Surfing
Surfing
The ultimate guide to surfboard maintenance: Tips and tricks for longevity
Read ahead for a complete surfboard maintenance guide, from cleaning and storage to repairing any blemishes.
When the sun is out and the surf forecast is good, you might want to just grab your surfboard and go. But not so fast — is your surfboard as ready as you are to hit the water? Without proper surfboard care, your board can experience wear and tear that prevents you from catching those perfect waves.
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Highlights
Check the highlights from the Nazaré Big Wave Challenge at the world-famous Praia do Norte in Portugal.
If you want to learn how to keep your surfboard in prime condition all season long, you’re in the right place. It doesn’t matter if you’re a casual surfer or one of the pros competing in the TUDOR Jaws Big Wave Challenge. Following these surfboard care tips is essential for anyone who wants to ride the waves.
Understanding your surfboard’s maintenance needs
The general rules of surfboard maintenance apply across the board for most types of surfboards. There are, however, a few details to keep in mind based on your surfboard’s size and material. For example, if you’ve got a shortboard, you’ll just wax the tail and center. You’ll need to wax the entire deck of a longboard, though, for a steady grip when you cross-step (move your feet along the board).
Your maintenance routine will also depend on whether you’re taking care of a foam vs. fiberglass surfboard. Hard top boards coated in fiberglass cloth require more frequent waxing than foam soft top surfboards. If you’re not sure what’s right for your surfboard, the experts at your local surf shop can guide you in the right direction.
Surfboards
© Amber Mozo / Red Bull Content Pool
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Basic maintenance tips
Cleaning your surfboard
Keeping your surfboard clean is one of the most important ways to prolong its lifespan. Not after every ride, though, do you need to clean it as thoroughly as you would before a wax. Just rinse your board with fresh water so that ocean water salt doesn’t stick, especially in the nooks and crannies around your fin box. Salt can damage your surfboard, eating away at the materials over time, so a thorough rinse will keep your board in top shape. Make sure your board is completely dry before you put it away somewhere cool, dry, and out of direct sunlight.
Inspecting your surfboard for damage
In addition to rinsing your surfboard off, you should also get in the habit of checking your surfboard for tears and dents after every ride. The sooner you spot any damage, the easier it will be to fix — and you might even be able to handle the repair yourself.
Carefully inspect your surfboard from nose to tail, running your hand along the rails so you can feel anything your eyes might miss. Discoloration can also be a warning sign of water damage — maybe you’re not drying your board off completely or storing it somewhere too humid. Don’t forget to look around the fin box for cracks, too.
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Waxing your surfboard
Evan Geiselman Psyches Up
© Corey Wilson
The purpose of waxing your surfboard
Surfboard wax helps provide a surface your feet can grip when you ride the waves. Without wax, it’s very easy to slip off your surfboard. It’s important to take off old wax and reapply a fresh coat on a regular basis so the wax doesn’t build up. Frequent waxing is key to ensuring optimal performance from your surfboard.
Selecting the right surfboard wax
To wax a surfboard, you’ll need a topcoat and basecoat wax along with a wax comb. Most types of wax are made for different climate conditions. Hard wax is better for warm water surfing, while soft wax holds up better in colder water. Some wax brands are multipurpose, so you can use them for both your base and topcoat.
How to wax your surfboard
Ross Clarke Jones and Jamie Mitchell prepare their surfboards
© Hugo Silva / Red Bull Content Pool
When it’s time to wax your surfboard, these are the steps you’ll need to follow.
- Clean your surfboard. After you scrape off the old wax, wipe the board down to remove any last bits of sticky residue. You can use a surfboard cleaner designed specifically to remove wax. In a pinch, mineral spirits, a clean cloth, and some elbow grease will also do the trick.
- Put on your basecoat. Apply your basecoat wax using your preferred technique, and focus on using the edge of the wax stick. You can rub the wax in small circles, a series of straight lines, or in a cross-hatch pattern. The important thing is to apply until little bumps form for grip. At the same time, don’t use so much wax that you can’t stand upright on your board.
- Apply a topcoat. Unless you’re using multipurpose wax, topcoat wax tends to be softer, and it doesn’t require as much pressure for proper application. Don’t forget the sides as well as the deck so that your hands can easily grip your board too.
- Comb the wax. Run your wax comb all over the freshly applied wax in a cross-hatch pattern. Finish off by spritzing your board with clean, cool fresh water so that the wax hardens.
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Repairing minor damage
A great day of surfing can leave a big impact on your surfboard. After all, collisions with reef breaks and the shore can bang up your surfboard quite a bit. Sometimes, it’s pretty obvious when damage has occurred, and in other cases, it starts as a hairline crack. This is why inspecting your surfboard is non-negotiable after each ride.
Repairing dings and cuts can be done at home for nicks and scratches that are on the smaller side. Surfboard repair kits include resin gel that you can use to fill small crevices. You’ll clean the board, apply the resin, and sand it down. Be sure to match the type of resin with the material your board is made of so it adheres properly. Sometimes, ding tape can also cover scratches as a short-term solution.
Don’t make any repairs until your surfboard is 100 percent dry so that you don’t accidentally seal water inside the board. Otherwise, you could cause more damage. If the crack is too large to fill in, it’s time to take it to your local surf shop and let the professionals handle it.
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Protecting your surfboard from the elements
All the elements that add up to a great day of surfing — sun, heat, and saltwater — can also wreak long-term havoc on your surfboard. Avoid leaving your surfboard in direct sunlight so that UV rays don’t degrade its foam core. Between rides, keep your surfboard indoors, in a room with a moderate temperature and minimum humidity.
Jack Robinson and Alex Sorgente pick surfboards at Red Bull Drop In Tour
© Andrew Peters / Red Bull Content Pool
When you store your board, it helps to get a surfboard rack so that your board stays out of harm's way in storage. Horizontal racks offer more protection since they keep your board off the ground. That said, a vertical wall rack will do if you don’t have enough space.
A good board bag is also essential for shielding your board from the elements. Plus, when you transport your board in a surfboard bag, it’s less likely to get scratched before you hit the water. Some board bags are padded for extra protection, which is great if you’re traveling a long distance or putting your surfboard away until next season. There are also bags called surfboard socks that are a bit thinner and designed for short-distance travel. Surfboard socks are also ideal for short-term storage between rides.
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Long-term preservation tips
A few other practices can keep your surfboard in great condition for many seasons. Here are some additional tips on how to care for your surfboard.
- Hold the leash. Just like your surfboard’s deck, your leash can wear out over time with too much friction. Pick up the leash or wrap it around your surfboard so that it doesn’t drag on the ground.
- Use a roof rack to travel. Trying to stuff a longboard into a sedan’s backseat can dent up the nose and tail. Fastening your board to a roof rack on top of your car is the safest way to pack it. You can find both permanent and temporary roof racks depending on how often you surf.
- Remove your fin box every season. Take out and clean your fins before you put your surfboard away until next year. Make sure to store them somewhere safe and easy to find so you can get right back to surfing when next season rolls around.
Maintain your surfboard for the best performance
Learning how to take proper care of your surfboard is as important as practicing your carves and improving your balance. From regular cleaning to making fixes while they’re still small, every step ensures your surfboard is in the right condition for a great ride. This way, when surf season starts, you don’t have to worry about anything except finding the fastest route to the beach.
