Soft board repair-was it a shark?

[waikikikichan]

how many times did you fill and put in the sun ?

[OlegLupusov]

2 but the second one only to fix the gap resulting from glue going down the crack!
Used tooth stick, etc

[waikikikichan]

Better to have a slight bump and it be strong, than to have it perfectly flush with the rail and weak.

[OlegLupusov]

Does my repair look too weak? Should I redo?

[waikikikichan]

i can't tell from the photo. You can cap over the top, so it gives a I-beam effect. If you push on it and it's not "soft"or your can't see any big voids that lead to the foam,just leave it and go surf. Who knows , maybe you'll pop the other rail or get another ding.

[OlegLupusov]

Is it advisable to fix it myself?

[OlegLupusov]

The stringent looks broken

[jaffa1949]

Have a look at the wood if it is cracked and is so top and bottom of board , yes stringer is broken!
If not fix the black cracks as before, another way is to do a nose over glass with fibreglass and resin as a proper glass job.
Me I'd just do the cracks like you did the rail!

One great thing about this board you are getting a starter course in board repairs.

You could consider the board a step up beater board and get your skills in surfing improving and then you will be ready to get an even better board.

[OlegLupusov]

Many thanks!
The bottom is cracked open, no damage on the top deck! But the is some as the crack continues to rail on one side.
But I can see from the bottom that the wooden stringent is cracked as well.

Frankly speaking, I do consider selling this board and buying an epoxy one! Fiberglass is too fragile for me. Three times in waves over 2 feet and one ding each time. Although it was fine in 1-2 foot waves, but the winter swell is bigger than that.

[dtc]

What are you doing to your boards!! I've never even had a serious ding in a board, although admittedly mine are pretty heavily glassed. But, still, are you surfing in 6 inches of water over rocks or something?

[jaffa1949]

Frankly speaking, I do consider selling this board and buying an epoxy one! Fiberglass is too fragile for me. Three times in waves over 2 feet and one ding each time. Although it was fine in 1-2 foot waves, but the winter swell is bigger than that.

Part of a surfer's major skill is avoiding running into things. Please practice this diligently for your board and your wallets sake. BTW Epoxy boards are not entirely ding proof! ( but are stronger in most cases, cheap ones are not however!)

Another thing a small thing and it may be a spell check autocorrect dumb thing . The piece of wood down the centre of your board is a stringer, not a stringent which is what you need to be with your board control near things that ding.
Ding avoidance need to be practiced for the rider too.

[OlegLupusov]

What are you doing to your boards!! I've never even had a serious ding in a board, although admittedly mine are pretty heavily glassed. But, still, are you surfing in 6 inches of water over rocks or something?

Just riding! Nose dived into sand bottom after along the line ride in 4 foot wave and 18s period!

With my huge fin I can't afford white water anymore!

Being super cautious spoils the fun but does not help! Tried to protect the fiber glass as hard as could! Cover bag all the time! No placing on asphalt, etc! Even having the priority, stop to avoid any accidents.

I just don't know how to prevent nosediving other than trying only sure thing and safe waves. In my case, it will be reduced only to 1-2 rides session!

In smaller waves, no nosediving

[OlegLupusov]

Jafa, yep! Stringer! iPhone autocorrects it somehow!

Could u please tell me how could one avoid breaking boards resulting from nosediving?

[jaffa1949]

Am I seeing Swiss measurements? A 4ft wave with an 18 second period would be a fairly substantial wave in terms of power. You need to learn to read the waves a little better and learn to be able to do varied pull outs if the wave is closing out! Were others have the same problem ? Therein lies a fair assessment of where your skill are!

[dtc]

Do some searching on this forum for 'perling' (also called nose diving); you need to get you body position on the board and your paddling up to speed (no pun intended). That should stop the nose dived or reduce them.

[OlegLupusov]

Two friends of mine broke their boards as well. The other one has been riding an epoxy one for four years.

Short boards are less exposed to nosediving. So, I guess some guys have a few boards and use them depending on the waves.

And u never know who gets what kind of ding unless the person in question yells to complain out loud!

Anyway, I qualify myself as an advanced beginner at most. And short boards are out of question.
Considering 8 foot one but still have my doubts. It took me 2-3 sessions to transit to hard 9 footer! And still not completely sure about the sweet spot.

When small-medium waves I try to grab the board by the rails and perform smith similar to turtle rol! But in big waves, not to drown and not to get hurt r my only concerns

[jaffa1949]

Just bear in mind it is not the board that nosedives !
It is the rider not knowing how to ride in those circumstances.
Long boards have been ridden at pipeline and many other spots of similar ferocity.
Glad to hear you are staying long.

[OlegLupusov]

Opened the cracks! The black spot turned out to be send. There is water inside as well. The stringer looks cracked but not completely broken.

[OlegLupusov]

I will not have time to get to surfing shop before weekend! What should I do with the damage? Shall I clean it from sand and salt water? If so, what is the best way to do it?
Can I repair it myself?

[jaffa1949]

If it is a new ding he ch you have just done, clean it there won't be a lot of water in the foam, put a little flex on the stringer! See how much that crack opens. You can do a temporary fix with solar resin like the rail fix, leave it bulkier than the shape and expand the patch over the solid glass which you have sanded to allow a bond.

A better fix when you have time any of your board left to fix, is a full resin and glass job.
You can also buy time with the temporary repair so you can put it in for a shop,fix.

Please post the next installment of your boards health program and your improving fix it skills.