Just back from Indo, where I managed to get washed over the falls and spat back into shore, much to the amusement of this couple standing nearby. Still trying to look cool I wandered off, but my board had taken one on the nose, leaving some fractures for water to seep past down into the foam if left untreated. Gutted, I decided to open her up myself – there’s a first time for everything! Hey…live by the board, die by the board…

First you need to gather some repair supplies: Hit your local surf shop, they’ll usually have a ding-repair kit for around $25 – $40. For traditional PU foam boards this should include resin, hardener, fibreglass cloth, microballoons or Q-cell (added to the resin mix this assists to making a strong, yet light, filler), a measuring cup, some mixing/spreading implements and a bit of sandpaper.

TopTip 1: Make sure you’ve also got masking tape, more sandpaper (240 grit for initial shaping, down to 800grit for finishing – wet and dry of course), sanding block, stanley knife, cheap 4″ paintbrush, acetone, dust mask, eye protection, disposable gloves and cold beer nearby.

Pressure ding preparation

Get the board set up so you can work on it comfortably. With a sharp stanley knife, remove the damaged glass – cutting away from you. Sand the edges back to key the surface, this prepares the material to adhere with the resin mix you’ll paste on in a minute. Make sure the finished area is clean, dry, dust and dirt free. Time to knock up the filler mix: Snap on those latex gloves, don the mask and, raising your eyebrows – look over the rim of your safety glasses offering “The doctor will see you now…” at anybody who’ll listen.

(Important – read the instructions on the resin/ hardener bottles before continuing)

Estimate how much resin you’ll need to fill the hole, then add 20% more into your mixing tub. Better to have enough to do the job instead of running out.

Mix in correct quantity of hardener, about 1-2%, and stir in slowly. Time to lighten things up a bit with the Q-cell.

Q-cell is a very fine silicate powder of hollow microspheres. We’re aiming to achieve a strong, resistant but lightweight filler to emulate the foam density around it, not bung the board up with a heavy plug of dough; a few of these around the blank ‘n you’ll start making your stick as responsive as a heavily-laden shopping trolley.

Stir it in gently to ensure no air bubbles get in. Get the consistency down to a caramel-like viscosity or whatever you’re comfortable with, still fluid enough to work into the bottom corners of the repair. Gradually layer the filler using a plastic straight edge (partners credit card/ mum’s spatula), until it just sits proud of the board surface.

TopTip 2: Once the filler is in, you can mask over the area so the filler sets to the shape of the board. If, like me, you haven’t considered TopTip 1 and not bought any masking tape, crack a beer to warm up your drinking/ sanding arm, you’ll just have to use a little more elbow grease. Wipe used utensils clean with acetone.

Let that cure – if you’re somewhere warm, put the old gal out in the sunshine for some good old UV assistance.

Once the repair has cured, using some wet 240grit wrapped around your sanding block, rough most of the material down then work a bit finer. Check your work as you go – once it’s down to the shape of the board, it’s time to cut the cloth.

Laminate Coat

Dust the area off and give a light wipe-down with acetone, then cut the fibreglass cloth to the shape of the repair and place in position. Mix enough resin/ hardener to cover the cloth. Mask off the work area if you don’t have a steady trigger hand, then pour a suitable amount of resin mix onto the centre of the cloth.

Spread it out evenly using your straight edge, working it into the fibres making sure you soak them completely. Apply more resin if required. Once you’re happy with the coverage, let the laminate coat settle on its own. Move it back into the sun if you can and let it cure. Clean utensils again.

Once it’s dry, using 240grit on the block, blend the laminate coat to the contour of the board, feathering the edges in. Work steadily, removing any bumps and high spots. When ready, using a new piece of 240grit, sand back and forth over the repair a couple of times to give the hot coat a good keyed surface to adhere to. Remove any dust and wipe the area with acetone.

Hot Coat

The hot coat provides the hardness on top of all the filler/ resin/ cloth you’ve been laying down. Use the same resin/ hardener ratio as before, but only half the mixture quantity. Apply with your cheap paintbrush, working across the area at 45degrees from left to right, then in the opposite direction, 45 degrees the other way. A couple of strokes lengthwise along the board, and you should have a good even coat applied. Let that dry. Now all you have to do is lightly wet-sand with some 800grit to finish the hot coat until you’re happy with the result. A water-resistant, glassed ding repair.

Time to go check them surf reports…

Rusty.