Hello Foilers,
Took a big crash and impacted the rail of my Takuma SUPfoilboard (with my leg.)
3 large dings resulted (and some blood:)
some water def got inside.
does anyone know if this board is of epoxy construction?
what is my best course of action for water elimination and repairing the ding?
photos below
Thanks in advance!!!!
I have just been doing some major repairs on this exact board that became heavily delaminated after a footstrap insert failed and wasn't noticed by the rider for some time. It is eps foam with a carbon sandwich skin. I was surprised about what was going on inside. The footstrap inserts have no high density foam around them. It relies heavily on the carbon skin for its strength. It is very light though and a great shape.
Just repaired same ( carbon/sandwich, eps ) Seems like there are few boards using XPS foam ( doesn't soak up water ) So the first job is get the water out.
Cover or wrap the board with an old sheet ( dark one if possible )
Secure the board on its edge so the the crack is the lowest point, and put it out in the sun.
The heat will cause pressure to help force the water out.( you will see it bubbling out the crack and the sheet will get soaked near the crack.( you will have to do this a few times to completely dry it out )
ONLY USE EPOXY resin ( west system or similar )
sand back area around crack and fill underneath with microspheres and epoxy if it is soft.
patch over crack with carbon fibre or fibreglass cloth using only epoxy resin
Use some peel ply over repair to make a better job of it ( not necessary but good )
sand fill and finish repair , Spray paint over with 2k colour paint to match. ( job done)
Best way to get water out is to suck it out but you will need a vacuum pump. Cut out the cracked area to expose the foam then get a piece of foam rubber and put it over the whole defect, then put a piece of plastic sheet over that and tape it down around the edges with duct tape or something airtight. Now cut a little hole in the plastic over the foam just large enough to insert a small PU plastic tube and seal it to the plastic with tape (bluetack can help) so its airtight and run your tube to a vacuum pump. Turn it on and it will suck that baby dry like a ... well you get the idea. Best use a long tube or a sump bottle so the water doesnt get into your pump. If you have a pressure release screw on your board release it too. Then do what Kobo says when its dry.
I got this idea from Vacuum assisted wound dressings and it is a game changer for drying out a wet board.
Select to expand quoteSlyde said..
Best way to get water out is to suck it out but you will need a vacuum pump. Cut out the cracked area to expose the foam then get a piece of foam rubber and put it over the whole defect, then put a piece of plastic sheet over that and tape it down around the edges with duct tape or something airtight. Now cut a little hole in the plastic over the foam just large enough to insert a small PU plastic tube and seal it to the plastic with tape (bluetack can help) so its airtight and run your tube to a vacuum pump. Turn it on and it will suck that baby dry like a ... well you get the idea. Best use a long tube or a sump bottle so the water doesnt get into your pump. If you have a pressure release screw on your board release it too. Then do what Kobo says when its dry.
I got this idea from Vacuum assisted wound dressings and it is a game changer for drying out a wet board.
Hey Slyde,
That's sounds even better for getting the water out, couple of questions,
How long do you need to run the vacuum to suck all the water out ? and when you say foam rubber do you mean like foam inside a mattress ( something that is porous and absorbs water )
Could you use a vacuum cleaner that's designed for dry and water use instead of a vacuum pump ?
That looks a very similar idea to mine, but dont run the water through your pump. Its salty and will wreck it. If that hose was run down and coiled up and then run way up high and then down to the pump it would act like a sump. I usually find that the water is out within an hour or so. Fridge compressor is perfect and cheap 10 bucks from a wrecker or local 2nd hand forum/fb marketplace. Yep just use matress foam or packing foam or similar, its just acting as a way of stopping the seal from occluding the outlet, similar to breather cloth. A vacuum cleaner will probably burn out but if you have one for sacrifice then sure why not.
Cool thanks boys, like the idea of it not going through the compressor and into a bottle, makes sense.
Cheers Kobo
I bought a cheap chinese milking pump, incl. trap aka milk can etc.
Get rid of the milking devices, turn the 1 in 2 connector, close one of the tubes, and than fit a 20 ml syringe to the connector airtight with some tape.
Weigh the board exactly.
Tape over the dings to have them airtight, drill a 4mm hole near a cut.
Put the board in the sun and put on a vacuum. Water vaporizes at lower temps at lower pressure. 15 -30 min after open the ventscrew and let the airflow float out the vapor for a about 1 hour.
Turn the board and do the same.
Put the syringe in the venthole, open/close the drilled hole by tape and do the same.
Repeat until the board doesn't loose weight any more.
With this method i got boards dry to the original weight, leaving NO water inside the board, what's usual by just putting the board in the sun.
Let physics do the work.
Don't wonder if you don't find a lot of water in the trap, it's all in the vapor. 1 liter water = 22,4 liters vapor.
Damages were by leaking plugs, damaged finboxes etc., up to 0,5 liter of remaining water in the board after days in the hot sun.
