Foamie and I took a trip to lobster lounge

[RinkyDink]

I took off on about a 6ft wave with foamie today and pretty well face planted instead of bottom turning. My nads took a beating from the belly flop landing I had on the water, but other than that I was unscathed. It was kookalicious I wish I had a beach spectator view of it. Anyway, foamie did not fair as well. As I went to get back on the board I discovered a crease. Yep, a big crease across the deck. So it kind of looks like the board really wanted to break in half, but took a deep breath and kept itself together. So, my question is are these types of creases common in foamies or is my board on its death bed?

Here's what the damage looks like.

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[jaffa1949]

Foamie stress test recommended, ride it till it dies, investigate under what circumstances it fails!
Wait till you heal from your injuries in the process and buy a new board! If you are taking on 6ft waves, you deserve a real board!

[Big H]

Well you can fold it to store it now so it will take up less space!?

Time for a hard board!

[BoMan]

I took off on about a 6ft wave with foamie today and pretty well face planted instead of bottom turning. My nads took a beating from the belly flop landing I had on the water, but other than that I was unscathed. It was kookalicious

So funny... except when it happens to me!

[waikikikichan]

So, my question is are these types of creases common in foamies or is my board on its death bed?

Yes and Maybe. There should be one or two wood "beams" running down the center,but the styrofoam has cracked or creased around it. It should ride okay, unless you start to see the rail pop off the slick bottom skin.

[RinkyDink]

So funny... except when it happens to me!

Don't let it happen to you. Here's the trap I fell into. It was pretty small (2-3ft.) with a nice offshore breeze when I paddled out. That was about the perfect size for my current ability. After about a half hour, however, these really nice 4 to 6 foot waves started rolling in. The winds were just right and these beautiful new waves just possessed me. The next thing I know I wake from a trance and discover that my takeoff has somehow transformed into a floater. Yeech. I'm obviously not ready for that kind of innovation right now.

[RinkyDink]

So, my question is are these types of creases common in foamies or is my board on its death bed?

Yes and Maybe. There should be one or two wood "beams" running down the center,but the styrofoam has cracked or creased around it. It should ride okay, unless you start to see the rail pop off the slick bottom skin.

Yeah, I think the board has definitely seen some trauma. I've let it get whacked around in the shore-pound on occasion and probably should be more vigilant about protecting it from direct hits. After inspecting it again and riding it today, it looks like it is holding up. I don't see any problems on the underside of the board. I think it's well-constructed. The Greco website states:

Double reinforced hand chosen, treated and cured wood stringers
6oz top and bottom internal epoxy core
Double concave
Fiberglassed PVC fin holes for no water entry

Nevertheless, I think I'm going to take it easy on it at this point and keep it out of anything over 3ft. I need it till I have the strength and ability to switch to my other board

[OlegLupusov]

It is a sort of fine for now. The foam is likely to have cracked inside. Double thick layer both on top and bottom saved it. Wavestorm has only a thick layer only on the bottom which makes the same damage one step from death. But surftech, Doyle, your board have an additional layer on the deck which prevents them from being super vulnerable when one layer wrinkles. My board had the same wrinkle but on the bottom and survived several months of tough usage afterwards.

However, the cracked foam and detached layer at the wrinkle facilitate water absorbtion to the great extent. I opened the skin to fill in the cracks with hot glue but the board continues to absorb water although to a lesser extent.
So, it is more about water absorbtion than decreased durability.

[OlegLupusov]

Here are the pics

[jaffa1949]

Happy belated New Year, Oleg, you are our prime tester of foam durability!
Glad to see you back, you have promoted a good lot of feisty conversations re etiquette and surf road rules.
It is always great to have people of all levels so the forum doesn't just become a chat room between to same people.
Keep on with your progress and single handed demolition derby.
BTW a crease in a hard board is a statement the end is nigh!

