Have you been wondering what it’s like to shape your own surfboard?

Depending who you talk to to, it could be a piece of cake, or a daunting task that no man should do by himself.

I wanted to find out for myself.

When my buddies John and Frank offered to walk me through the process of how to make a surfboard, I couldn’t refuse.

So before we get into all the juicy details about how I made my own surfboard, I just want to let you know…

This is less of a “How To Make a Surfboard” with all the technical knowledge, and more of a “How I (Poorly) Made a Surfboard That Some Thought Wouldn’t Surf, But It Does”.

You can learn from my mistakes, and hopefully avoid making the same ones if you decide to shape and glass your own surfboard.

It happened again…

The dreaded black ring around my neck after surfing.

It seems to happen to all of my wetsuits after 2 or 3 years. The neck of the wetsuit starts to “melt” onto my neck. The latest victim is my 3/2 Xcel Drylock.

It feels gross, and I have to scrub it off with soap and paper towel after every surf.

But hey, I can’t just ditch a $500 wetsuit, so I decided to get crafty.

Airlines are notorious for damaging surfboards (after you pay loads of money to get them on the plane).

Here’s how to pack your board to prevent damage during airplane travel.

It’s never guaranteed that your surfboard will arrive safely, but this will add a lot of protection.

If you have a surfboard bag designed for airline travel (these are really expensive) then you might not need to take these extra steps. But if you have a lighter weight daybag, you’ll want to stack on some padding.

The good news is that the supplies only cost a few bucks.
All you need is pipe insulation, and masking tape.

Get enough pipe insulation to cover the entire length of your surfboard rails. I bought two 6-foot pieces for this video, but I could have used a bit more.
You can buy this at any home improvement store like Home Depot.

Also pick up some masking tape. Really any kind of tape will work, but if it’s really sticky (like duct tape) then it’s going to leave residue on your surfboard. And you don’t want that.
Painter’s tape is best, as it leaves no residue.

Remove the fins from your surfboard, and put them in the pocket. You can also remove the wax from your board if you’re worried about it melting inside the bag.

Push the pipe insulation onto the rails of your surfboard, and wrap the tape around your board so the insulation doesn’t come off.

Load the surfboard into your bag, and you’re ready to go! You can also throw your towels/poncho and wetsuit in there for extra padding.

You’ve done all you can, now just cross your fingers and hope the airline handles your gear nicely ?

Click here to buy a surfboard daybag

Front traction pads on surfboards are becoming a lot more popular lately.

 

A post shared by Noa Deane PTY Ltd (@ilovetables) on Mar 29, 2017 at 6:19pm PDT

 

A post shared by Dion (@dionagius) on Nov 16, 2017 at 1:11am PST

Guys like Noa Deane and Dion Agius have been using deck pads for a while now, but there’s a swarm of more “average” surfers using them now.

And for good reason.

With a front pad, you eliminate the need for wax on your board.

No waxing it up before every surf session, no worrying about it melting all over your car or off you board when you leave it in the sun.

Just good traction. There for you every day, like the perfect marriage partner. Actually better than a partner, because once the pad is on your board, it requires no maintenance.

Here’s how to install a front traction pad on your surfboard:

Step 1
Remove any wax from your board.
Leave it in the sun so the wax starts to melt, then scrape it off.
Remove any residue with your choice of household cleaner and paper towel.
It is​ very important to have a clean board before you apply the pads, otherwise they will not stick properly!

Step 2
Lay the pads on your board, to find the perfect placement.
Stand next to your board, with your normal stance, to determine where to put the pads.
You can mark on your surfboard with a pencil or marker, where you want the pads to go.

Step 3
Carefully peel the backing off pads, and lay them on the board, one at a time.
Firmly press on the entire area of the pads so they properly adhere to your board.
Wait 24 hours, then go surf!

Installing a center fin in your longboard or SUP is extremely easy and fast. It takes less than a minute, and you don’t even need any tools!

The installation process is the same whether you have a longboard or SUP… I will be using my longboard in this example.

Our longboard fins come with a “no-tool” screw, so you can hand tighten the screw. If you are using a different fin/screw, you might need a screwdriver to tighten the screw. All the other steps in this guide should be the same, no matter what fin/screw/board you are using.

Installing Your Longboard/SUP Fin

1. Lay the screw plate into fin box.
Carefully slide the screw plate into the fin box, and move it towards the front of your board. You can use a pen or screwdriver to move the plate, because your finger probably won’t fit in the box.

2. Insert fin into box.
The back of your longboard fin has a pin in it. You insert this part into the middle of the fin box, and then slide the fin back (with the front of the fin still lifted).

Find your desired position for the fin. Position is all preference… the farther back the fin, the more stable it will be. The farther forward the fin, the more maneuverable it will be.

Once your fin is in position, you can push the front of the fin down into the box. If it fits too tight, you can remove the fin and gently sand the sides of the base.

3. Tighten the screw.
Line up the screw plate with the end of your fin, so the screw can thread in. You’ll want to use a pen or screwdriver to move the plate around.

If you have a “no-tool” screw (like our longboard fins come with) you can just hand-tighten the screw.
If you have the classic longboard screw, you’ll need a screwdriver to tighten it.

Click here to buy our Longboard Fin