Is my board worth repariing?

superkraut · Joined: 18 Mar 2001 Posts: 346

retired (YAY!) = 180 days at 2hrs each (brief winter sessions) = 360hrs a year. 10-year old Cobra-built RFrench still going strong, albeit with a rebuilt deck between the straps (zero weight gain)
yes, Gerritt, those 2004 to 2008 RRDs were keepers: we had just come off the abject failure of selective reinforcements, and all brands across the board went with continuous reinforcements and more of them, erring if anything on the heavy side. Now, we are trending lighter again.
Sure, we have today the manufacturing technologies and materials to build light, bomb-proof boards: they would have a rigid PVC foam shell with bi-axial Carbon for strength and rigidity, a full deck veneer to protect this Carbon from impact - and in my book, they would have a hollow core, spending the 3 or 4lbs thus saved on making the boards more rigid and thereby reduce fatigue and increase the useful lifespan.
Alas, the demographics are maybe one hard-core rider of your caliber versus 500 or so weekend warriors who never come close to stressing their boards to near their design limits. So its cheaper to build to their needs, and somehow deal with the grumpy exception - you.

DAVIBO · Joined: 04 Jun 1996 Posts: 52

Don't know if I'm qualified to talk about this but the best boards I've ever had for durability & design for bay area sailing anyway have been Mike's Labs.....they don't break....I'm not a wave sailor, but have had some really bad launches, full throttle, into the boards @ 225 lbs. and the boards held up way better than Starboard, F2 or Mistral...just a thought

superkraut · Joined: 18 Mar 2001 Posts: 346

yes, he builds them right, and builds them to suit your sailing - but they are not indestructable: this one a wave board for a superb sailor who sails lots, year-round. It lasted 3 years, had a soft deck after 2 years, repaired by Mr Z, and a full bottom "delam" (really a core separation, as most "delams" are) after 3 years, "repaired" by injecting Gorilla Glue, which lasted 1 week

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

Mike's Lab boards are the benchmark for high performance boards that are strong and very light. I bought my first one used in 1992, and I've bought 8 new ones from Mike since 1993. I still have them all. I'm still using a classic 8'10" Slalom from 1999, and it still weighs in at about 11.5-12lbs. The deck right in front of the rear straps softened and delaminated a bit, but Mike injected it with epoxy about 9 years ago and it's still going strong. It might be considered an old school relic, but it's super fast and comfortable to ride. Narrower, longer rocker boards like the 8'10" are still top flight in my book.

When it comes to boards made from EPS, it's the foam that the weak link. I had a talk with Mike some years back, and he said that different lots of material vary in weight and density, with the lightest being the most likely to weaken and delaminate after 4-6 years of good use. 2 of the 8, both my lightest MLs, had the softening and delam condition, but neither had the deck crack and leak.

MLs certainly aren't immune to dings and bashes, but I've never had one break and fail, or show any signs of it.

ERROR!!! · Joined: 26 Feb 1998 Posts: 170 Location: East Bay

Rob Mulder of Roberts Composites, Vancouver BC, makes an outstanding custom board.

J64TWB · Joined: 24 Dec 2013 Posts: 1685

I am a big fan of your website Eva. Your work seems impeccable and I am very curious about your background and how you learned so much? Fortunately I haven’t needed any repairs yet and I doubt I have the skills for much, but I really like the idea of a DVD. It sounds like it could be a fun project! I think you would be successful selling and marketing them as a reference. There are millions of Windsurf, surf and SUP boards out there. I for one would like one. Hopefully you have a section for the novice like me who would just smear epoxy all over everything and call it a day.

Best,

F.

superkraut · Joined: 18 Mar 2001 Posts: 346

thanks, Frederick! I came to board repair from Naval Architecture and composite boatbuilding, and my Marine Surveyor's training helps a bunch in failure analyses. There is a blurb at http://www.boardlady.com/ancienthistory.htm

mikecole · Joined: 21 Sep 2000 Posts: 164

The Santa Barbara crew are still mourning your retirement Eva...

I am intrigued by your thinking that we should dispense with the EPS core and build boards that are hollow. I agree! The other carbon toys I have are bikes and they are all hollow! A current road racing bike frame and fork weigh less than 4lbs and they are insanely durable. I know because I ride my trek madone over some roads that make the chop at Kanaha seems smooth. It's seems almost impossible that less than 4lbs of carbon and epoxy can take that kind of beating. I suppose the tooling and manufacturing are just to expensive when economy's of scale cannot be achieved.... Sad reality of our sport...

Mike

DAVIBO · Joined: 04 Jun 1996 Posts: 52

Hollow boards have been very popular and successfully built by SIC Custom in Maui.....Mark Raapahorst has a good site where you can see his work from surfboards to SUPS. here is the link:
www.sicmauicustom.com

superkraut · Joined: 18 Mar 2001 Posts: 346

thanks for the clap on my shoulder, Mike!
hollow boards are certainly not my original idea!! Doyle built them ages ago, and Airinside is now building them in Tunesia on a larger scale than before. Alas, the general public still seems to deem EPS cores beneficial somehow, never mind that they are the most common cause of board failures...