It's a big liability if you get water in the board, any water on the inside of the goretex stops it breathing, you can blow the bottom off.
The white coating is not the goretex but a coating on the inside to stop the goretex wearing. The goretex menbrane as long as it's clean and away from abrasion will always be water proof. 3 layer gore is a face material normally with a dwr coating to stop it absorbing water, then the gore then an inner material to stop wear. These are laminated together. The dwr wears of and the outer will absorb water but it won't get through the gore. 2layer gore doesn't have the inner layer it has a coating instead which wears off and gets white and flakey. Once this happens the gore gets worn and then it leaks
I have a 12 year old Carbon Art SP40 and all I can say is that it's still fine.
Flown to Africa and back as well. I have never touched it.
Fill it up with epoxy, then install one of these after market valves, drill a hole and epoxy into place.
This pic refers to a stripped vent, but you get the idea.
From the Goretex website
Noy buying or selling but I have had no issue with any of my boards with Goretx vents. I try to rinse them every time i sail.
I've had no issues with mine but I work with a couple of big outdoor clothing brands who use goretex and they say most returns they get are due to the item not being washed enough and dirt and sweat (salt) damaging the membrane.
You don't need to draw a picture Ben, I know exactly what you are saying, but you are still wrong.
My test rig, was a container with the vent mounted in the bottom, fill container with water and blow thru the vent as expected. turn vent over, and nothing happened. So emptied container and waited for vent to dry, even when apparently dry 3 months after having water on both sides, it still wouldn't breath in either direction. It doesn't need a puddle of water. to block it. Maybe the water I used was a bit contaminated, it was straight out of the tap, but that's no different to salt water inside a board.
This is not theory, this is a practical test. Even if you can repeat the experiment and get a better result, I'd still strongly advise against using a goretex vent in a board that has got water inside.
I don't like the placement of normal vents on slalom boards, the decks are recessed and the valves sits at the deepest point
^^^ agreed but central is likely to be best for venting. Big big SUPs often have two vents.
The only reason Goretex vents in our application came about was forgetfulness.
That is easily fixed by having the vent at the end of the mast track that you inset the mast base. For that reason I use the Chinook box with the integral vent plug on all my boards. Can't forget to do it up, and it saves an extra install step!!! So why not all boards...?
The fact it works in garments is not applicable to our use. Decrepit's well performed / methodical / logical experiment many years ago sold me on 'normal' vents.
No idea how many membranes, It's just the standard ventplug sold for board use, I'm not sure where it is now, if I can find it I'll pull it apart and check.