Hi my name is Tim. I have been repairing boards since I was a kid. I repair them in South Orange County. I am a retired school teacher of 35 years. Repairing boards has been a hobby and I have done many boards in my life. I enjoy working with boards for fun and it has become an art for me. Its a challenge to see if I can fix the next one better then the last one.
I have repaired fiberglass/epoxy long boards, short boards, stand up paddle boards, and inflatable boards. I have a bachelor of science degree from Long Beach State University. I approach each repair from years of experience or from an engineering perspective.
There are lots of useful information on this site. I explain what happens when your board is damaged and what happens when it takes in water. If you wondered or slept through high school science, I included a bit of science to explain why things occur so there’s a logical explanation and answer.
With the prices of SUP’s and surfboards today it is always mind boggling that people would attempt to repair their damaged board with little to no experience. I have seen many sub par repairs from the “Do It Yourself” home kits and from the so called “surf shop repair professional”. Improper repair results in double the work and sometimes further damage to your board.
One of the worst install/repair that I have seen was done locally in San Clemente at a surf shop. It was a $1200 SUP board. The handle was not installed at the fulcrum point and the rear was dragging while carrying it. The “surf shop professional” never determined where the fulcrum point or did he take measurements to center the handle. The end result is 2x the work and 2x the cost for repair/installation. Furthermore, anyone that works on your board should have a warranty and back their repair job. All work that I repair have a 4 month warranty.
Use good judgement when you encounter a “repair professional” that claims he will fix your board with same day turn time after it was damaged surfing. I know for a fact that he will not address the water already inside the board. He will seal the water inside and it will cause further damage. It is similar to having a wet towel sealed up into a plastic bag. These “repair professionals” sacrifice quantity over their quality of work.
I address 3 issues when repairing boards:
Performance: Repairing the board to its original condition if possible.
Water integrity: Ensuring water does not re enter the damaged location through proper sealing and repairing.
Extraction- Water needs to be properly extracted from your board.
I hope you find some of the info helpful and useful. The more you know the better informed decision you can make on your expensive damaged board.
Thanks for stopping by.
Aloha
Tim