Nasty Dings!!!!!?

Question

Took my brand new custom fibreglass board for 2 weeks worth of sessions. I noticed it getting really dinged the whole time, I've stripped the wax off now and its really bad.

There must be over 20 dings on the deck and 2 golf ball dings on the bottom. Some are big and merged together.

The thing worrying me most is 2 big dings either side of the stringer which make the stringer look like its protruding a lot and the glass seems really thin over the stringer.

It's my first shortboard and I'm not great on it yet but I've been treating it well and I'm not that bad!

Is it at all possible that these dings are from my own negligence? Or is it that there is something wrong with the board?

Thanks.

Answer 1

It doesn't sound to me like your custom board is really a custom board. Pressure dings are normal, but if the board is brand new , it shouldn't be full of pressure dings, yet. As far as the collapse around the stringer, that is definitely premature (it really shouldn't happen at all, but in time it does on lots of boards).

It sounds to me like you don't have thick enough glass on the deck. That happens in lots of short boards, where the aim is to cut down on weight,  and sacrifice a little sturdiness. However, it seems like you have an extreme example. Or you do one h**l of a lot of surfing. It would take me years to get a board in that condition, but I look for at least double 6 ounce glass on the deck or a deck patch.  

I would be interested in finding out what brand your board is. It is possible that you got a good deal price wise, but a bad deal in quality.

The dents in the bottom are all your fault. Either you banged the board on someting, or it hit you on a hard point (head, elbow, knee etc) in the water. Things like that happen, and as long as the glass isn't fractured and leaking, it's just some thing you live with.

I have been surfing since '66 and owned dozens of boards, and I suspect your problems (at least as far as the deck) are quality related.

Answer 2

How custom is this board you got? Did you order it? If your glass is that light and you have that many dings already, the board wont last you much longer. I've ordered every board I have ridden for the past 12+ years and I've never had that happen. Do yourself a favor, before the waves get good, buy another board. If you go over the falls or dont make a barrel your board is DEFINATELY going to break--no doubt in my mind.

Answer 3

sounds like pressure dings