Surfing Waves

Hi i have just received my new board. i ordered it to be custom made with a hand painted design and am not 2 sure about it now I've recieved it!! It's my first board and theres just a few bits and pieces I'm not sure on. The finish is quite rough to the touch as though it was been sanded and not glassed, not smooth and shiny like i expected, I'm told this is because of the nature of the hand painted design, I just wondered if anyone else has experience this finish and whether it is any good??

Also there are slight marks in the foam running horizontilly from the centre strimmer, i think caused when the strimmer has been sanded down to the level of the foam, does this sound worrying?

There are also quite a lot of bubbles in the foam under the top layer, as well as a few marks and the fin plugs are lightly visible on the deck of the board.

I paid £350 for the board and seen as this is my first board I don't know whether it is an acceptable level of finish for the money or whether I'm just been picky!! Dont want to kick up a fuss if this is the case, just wanted some advice if poss

Thanks
T+T

Any pictures? i have no experience with custom boards, but it doesnt sound good. It sounds like a board you would pick up at costco. But wait for someone else to reply, i have never had a new board in my whole life.

There are both rough sanded finishes and polished shiny ones out there.
The lines in the foam are where the stinger tool rubbed across the foam surface.
But…
It’s difficult to give an opinion at the moment, though to blame the finish on the paint seems a bit weird.

So, if you can post or point us to some (decent !) pics, we can then help you.

to blame the finish on the paint seems a bit weird

I doubt that as the paint should be under layers of glass - The only issue with having too much paint is that the glass might not stick so great too it. But that will only happen if you have really overdone the painting. Usually this wouldnt be noticable but could suffer from quick delam later on.

Boards usually come in a SANDED finish. To get a glossy finish you usually have to pay extra in the states its usually $50 and is known as a gloss coat. I however think its completely pointless. However the sanded finish should not be rough. Well at least in my experience the boards i have had custom have been smooth to the touch. Even the boards i have made myself have been smooth so i dont know on that one

The stringer scratches are not that uncommon as each foam blank is slightly different. Good foam will be consisent quality between blanks. Bad foam can chip leaving small craters like a buck shot effect. Without pictures its impossible to know (although i doubt a photgraph will really show that up) In any case it could just be a few rough marks that were not sanded smooth

The bubbles - well a picture is really required. But for the most part you shouldnt really see any as buddles are caused by airpockets getting trapped in the fiber glass cloth while laminating another possible reason for air bubbles is that the board was shaped out of balance leaving indentations here and there which air can get under and cause a bubble these slight vairations in the board are hard to spot but should shine up under shaping lights pretty easily. If there are a lot of them and if the are big i would start to be highly suspect of the glass job.

The fin plugs - not that uncommon in some boards seen lots of boards with that (im assuming this is FCS) never happened to me personaly all my boards are future fin set-ups.

All in all its hard to judge without seeing any pictures or actually seeing the board for myself. But it sounds a little dodgy but like i say i couldnt really tell from here However you should really quell your mind as if you are unsure about your board phycologically you will surf it crap. Im a big advocate of supporting local shapers but i do recognise the fact that not all of them are that great that is why always research your shaper beforehand. (im not saying the shaper who did your board is crap i dont know just shooting out a general warning to whoever reads this)

Post some pictures of the board!

You can fine sand it yourself. Use fine sand paper. Some people don't use wax on their board, as they leave it rough enough. Up to you. There should not be any bubbles. On some new boards you see the fin plugs from the top, but they are under the glass. Ask your shaper if he painted the foam or the glass. Did you agree on a gloss coat?