Sinking Surfboard?

Question

My other half has just bought a second hand surf board today.

He has been out on it and it seem to be working ok. The only trouble is when he tries to sit on it inbetween sets it sinks . Is this maybe because he cannot get his balance seeing it was the first time he has benn out on it.

The board seems lighter than normal and quite hollow sounding. Is this just the type of board he has bought or do you think it sounds a bit dodgy? There are not visiable holes but a dent on the top by the nose.

Answer 1

Likely his weight to buoyancy ratio is out. Depending on the board type / use a general rule of thumb. The board on average should not sink to a level higher than his hip bones when siting on it in the water.

regards http://www.xen.co.za

Answer 2

I am 6'2" and 180 lbs and I ride a 5'7" short board.  When I sit on it in between sets, my board is completely under water up to about six inches.  It all depends on where my weight is distributed while sitting on it.  So the board being under water while sitting on it may not be a problem unless it is taking on water.  If the board doesn't appear heavier after a session than it did going into the water, then all signs would point to a balancing issue.

Answer 3

To make boards lighter they have less material in them, this means there is less bouyancey. it is one of those situations where you need to gauge the pros against the cons.

It's like - do you buy a thick wetsuit that is warmer or a thinner one that is more flexible.

Answer 4

How big is the board and how big is he? How much does it sink because all short boards sink a little when you sit on it ..