If you take good care of your surfboard, it will perform more effectively and endure for a longer period of time. Because of this, stowing your surfboard in a manner that is appropriate is quite necessary if you want to guarantee that it remains in pristine shape.
Be careful of the following before storing your surfboard safely:
- Shield the surfboard from the sun as much as you can.
- The rails, tail, and nose should never touch any harsh surfaces.
- NEVER leave a surfboard in a moving vehicle.
- After a session, always wash with fresh water.
Avoid being in the sun
Finding a location with the least amount of sunlight is crucial, whether you want to keep your board indoors or outdoors. The sun’s UV rays are the primary cause of your board’s “yellowing,” which transforms it from bright white to a milky, worn-out hue.
Whether or not they have yellowed, boards that are exposed to a lot of sunlight weaken and decay fast. Over time, the sun causes the foam to swell and burns away part of the fiberglass and epoxy layers’ protective properties.
This makes a surfboard’s structure weaker and more vulnerable to dents and dings. If you must keep your surfboard outdoors, choose a location that receives complete daytime shade. On the other hand, if indoors, try to stay away from huge windows.
Long-Term Retention
Always wash your board with fresh water after a session in order to prepare it for both long and short-term storage. Although your surfboard is intended for seawater, salt is not healthy for it since it likes to corrode.
Your board’s surface, your traction pad, and your leash rope will all be harmed by salt. Therefore, before storing the board, be sure to clean it with fresh water and let it dry.
Start by cleaning your surfboard if you want to store it for a prolonged period of time (weeks or months). Check out our instructions here to find out how to properly clean your surfboard.
Take off the wax
If you won’t be using your board soon, it’s crucial to remove the wax. To allow the wax to warm, just leave your board outdoors for a little while (but not for too long). Take anything thin, such as an old gift card, and pull the wax off as soon as it has melted enough to allow it to be peeled away.
Take the Fins off
When storing a surfboard for an extended period of time, always sure to take off the fins in addition to the wax. After removing them, give your fin box a thorough cleaning since sand, water, and salt tend to get caught there.
Keep your surfboard out of the car
NEVER leave your board in the vehicle, not even for the day. An otherwise great surfboard will be ruined by the tremendous heat, which may be quite damaging to the construction of your board. On a hot day, cars may reach temperatures well over 100 degrees, which is sufficient heat to permanently damage the board.
Protect Yourself From the Elements
Although keeping a surfboard outdoors isn’t the best option, there are occasions when it is just impractical, particularly for longboards and stand-up paddleboards.
You should get a surfboard bag if you want to store your surfboard outdoors. The purpose of surfboard bags is to safeguard your board, and they will provide your board with a secure spot to hide from the weather until you get to paddle it out again.
Remember that limiting exposure to the elements is a good thing, so consider any possible weather protection for your surfboard. Sun damage may be avoided if you can keep your board beneath an umbrella, on a patio, or in a shed.
Final thoughts
Always safeguard the tail of your surfboard while doing so. You should always be able to lay your board’s tail on something soft, such as a block of foam or a folded towel since you never want it to contact the hard surface of the ground.
Any piece of the surfboard has the same validity. Always keep the outline of your surfboard safe. Put some kind of cushioning there if any section of your board rests against a hard surface. Find products for your surfboard storage from a good company.