Bummer today.
Took the Surftech Bark Downwinder for the second time - brand new board.
I use board bag (nice Riviera bag) and pads FCS and DaKine.
When strapping the board, it looks like the seam of the bag move a little bit and come on top of the rail.
I do not strap very tight but just the same there was a huge dent on the rail. The skin did not break so likely I do not need a repair yet.
It does not bode well for a downwinder board. The Bark Vapor is also going to be in the same construction.
I never had a problem with the Allstar in the very same bag.
Somewhat ruined my day...

I've had no problem with mine and it isn't kept in a bag and is often the bottom board of a stack of 3 on the van roof. I also have a contender of the same construction that has been well used over the last 18 months and apart from a lot of paint chips (the paint finish is poor) is still in fair condition although it now does have a dent like yours, but rather a dent than a split like a lot of boards would have

Why don't you talk to the shop you bought it from instead of stirring up trouble !!!

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AUS4 said..
Why don't you talk to the shop you bought it from instead of stirring up trouble !!!

I am also discussing the matter with Surftech USA. What trouble??? Are you an oversensitive dealer, if so sorry to express my view on a board that I paid good money for.

I am wondering if anybody with a Bark Pro Elite could check for me.
Where the rail stops and the bottom of the board starts, the board is somewhat soft. As you move toward the middle then it becomes stronger/stiffer.
That is only for the middle part of the front of the board with very soft rails and does not apply to the hard rails at the back.
I also checked on my All Star and that is not the case.

Thanks in advance.

Hey guys .I think your barking up the wrong tree.

None of those surftechs are in australia as fas as I know

That is why I have never seen any of DJ's crew on a Bark :-)

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TJR said..
I've had no problem with mine and it isn't kept in a bag and is often the bottom board of a stack of 3 on the van roof. I also have a contender of the same construction that has been well used over the last 18 months and apart from a lot of paint chips (the paint finish is poor) is still in fair condition although it now does have a dent like yours, but rather a dent than a split like a lot of boards would have

That is good to know. I am just totally surprised as how easy it got damaged. If it stays at one dent OK but if it keeps recurring that is a problem for a $2.5K board...

It could be a manufacturing fault and a warranty issue.. I'm sure the odd one sneaks through just like other brands.

We don't see much Bark or Surftech boards down here.. (except for when DogMan turns up) .. I rang the Surftech Australia guy once (Queensland I think) and asked why we don't see their boards down here and he told me that you guys can only paddle a few months of the year because it's so cold.. Sheesh.. What does he think.. The place freezes over or something.. Amazing..

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DavidJohn said..
It could be a manufacturing fault and a warranty issue.. I'm sure the odd one sneaks through just like other brands.

We don't see much Bark or Surftech boards down here.. (except for when DogMan turns up) .. I rang the Surftech Australia guy once (Queensland I think) and asked why we don't see their boards down here and he told me that you guys can only paddle a few months of the year because it's so cold.. Sheesh.. What does he think.. The place freezes over or something.. Amazing..

I am working with my local dealer and in parallel with Surftech USA (there is no Surftech Canada). After the initial "it is not possible" they seems to come to term that indeed the problem has been caused simply by the seam of the bag putting pressure and indenting the bottom of the board along the front rail. I am now asking them to consider this a warranty issue as the whole section along the front rail on both side is very soft so that you can press it down with your finger.

Cheers

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AUS4 said..

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Why don't you talk to the shop you bought it from instead of stirring up trouble !!!

Lots of green thumbs!!

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LucBenac said..

DavidJohn said..
It could be a manufacturing fault and a warranty issue.. I'm sure the odd one sneaks through just like other brands.

We don't see much Bark or Surftech boards down here.. (except for when DogMan turns up) .. I rang the Surftech Australia guy once (Queensland I think) and asked why we don't see their boards down here and he told me that you guys can only paddle a few months of the year because it's so cold.. Sheesh.. What does he think.. The place freezes over or something.. Amazing..

I am working with my local dealer and in parallel with Surftech USA (there is no Surftech Canada). After the initial "it is not possible" they seems to come to term that indeed the problem has been caused simply by the seam of the bag putting pressure and indenting the bottom of the board along the front rail. I am now asking them to consider this a warranty issue as the whole section along the front rail on both side is very soft so that you can press it down with your finger.

Cheers

Looks like Surftech is looking at replacing the board.
I am glad that the softness was not a standard.
That bodes well for the quality of the customer support and would score high in my liking of the brand.
Defect happen, as long as they are corrected properly then I am fine...

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LucBenac said.


Looks like Surftech is looking at replacing the board.
I am glad that the softness was not a standard.
That bodes well for the quality of the customer support and would score high in my liking of the brand.
Defect happen, as long as they are corrected properly then I am fine...

Now was that so hard? Next time keep it to yourself. If I was the supplier and knew you were bitching on social media I would tell you to go to hell. Your a clown.

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Wood Duck said..

LucBenac said.


Looks like Surftech is looking at replacing the board.
I am glad that the softness was not a standard.
That bodes well for the quality of the customer support and would score high in my liking of the brand.
Defect happen, as long as they are corrected properly then I am fine...

Now was that so hard? Next time keep it to yourself. If I was the supplier and knew you were bitching on social media I would tell you to go to hell. Your a clown.

As a matter of fact it is because I was asking questions on social media that I got the right advice and I could change the first answer from the supplier from "that is not possible" to "we should exchange your board". That said nothing really force you to read my post...

You never mentioned the supplier in the beginning, you just went on line and bitched.

