On my last flight back from surfing trip, I didn't unscrew the valve before I let the board in the airport belt and I was so sad to check my board back home completely delaminated under the deck pad area.
But even so I brought a mountain bike with me too, I do think to flatten tires before flying as recommended by flying crew. Once my bike landed, I have been very surprised to find tires inflated . I should do the same to my board
I hope this post can be useful to Seabreezers
My 6'8" which gave me so much fun for 4 years, so good board!!!
Wow..Thanks for the share and sorry to hear about your board..I'm taking my Speeed over to Hawaii in July.. a direct flight..Should I unscrew the vent plug?
Any feedback be most appreciated..
Chur
Select to expand quoteSupmaori said..
Wow..Thanks for the share and sorry to hear about your board..I'm taking my Speeed over to Hawaii in July.. a direct flight..Should I unscrew the vent plug?
Hey Supmaori,
Sunova's run a goretex vent system, this means that the board will be able to breath even when the vent is done up..
I always recommend that customers never unscrew their vents, as this could possibly damage the gortex and allow water to get into the board..
Hope this helps..
Cheers, Dylan
Could you still ride it kami .thats the main thing .
you should take them out ,but you just forget 
had a windsurfer ,just about explode ...I got a instant blow wave ,when I undone it .
its was a bit puffy for a while ,but I still ride it ...it come back to size after a few month ,,,
bitching.
That is a bummer. I flew my windsurfing board from London to Auckland and realised at take off I'd left the vent screw in!!! I had to chill out for 24 hours before I could see if my board was ****ed or not...turns out it was fine! The plane does pressurise the cargo to a much lower altitude than 30,000'. But I wouldn't risk it.
Tardy, I cant ride any more this board, that's too puffy under my front foot where I step most of the time waiting for waves. Yes, was in hurry packing my 2 boards with 2 paddles and a pack of fishing rods
and the mountain bike in an other pack. Finally I have been ready to be pick up by the taxi to the airport...but forget to unscrew that vent.
Opposite of what did happen to you, the skin really release from the EPS core. Next same board which I'm going to build soon will be with a primer coat before laminating with 4 to 6 oz layers of glass or carbon patches. The primer coat apply straight on foam is very souple so it will stick together the foam and the laminate fiberglass. This is a real reinforcement .
Steve, I understand how much you worry about your board without unscrewed the air vent. Your finally safe experience make me think that de-laminate happens on used board areas like the foot print ones.
So this incident forces me to Update my old favorite" BadBoard"
Select to expand quoteKami said..
Steve, I understand how much you worry about your board without unscrewed the air vent. Your finally safe experience make me think that de-laminate happens on used board areas like the foot print ones.
I think in my case a windsurf board is made way stronger than a SUP. I am amazed some brands do not have vent plugs! My Deep Minion doesn't and I have blown up a board due to heat. Wasn't happy about that for what is supposed to be a well made board!
Select to expand quoteStev0 said..Kami said..
Steve, I understand how much you worry about your board without unscrewed the air vent. Your finally safe experience make me think that de-laminate happens on used board areas like the foot print ones.
I think in my case a windsurf board is made way stronger than a SUP. I am amazed some brands do not have vent plugs! My Deep Minion doesn't and I have blown up a board due to heat. Wasn't happy about that for what is supposed to be a well made board!
About windsurf board they way stronger than a SUP built in fiberglass but it's only way stronger to the impacts, that's all. I would be more worry about de-laminate in the windsurf kind of built because some air can blow between layers of material if they are bad glued or exposed at to much heat.
I don't put valve at first on my new board as well Deep does. I put a valve to let the air coming out to fix a ding when needed later on after some use.
As I said before, de-lamination occurs on areas which has been stepped on.
Hope it help.
Hi Kami
New design to replace the delaminated 'Bboard' looks great.
I flew to Bali last year with my Naish 8'6 GTW and did not unscrew the solid valve ?
Board is still OK and I will probably take my old faithful again this year.
Can any other forum readers add to this thread on valve loosening before flights.?
As my Starboards do not have valve screws (I have watched them cook literally all day on the beach at our sup school with no problems) I have always looked at solid valve screws for another air release of the core in a ding repair scenario and / or to aid drying the foam in a repair situation.
Some boards have a very stable foam while other boards can often be seen slowly bubbling at the Goretex valve on hotter days at the start of a paddle session.
Valve and vent stories wanted.
Cheers
Jack
