Thanks all.
i have used my inflatable over 50
times but rarely ever inflated it for just one day.

I generally pump it to the max at 18PSI. I always wash after each use and keep in garage . Based on the advise above I might release pressure to around 15PSI after each use. How I do that is a mystery but I guess I will just release pressure from valve for a few seconds after each wash and check pressure before pumping the day after and tweak the release time from there

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Qbay said..

baddog said..

Imoutthere said..

In all fairness, the technology across the board with all brands have vastly improved over the last three years...

My 2015 board was less than a year old when this bubble appeared in between the dual layers after a plane trip. Never left my board in the sun and it was very lightly used. A few days later, the bubble expanded, an area of drop stitch failed and a seam split.

"Vastly improved" is dealer speak and we won't real know if the fused dual layer drop-stitch will improve longevity for years to come.

Was that board made out of the MSL construction? And did you take it back to the reseller that you bought it from in regards to this issue...
Also if the board is rolled up and there is no air in it how does the bubble appear in a plane, most plane hulls are freezing and not hot. Jp and fanatic both run the new msl tech now as well.

The 2015s are not MSL. MSL first appeared in 2016, so no track record. Red is pretty good at handling warranty claims, but keep in mind, it's only a one year warranty.

The issue is gluing the dual layers together by hand. They had problems in 2015 which they admit too. Many premium iSUPs come from the same large iSUP OEM, just like Cobra for hardboards. I know Starboard is one for sure. Unlike various Cobra constructions, all iSUP construction is virtually identical. And even with MSL, there's still a lot of glue holding a board together.

As far as the plane ride... There's always some air left in a board. Guess you've never had a bottle of shampoo, etc., leak, expand or explode at altitude. Freezing can be equally destructive as heat to an adhesive, but I can't explain the process, I can only report the results. Regardless, glue is the issue, whether it was cheap or old, poor workmanship and/or quality control, the adhesive failed.

+1 for baddog's comments. It was clear that the adhesive glue between the layers on the seam failed in the heat. The board was pumped to 18psi. The fabric was soft but fine and not compromised or deformed. The ambient temperature was 36c + direct sun for 20 minutes.

The board had always been washed and stored in a garage. Not sure what else I could do (other than leave it at home, let out pressure on the beach then pump it up again or leave it on the water with an anchor) as there wasn't any shade on the beach. Now, I won't take a SUP inflatable out on a hot day without shade.

Note that dry air expansion due to the heat on the beach is quite minimal, and should not be an issue.
The humidity (water) in the air, however, expands a lot more than dry air when heated. So leaving an inflatable on the beach may be much more stressfull in humid climates than in dry ones.

But the glue softening with the heat is the major issue I guess. And failure will be quite random due to the inconsistencies of manual labor.

One more pic of an inflatable SUP in action:

Gong "Couine Marie" (a pun: meaning the Squealing Mary in French / Queen Mary) 7'5" Simmons shape

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baddog said..

Imoutthere said..

In all fairness, the technology across the board with all brands have vastly improved over the last three years...

My 2015 board was less than a year old when this bubble appeared in between the dual layers after a plane trip. Never left my board in the sun and it was very lightly used. A few days later, the bubble expanded, an area of drop stitch failed and a seam split.

"Vastly improved" is dealer speak and we won't real know if the fused dual layer drop-stitch will improve longevity for years to come.

That looks like it is only the deck pad that has delaminated. We wouldn't sell any other inflatable - just the RED. Best boards, best company to deal with. Great support.

This my Starboard Astro Wide Point 8.2 x 32, works very fine...!!

Awesome. Nice rocker