Surfing Waves

Hello! A year ago I branched our and got a glass longboard. I’ve seen Watercooled around the breaks and never heard much, good or bad about them. The shopkeep assured me they were tough so I got my first 9’6” glass longboard.

In the one year I’ve had it the deck has become so compressed the stringer is uncomfortable to lay on. I’m not really gentle on my things, but I had been really trying to take care of it. A surf coach told me, without seeing it, that it must be very lightly glassed, and said it should not be denting so easily.

I ask because I am thinking of unloading it and getting a new one. But if that’s just life with a glass board I would like to know. I have a glass 6’9” Webber. I don’t use it as much but it doesn’t have near the dents on it the water cooled does.

Anyone have any thoughts to share?

The Watercooled boards I know of have been poorly Glass Chinese pop outs, the sort that give pop outs their poor reputation.
Denting and compression of the foam also means the board has less flotation, if you had shatters which I think you mentioned earlier, then there will some extra weight where water has entered! NEW BOARD TIME
Knowing you would like to have a more durable board, look to some of the epoxy brands, guys on the forum have been happy with the Torq brand boards.

Buttertoes wrote: A surf coach told me, without seeing it, that it must be very lightly glassed, and said it should not be denting so easily.

Without seeing it, he ( or I or anyone else ) is just guessing. You need to post a photo of the damage on the deck. Everything else is just hearsay. But of course, a light glassed deck is bound to compress more, but I'm sure even China glassed boards aren't just double-4 oz. on the deck.

Please post a photo, so the truth can be told.

by the way, what happened to this ?

Buttertoes wrote: The owner of a local shop told me I would really enjoy a 9'6" watercooled 2+1. He was so confident he offered a money back guarantee.

Why don't you bring up the deck compressions / weak glassing (?) to that shop owner. He stands behind his products/advice, right ?

That's a good point Waikikikichan... I had forgotten but figure a year later it becomes harder to defend myself. They don't have any competition around here so I am sure I'd be blown off. I could probably still sell it for most of what I paid for it. Longboards don't stay on the for sale pages very long.

Thanks for your opinions Jaffa. I should have done more research. It's been a very fun board but the compression has been disappointing. How does a person know if a board is decently glassed? Being new to it I didn't know if it was something I was doing or a defect in the board. The experience had made me gunshy since I don't know much about buying a board.

I was thinking about robert august, takayama or even a local shaper who made a nice board for someone i know. I wouldn't turn down a well made glass board, but would be happy with an epoxy too. I guess takayama come in both. Knowing that there are thinly glassed boards and well built boards makes me more confident that my board should find a new home... Let the shopping begin

I'll try to get some pics to post but the deck is shaped like this on cross section { with the stringer protruding

Question: Are you going from double knee to one knee to flat foot on the pop up ?