How do Surfboards Get Damaged?

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How do Surfboards get Damaged? Surfboard Damage Types

While surfboards are made to hold up a person’s body weight in the waves, they are still made of flexible yet lightweight materials that are at risk for damage or breaking. Before you head out into the waves, it’s important to know what kind of damage your board could sustain and how you can stop it from happening in the first place.

Here are some reasons why surfboards get damaged.

1. Cracks and chipping along the rail, nose, or tail, usually from transportation or the elements.

2. Delamination from extreme heat.

3. Dings from pressure or compression caused by use.

4. Yellowing caused by sun damage.

5. Structural damage to the board or fins due to inexperience or waves.

Knowing the most common damage types is imperative, but also knowing how to avoid them can extend the life of your board. Read on to find out more about how these common damage types can be avoided or fixed.

1. Cracks and chipping along the rail, nose, or tail

Although cracks can happen at any point along with the surfboard, they typically occur around the rail, the nose, and the tail of the surfboard. These cracks happen most often during transport, but can also be a result of another sort of damage, like delamination.

Making sure you care for the board when you are transporting it will help stop it from cracking. Age will also cause it to crack, and so will leaving the board in a car for too long or letting it be exposed to the sun. The heat will cause the fiberglass to expand and contract, causing it to crack. The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen is by storing it in a shady place where the board can stay cool.

2. Delamination

Cracks aren’t the only thing that can be caused by extreme heat. When exposed to too much heat, it can also cause the resin or fiberglass to separate from the foam underneath. This can cause bubbles to appear on your board, leaving it delaminated. If it is not repaired, delamination can actually spread and make the board even weaker.

This typically happens to boards made with epoxy resin, although the polyurethane boards can sometimes be affected as well.

The best way to make sure this does not happen is by keeping it out of the heat and the sun. While fiberglass boards hold up better than epoxy, it is best to bring your surfboard out of the heat and make sure it is protected from the sun so your board does not end up delaminating.

3. Dings from Pressure or Compression

These dings usually show up as little dents in the deck of your surfboard and can happen simply through use. Due to the pressure that your body places on the board, it could cause the most common sort of damage on your board. The surface of the board could be hurt by the weight of your knees, your feet, or even your chest; expanded polystyrene foam boards are more durable and can handle these dings better than a less durable board. To prevent these dings, you can make sure your board has more resin on the surface, but it will make your board heavier and less flexible.

4. Yellowing

While yellowing is only cosmetic, it is still an issue, because it shows the board has had UV damage. The majority of the time yellowing is simply something that you can fix if you wish to make your board more attractive, note that if the board has smaller, darker yellowing it could be a sign of water damage. Searching for a ding or crack near the yellowing can help you figure out where the issue lies.

5. Structural Damage to the Board and Fins

A few different things can happen to a surfboard that is due to either heavier waves or user error, including buckling, snapping or issues with the fin.

When beginner surfers don’t know how deep their boards are, they can sometimes break off or damage the fin. Making sure you have enough water underneath you will help make sure you do not cause any damage to your fin in shallower waters. To stop this sort of damage from occurring, do not ride the board too far into the sand. Because of the low levels of water, it could drive your fin into the ground and damage it.

Surfing without a leash can also cause additional damage to your fin; keeping it close to you in all situations can help control where it lands and make sure it does not go into shallow waters.

Buckling can also happen if hit with enough force; making sure you do not go out into waves that are above your skill level can help stop this from happening. Usually, a board buckles when a wave comes down on it too hard, creating almost a fold in the construction of the board.

If your board starts to buckle, it can lead to fully snapping in half if hit hard enough. Surfboards typically break somewhere in the middle, near your feet, or near the nose.

Breaks in the middle are usually caused by a wave breaking right on a board that you are swimming next to or your body weight coming down too hard on the same area after an aerial.

Breaks at the nose are usually if the board hits the bottom of the water or a beach too hard at an angle. This can also be prevented by making sure your surfboard is leashed.

Structural damage and cracks can also be caused by someone stepping on it improperly when it is out of the water or loading it into a vehicle incorrectly.

How much does a surfboard ding repair cost? Find out here.

How do I find a surfboard that will be durable enough for me?

Because surfboards have many different materials and designs, it’s important to consider possible damage before you even purchase your own surfboard. Boards are made with either polyurethane or expanded polystyrene foam, then covered with either fiberglass, polyester, epoxy resin, or a mixture of any of those substances to make a hard surface. Manufacturers also sometimes add strengthening elements to make the surfboard more durable and stiffer.

If you are searching for a flexible board, the polyurethane boards are going to be best for you, but the downside is that it is the least durable. The

expanded polystyrene foam would be lighter, but it takes much more work to make sure that if it is dinged or damaged, that you get it fixed, as the construction of the board means it can easily get waterlogged.

What can I do to prevent these issues from happening?

As mentioned before, keeping your surfboard out of the sun and heat can help extend the life of your board. Because much damage happens in transport, taking care of your board as you bring it to and from the beach is also key—handle it well, make sure it is protected as you travel, and you will not have to face those repair costs.

Rinsing your board with fresh water after you get out of the saltwater can also help, as salt is corrosive and can hurt your board even more.

Keeping your board waxed and maintaining the general upkeep can also help make sure you do not damage the board. Waxing your board regularly can bring your attention to any smaller cracks or dents, which can be fixed easily using appropriate tools.

While avoiding any sort of damage type is the best way to extend the life of your surfboard, sometimes you can’t avoid that wave or that hard ride into the shore. If that’s the case, either make sure you know how to fix the damage or find a trusted surfboard dealer who can make those fixes for you. It’s easier to fix a ding or a dent before it turns into a crack, which could lead to your board snapping in half—fixing it early could save you money and time in the long run.