[RinkyDink]

It is a sort of fine for now. The foam is likely to have cracked inside. Double thick layer both on top and bottom saved it. Wavestorm has only a thick layer only on the bottom which makes the same damage one step from death. But surftech, Doyle, your board have an additional layer on the deck which prevents them from being super vulnerable when one layer wrinkles. My board had the same wrinkle but on the bottom and survived several months of tough usage afterwards.

However, the cracked foam and detached layer at the wrinkle facilitate water absorbtion to the great extent. I opened the skin to fill in the cracks with hot glue but the board continues to absorb water although to a lesser extent.
So, it is more about water absorbtion than decreased durability.

Ah, that's so helpful. I don't see the top layer separating from the bottom layer so I'm going to cross my fingers and hope the board doesn't start taking on water. If I have to open it up and perform surgery on it, then I will, but I'm going to wait and see how the top layer does. I'm just hoping that by the time I start having issues with it I'll be ready for another board anyway.

[OlegLupusov]

Thanks! New scars to please u:)

[jaffa1949]

The how might be really fascinating , but hey at least it's the foamy getting he scars

[RinkyDink]

Thanks! New scars to please u:)

Are you shooting the pier again? The nice thing about foamies is that you can start practicing your repair skills early.

[RinkyDink]

You know, Oleg, I just realized that the reason why your board crease is on the bottom and my board crease is on the top is probably because I haven't been turtle rolling very much. Since I know my arms and lats are pretty weak (they have made amazing progress though), I've been preserving my energy when I paddle out by not really paddling out until I need to. In other words, I walk my board out and swim it out as far as I can and then wait for a lull in the waves and when that lull comes I just hop on the board and do a sprint paddle to the outside. As I walk/swim my board out, though, it takes hits on the top of the deck rather than the bottom because I'm not turtle rolling. Do you turtle roll with your board a lot and does the underside of your board get hit by the lips of waves?

[jaffa1949]

Oh goodie a swimmer towing his board to the outside. Immediate thought two hazards to avoid rather than one

[RinkyDink]

Oh goodie a swimmer towing his board to the outside. Immediate thought two hazards to avoid rather than one

I can see how you'd snark about that, but you're wrong. There's nobody out at the break I'm at because I find my own peak. My beach isn't that crowded on its busy days anyway. I'm blessed there. I also don't tow my board. I swim with my arm around it and duck with it pulled to my chest so the board is in my control at all times. Once I get to the impact zone, I simply wait for a lull and then head out back. It works for me at the break I'm at and nobody even notices me. So save the outrage for the kids who step on your lawn

[RinkyDink]

Thanks! New scars to please u:)

The Greco 2.0 flatlined today. I shouldn't have taken it outside. It was just too big. I lucked into another board though, a Wavestorm, for $40 on Craigslist. I'm going to ride it in 3ft surf max. Lesson learned.

Broken.jpg

[OlegLupusov]

Sorry about your board. How long was it? Only two stringers.

I don't think turtle roll has anything to do with the board damage. All boards I broke or witnessed being broken didn't die while paddling out but rather within waves catching attempts. I turtle roll only on waves bigger than 2 with 12+ period! I push myself through the smaller ones. There is a trick of pushing yourself up with toe and palms on the board before the wave impact.

waves storm and other cheap foamies are not made for bigger than 3 with 12+ period.
Not sure about Greco. A bit dissapointed because of only two stringers and possible absence of the deck plastic layer (can't see it in the pic).

As for repairs, there is some difference between fixing foamies and hard ones. Got glue gun gives burns and is really annoying. And almost no repair shops for foamies.

Solarez stinks and requires sun exposure and sanding.

Save session could be used on both with a number of limitations for foamies.

My board last damage has no story at all. A huge wave smashed a bunch of surfers. I abandoned my board for sake of survival which resulted in some beatings of the board.

[OlegLupusov]

And I don't see top layer of plastic on the picture. Did it have one?