Is my board cheap and nasty?

[Pete5000]

I've been surfing for the last year or so but don't get many opportunities to get out. Ahead of a two week trip I bought myself a new 8ft fibreglass mini mal. Just back from the trip now and the board looks totally knackered! Is it my frequent falling to blame off or is the board just cheap and nasty?

To give some more background. I'm at the point where I'm bored of surfing the broken waves and have been trying to get out onto some clean faces. For the last two weeks I've been battling out to the line up and catching the odd good wave whilst trying not to get in anyone's way. I bought the board from a respectable surf shop, selling boards made by a uk shaper in the uk. I'm pretty sure I've not hit anything with board (have been in deeper water, etc) but I have three holes in it. A crack on the tail that is letting in water, a puncture hole in the bottom (could this be from the leash swivel?), and a big split on one of the rails towards the nose which has gone right through the matting. The deck is also covered in star cracks and heel marks and the stringer already stands above the rest of the deck

I'm a large-ish guy at 95kg and am beginning to wonder if I would have been better with a chinese epoxy board, or a bic! Could all this damage result from me hitting the board when falling off? Has the shaper skimped on the glass matting, or is this to be expected with fibreglass boards? Any advice?

[jiggie]

Sounds like a poor glass job to me( what do i know ) But why not try taking it back to the shop and see what they say ..

[Jim Birtwisle]

Without seeing any photos or knowing exactly what you've been up to with it it's hard to say. However if you have been in deep water and you haven't noticed any of the impacts then it would suggest perhaps that it is a poor glass job. You'll get small cracks, pressure marks and dings from time to time in the normal course of surfing (cold hands in the car park in winter, taking a lip on the back as your duck diving and general wear an tear will all take their toll on the glass job) but if it's really bothering you then perhaps take it back to the surf shop or a different one to get a second opinion.

I wouldn't let it put you off UK boards though. I have three, all made by different shapers and all are top quality. Some people like Bic's and NSP's and I guess they serve their purpose (i.e. they are cheap to buy) but personally I think if you're progressing all the time with surfing they are unnecessary as you'll want something better after a short period of time. I have a 7'4 custom mal and I rode a friends 7'3 Bic mal on the same day in the same fairly easy conditions. The difference in how they feel is incredible (my mal feels planted, stable and manouverable, whereas the Bic felt like a heavy log that was determined to roll around and throw me off) I wouldn't buy one but that's just me and I digress into a completely different topic here.

[r896neo]

It is partly a bigger guy thing, i have a custom glass 7'4 big guy shortboard and i weigh 16 1/2 stone. My bulk thundering around on the deck has left me with plenty of pressure dings. I have had it for a few years though. As for the other damage, whilst you don't think you hit anything you must have to cause the other cracks and dings.

On my next glass board i will be asking for a heavier glass job on the top. I second the post above and totally agree glass boards are a totally different league to pop-outs, even a relative novice will be able to tell the difference.

[slappywagish]

Hey. sound like it might have been a bit of a cheap job. I've had a 7'6 for a few years and I'm only now starting to get a little worried about it and thinking of hanging it up on the wall (cause it's a sweet looking board and signed) but I've fairly thrown it about all over ireland bottom turns, floaters cutback even hanging five so put a fair bit of pressure on the nose, and I've had my fair share of wipe outs and general making a dick out of myself. It's quick and surprisingly loose. I'm not particularly light either. 6 foot tall and about 175lb but shur Check out escape surfboards. I'd highly recommend one. My bro has one too and they seem to hold up really well(and he's a tubby bastard).