refrigerator compressors
for this, but some of the responders may find that too Mickey Mouse).
After you get most of the water out. Sand the hull down where the cracks
are and a little further, because the cracks often extend under the gel coat
quite a way, plus you're going to want to adhere some sglass (probably
a couple of layers of 2 oz) to the repair, so sand the skin way off around
any cracks. I might drill a small hole in the end of each crack. Sand some more, but not down into the core. Clean the dust away. tape off the part of the board you don't want to get resin on. Bring in your Marine Tex, try and get some of the thin stuff into the cracks, bigger
openings require some microballoon mixing for a more viscous fluid
(or paste). Then I would wet the surface with resin, and probably the
glass as well. apply a layer of glass. Maybe squeegee some of the
resin off. Apply another layer of resined glass (this is epoxy resin mind
you, polyester resin will just eat your core and leave you with a huge void) brush over the repair to smooth it out a bit (and insure good
wetting). Let dry (over night) sand smooth, but not through the repair.
Pull your masking. Get yourself some 2 stage white epoxy paint, mix
and spray over the repair and blend out. Oh and don't forget to be well
ventilated and masked during all of the process.

Voila! Now your board might last 3 or 4 seasons instead of 1 or 2 (with HD Epoxy putty), and now you will know why the $450 repair (or a used but
unbreached board) is a bargain.

If you really really want to entertain this yourself, I recommend you
read everything on this website http://www.boardlady.com/
Eva knows what she's "talking" about!

-Craig