How To Repair The Windsurf Board Grip
The proper windsurf board grip is vital to prevent slipping off of your board. After about two seasons of consistent use the gripping material can wear down causing a poor foothold that is especially problematic when turning. Some windsurfers are able the minimize the gripping problem by wearing windsurf boots but many enjoy having the ability to stand barefoot and hold to their boards.
It is advisable to talk to other windsurfers about the different windsurfing board brands and the longevity of windsurf board grip available from different manufacturers. You must have good board grip material on your board to windsurf. There are some rather quick fixes to re-grip your board. Some of these repairs can effectively fix the problem while others can give you road-burn and fray your wet suit.
What Materials Are Used to Re-Grip A Windsurfing Board
There are many windsurf repair shops that provide an as-new board grip to your worn equipment. If you do not have a suitable workspace or sufficient free time this may be your best option. If you have a professional re-grip done, you should make sure that the shop will totally remove the old grip material. They should then re-grip your board by first coating with UV resistant resin and then evenly applying acrylic dust onto the wet surface. This treatment will last twice as long as will the application of acrylic dust into LP paint or clear epoxy.
There are ready-made products available to repair your windsurf board grip. These products were made for ease of use and most consist of acrylic paint with acrylic dust mixed in. To apply these products you simply shake well and roll it onto your board. The problem is that acrylic paint is relatively soft and. although the acrylic dust is included, the gripping ability is diminished. The longevity of the product is also fairly short term. If applied too generously these products will blur your board graphics and lift off the stickers.
Fairly Quick Fix Re-Grip Materials Used by Other Windsurfers
It is best to use a sharpened scraper and sandpaper to get off all of the old grip material before applying a new re-grip surface. This needs to be done gently so that no underlying board paint is removed. The surface then needs to be cleaned thoroughly and allowed to dry. Now you are ready to re-grip your board. You should not use surfboard wax on your windsurf board. The stuff gets soft in the sun and will melt all over your car.
To solve grip deterioration some windsurfers spread surfboard-grade resin onto their board and then apply, by sprinkling, an even topping of finer grade sugar or salt. Then allow the surface to dry thoroughly and then wash off excess. This does work for a time but the salt can react to some resins and you end up with a yellowed coating on your board. Also over time the sugar or salt will melt and leave sharp pits in the resin. The best treatment is by far done by evenly sprinkling fine acrylic dust over wet UV resistant resin.
If you have the time and the space; have masked off areas on the board that need protection; removed the masking tape before the resin dries; and can leave things to dry for 24 hours; you will have a like-new windsurf board
Resources:
http://www.boards.co.uk/articles/index.asp?ID_A=178&article_type=50 http://www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=37208 http://www.windsurfer.co.uk/Aeron_Booms.htm
http://www.aqua-patch.co.uk/aqua_boomgrip.htmhttp://socrates.berkeley.edu/~wprinz/windsurfing/Stance.html
http://www.roynbartholdi.com/windsurf/ws_move_jumps.htmhttp://www.uswindsurfing.org/Lessons/Pages/Lesson1/L1S2.htmlhttp://www.naishafrica.com/STUFFDOWNLOADED/07WindsurfBds_Tech.pdf