Whether you’re a first-time owner or an experienced boarder, your stand up paddle board is going to pick up a few dings and cracks along the way.
Most dings will just be cosmetic and can be left on the board to give it some character.
More serious damage where the epoxy skin has been pierced needs to be repaired before you take your board back out into the water.
If you can see the foam core through the cracked fiberglass, then it means water can get in there, and this can cause further damage.
You can take your board to a shop to have it fixed, but it’s super easy to fix epoxy boards yourself.
We’ve laid out a detailed guide on how to do this so that you can fix your own board and get back out there.
Is It Worth Repairing Your Paddle Board?
If your SUP has a minor ding, it’s probably not worth repairing.
You can just cover it up with a coat of paint.
In some cases, if the damage is really major, it may be more economical to just buy a new board.
When the damage is somewhere in between, you can fix it yourself with a paddle board repair kit.
These are fairly cheap and easy to use, but you might want to get some professional advice first if you’re unsure whether it’s worth repairing.
Repairing Your Rigid Paddle Board
Depending on the type of damage to your paddle board, follow our guides below to get it fixed in no time.
Minor crack repairs
Small cracks
If a crack appears just as you’ve hit the water, you can do a quick fix by putting some ding tape over it.
You can carry on with the session, but you’ll need to properly repair it afterward.
Step-by-step:
- First, make sure your SUP is completely dry.
- Clean out the crack, sand it and then make sure it’s dry again.
- Use a small paintbrush to apply epoxy resin over the crack.
- Take a fresh brush and put a second layer of epoxy resin over the crack.
- Give it a few hours to dry until the epoxy is cured.
- Sand over and around the crack.
- The ding is repaired, and you’re all good to go.
Bigger cracks
If the impact has caused a wider crack, you’ll need to use a different board repair method.
Step-by-step:
- Get rid of any sharp pieces, and then sand over the crack and the surrounding area.
- Clean the paddle board and then let it dry.
- Take a popsicle stick and fill up the crack with epoxy.
- Get some packing tape and put it over the crack.
- Read the instructions from the paddle board repair kit to see how long it needs to be left to cure.
- Leave it as long as it needs.
- Job done! You now know how to fix minor cracks in epoxy boards.
Serious ding repair
If the ding is more serious, then you won’t be able to just patch it up with clear ding tape and carry on.
You’ll need to get your SUP out of the water and repair it before you can use it again.
You’ll need a repair kit that contains epoxy resin, Q-Cell, a fiberglass cloth, a mask, hardener, sandpaper, gloves, mixing sticks, plastic mixing cups, and a scraper.
Step-by-step:
- Take the scraper and remove any jagged edges from the damaged area, and then sand it.
- Read the instructions for the mixing ratios from the kit, then mix everything together in the plastic cups.
- Cut three equal size pieces out of the cloth.
- Moisten the damaged area.
- Apply one piece of cloth and then wet it with some of the mixture.
- Repeat this for the other two pieces of cloth.
- Cut off any excess cloth while it’s still wet.
- Now take the ingredients for the sanding coat, including the Q-Cell, and mix them together.
- Spread this over the last layer of cloth.
- Leave the board for 1.5 hours for the sanding coat to harden.
- Sand the area down.
- Mix the ingredients for the final filler coat together and apply to the board.
- Leave it to dry for an hour.
- Sand it down one last time, and you’re done.
Repairing Your Inflatable Paddle Board
If your inflatable paddle board has a leak, it’s really easy to repair.
To do it, you’ll need a marker pen, scissors, glue, and some patch.
Step-by-step:
- Wipe the board down (while it’s inflated) with some soapy water. You’ll see some air bubbles where the leak is coming from.
- Wipe this area so that it’s dry.
- Draw a circle around the puncture with a marker pen.
- Give your patch a clean and cut it to the right size.
- Spread some glue on the area inside the marker pen circle, and put some onto the patch.
- Leave it for five minutes or so to dry.
- Press the patch onto the marked area and then smoothen it out.
- Remove any excess glue.
- Leave it to dry for 24 hours before you re-inflate it.
FAQs
How can I tell if my inflatable paddle board is leaking?
The first sign that your inflatable SUP is leaking is that you may be able to hear air escaping, or the board may be slowly deflating.
Mix some water with soap and put it onto the board.
You will be able to see bubbles coming from the puncture.
How long are paddle boards supposed to last?
If you take good care of them and use them often, paddle boards should last between 3 to 5 years.
What’s the best way to store a SUP board?
It’s recommended that paddle boards are stored in rooms that are both dry and dark.
Avoid rooms that are humid, and don’t leave the board in direct sunlight.
This should help prevent any cracks from forming in the epoxy.
Final Thoughts
Getting a few dings and cracks is part of the normal lifecycle for an SUP board.
If the damage isn’t so bad that the board needs to be replaced, you should be able to do it yourself.
Now that you’ve read this guide, you should be a master in the art of paddle board repair.
So, the next time your board gets a ding, you’ll be ready to fix it up and get right back out there!