Customers have every right to post their expriences good or bad it provides feedback to others making the big step to part with big money. If there was some issue and it was hidden by pressure of the brand than it is an obvious sign of bigger things that they may be trying to hide. The scenerio that has unfolded above is a good sign for Surtech as a brand acknowledging service and respect for a customer. It also provides other potential customers who were keen on the same board confidence to purchase Surftech product knowing this service exists. Thumbs up to LucBenac and Surftech USA and lets hope the new Surftech product makes it downunder soon

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DavidJohn said..
It could be a manufacturing fault and a warranty issue.. I'm sure the odd one sneaks through just like other brands.

We don't see much Bark or Surftech boards down here.. (except for when DogMan turns up) .. I rang the Surftech Australia guy once (Queensland I think) and asked why we don't see their boards down here and he told me that you guys can only paddle a few months of the year because it's so cold.. Sheesh.. What does he think.. The place freezes over or something.. Amazing..

Wow seen a pic of a fully loaded van and trailer 40-50 boards heading your way of your favourite yellow product DJ, was this your personal order or for the shop crew?

Thanks for the heads up..

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DavidJohn said..
Thanks for the heads up..

I feel exciting new videos on the making :-)

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JonWest said..
Customers have every right to post their expriences good or bad it provides feedback to others making the big step to part with big money. If there was some issue and it was hidden by pressure of the brand than it is an obvious sign of bigger things that they may be trying to hide. The scenerio that has unfolded above is a good sign for Surtech as a brand acknowledging service and respect for a customer. It also provides other potential customers who were keen on the same board confidence to purchase Surftech product knowing this service exists. Thumbs up to LucBenac and Surftech USA and lets hope the new Surftech product makes it downunder soon

DavidJohn said..
It could be a manufacturing fault and a warranty issue.. I'm sure the odd one sneaks through just like other brands.

We don't see much Bark or Surftech boards down here.. (except for when DogMan turns up) .. I rang the Surftech Australia guy once (Queensland I think) and asked why we don't see their boards down here and he told me that you guys can only paddle a few months of the year because it's so cold.. Sheesh.. What does he think.. The place freezes over or something.. Amazing..

Wow seen a pic of a fully loaded van and trailer 40-50 boards heading your way of your favourite yellow product DJ, was this your personal order or for the shop crew?

Cheers.

We can't always try every board at a local dealer and inspect the very board you are buying. So we often have to part with $$$ on confidence in the brand and the model and hope for the best. Just the shipping by itself can become an issue. I had decided to purchase only boards locally and after trying but after reading reviews by a few respected members of another forum and seeing pictures of this board, I could not resist making a long distance buy :-).

Hope everything works out Luc. I hear you on the long distance and shipping hassles, but it's something those of us living in remote regions have to live with. I just don't have the dealer options in my area and usually have to order. My Naish Glide arrived from the States with several small cracks in the paint that I didn't notice when I took the packaging off, but they are there. I wouldn't have shipped it back anyways, because the cracks appear to be superficial, and the shipping back across another country is a major pain in the ass. It's a bummer when you find damage on a new board. Naish said they would credit me the repair costs, which is pretty cool. I also noticed right away that the carry handle isn't centred, which is annoying, but I'm letting it slide and just paddling it now.

Oh, I can get a new Bark DW for below cost now that season is over, but probably won't pull the trigger. Can't justify two new boards in such a short time span...or?

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robon said..
Hope everything works out Luc. I hear you on the long distance and shipping hassles, but it's something those of us living in remote regions have to live with. I just don't have the dealer options in my area and usually have to order. My Naish Glide arrived from the States with several small cracks in the paint that I didn't notice when I took the packaging off, but they are there. I wouldn't have shipped it back anyways, because the cracks appear to be superficial, and the shipping back across another country is a major pain in the ass. It's a bummer when you find damage on a new board. Naish said they would credit me the repair costs, which is pretty cool. I also noticed right away that the carry handle isn't centred, which is annoying, but I'm letting it slide and just paddling it now.

Oh, I can get a new Bark DW for below cost now that season is over, but probably won't pull the trigger. Can't justify two new boards in such a short time span...or?

I had a Naish with a centre handle that was waaaaaaaay off. The shop arranged a courier to pick it up ....they are over 200 miles away. Got another one but the higher spec GT model which was A okay. Once you know the back up is there you can buy with confidence. It is the hard way of finding out which is the pain when there isn't a single dealer in your country.

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robon said..
Oh, I can get a new Bark DW for below cost now that season is over, but probably won't pull the trigger. Can't justify two new boards in such a short time span...or?

It is a very nice board to paddle :-)

Cheers,

Luc

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Slab said..
I had a Naish with a centre handle that was waaaaaaaay off. The shop arranged a courier to pick it up ....they are over 200 miles away. Got another one but the higher spec GT model which was A okay. Once you know the back up is there you can buy with confidence. It is the hard way of finding out which is the pain when there isn't a single dealer in your country.

Nice, I am dreading the packing and shipping back of the first board. Last thing I need is to do a poor job of it and damaged the board some more on its way back to the manufacturer.
Cheers,
Luc

Problem is I had such tunnel vision with the paint cracks that I never brought up the centre handle being off, and I have paddled the board a bunch since then. The centre handle isn't waaaay off, but the nose noticeably dips and will hit the ground if I don't flex it up. I now carry it fin forward and wedge the board on my hip and it is much easier to carry that way. Still not what I expected and wanted. I was thinking I would be able to carry it very long distances with the recessed handle. My old Starboard touring weighed the same as the Naish but with no recessed handle, so I was really looking forward to that on my new Glide. Oh well. It's on me for not bringing it up with the dealer I guess. Fun board though.