Whether you ride a foamie, epoxy, or polyester surfboard, that sled needs some TLSC (“Tender Loving Surfboard Care”) if you want it to last.
From setting out for a surf and storing your board when you’re done, a few easy habits will lengthen the life of your shred sled and maximize your time in the water.
Before you surf
1. Check for dings, cracks, or rips
Look over your board before you surf for dings or cracks, or rips if you’re riding a foamie.
Hard surfboards are blocks of foam encased in a watertight shell of resin. Cracks or dings let water in and damage that encased foam. This can lead to a delaminated or waterlogged board, neither of which you want.
You’ll never avoid dings or cracks altogether, so the best way to protect your board is to spot them quickly, don’t take a damaged board into the water, and get them fixed.
If you’re in a pinch, stuff some wax into the ding, crack or rip.
2. Don’t surf if you find a ding, crack, or rip
It sucks to find a ding in your board right as you’re ready to head out the door. Particularly if you’re like me and don’t have a quiver full of a dozen boards.
But you’re going to do more damage to your board if there’s a ding that water can seep into. And water = death for surfboard foam. I speak from experience; just look at the gross yellow foam in my board’s fin box.
3. Make sure your leash string is tied correctly
Your leash string, which goes into your leash plug and connects to your leash, can be a board killer. I have firsthand experience:
This is why leashes are equipped with a rail saver, which is at the end of the leash that attaches to your leash string.
But the rail saver only works if it’s in the proper position. So you want to make sure your leash string is tied so the rail saver can do its work. Here’s another example of a too-long leash string:
Essentially, you want to make your leash string short enough so that it’s not directly contacting your surfboard when a wave is pulling the board. Here’s how it should look:
Notice how in the picture the rail saver is what makes contact with the board, rather than the leash string.
4. Protect your board in transit
For transporting your board, whether you’re doing it on a roof rack or inside your car, you should get a reflective board bag. Not only will the bag protect your board from impacts, it’ll also prevent the board from baking in the sun.
If you don’t have a board bag and it’s sunny, cover your board with a towel, your wetsuit, and/or your surf poncho. That’ll help mitigate the effects of the sun and prevent wax from melting all over your car.
Finally, if you’re fastening the board to the roof of your car, don’t over tighten the straps and make sure to use pads!
In the water
5. Know your etiquette
Etiquette doesn’t just help you avoid running afoul of salty locals. It also helps you keep yourself and your board safe. The key points to know to avoid damage to yourself or your board are:
Paddle wide: When you’re first paddling out or paddling back after a wave, don’t paddle straight to the lineup. Instead, paddle wide of the lineup, ideally through a channel, to avoid getting in anyone’s way and causing a collision.
Stuck inside? Paddle to the whitewater: If you didn’t paddle wide enough, or you get stuck, and there’s a surfer ahead of you as you’re paddling out, go for the whitewater. This is both good etiquette and much safer for you and your board.
Hold onto your board: Unless you’re about to take a massive set on your head, there’s no reason to let go of your board. Yes you have a leash on, but leashes break. And your board is a lot less likely to break if you can hang onto it.
Don’t drop in: The surfer closest to the peak of the wave has priority. If you’re further out, don’t drop in; the other surfer might not be able (or willing) to avoid you and your board won’t survive unscathed.
6. Get to know your spot
Rocks can create great waves, but they’re not so good for surfboards.
Talk to somebody who knows the break you’re surfing before you paddle out so they can tell you about any hazards. Or grab some fins and go for a swim to check out the bottom.
Another good way to spot rocks when you’re out in the water is to look out for boils in the water. In some breaks, those boils are exactly where you want to take off. So if you’re not yet confident you can go an entire session without blowing a takeoff, skip the rocky peaks for now.
After your surf
7. Rinse your board
Surfboards are meant to live in saltwater. But that doesn’t mean saltwater won’t corrode your board, like it does to everything else it touches.
While you won’t see that corrosion after missing a rinse, or two or three, don’t be fooled. Saltwater will eat away at your board, causing it to be less durable and potentially impacting performance.
To prevent this, your after-surf surfboard care routine should include a quick freshwater rinse.
8. Safely store your board
Put your board in a place that’s cool and shaded. To avoid banging up your board in storage, your best bet is to place it flat on a rack. But if you have to store it on the ground, get a rack that you can lean the board against right side up and use a towel or foam as a pad for the tail.
Seasonal maintenance
9. Give it a new coat of wax
Salty dirt and sand builds up in your wax over time, which is not good for your board. So it’s a good idea to remove old wax and replace it every 3 months or so. Plus, that dirt and sand makes your wax less sticky, which isn’t ideal.
Removing the wax also gives you a chance to see dings or cracks that might otherwise be hidden by a buildup of wax.
To remove the wax, use a plastic scraper. Avoid chemicals or metal, which will damage your board. And if you’re super dedicated, get a surfboard cleaner, coconut oil, or gentle citrus cleaner to get the board completely clean before reapplying the wax.
Keep the magic in your magic board
Unfortunately, boards don’t last forever. But the surfboard care tips above will ensure you give your board its best chance of a long, high-quality life.
