Thought I'd provide a couple of tips I've learnt when applying rail tape over the years.

1. Make yourself a simple board holder (image below). It makes the job 10 times easier!

2. Cut each length in two i.e. rather than a single 1.8 M length down each side, 2 x 900 mm each side. Allows you to follow the rocker of the board and not have tape going under the edge (which never sticks well).

3. I've tried applying dry and soapy water. Dry leaves bubbles that are a nightmare to get out. Soapy water is too slippery. I learnt from the HexaTraction instructions to just use water - allows you to reposition if needed, easy to get rid of bubbles and not too slippery.

Cheers Mark

Here's my rail tape tip - If you use anything other than RailSaverPro tape, you are wasting your time and money. It is easy to apply and reposition and it is absolutely bomb proof!! Cheers!

Yeah, I would add that if you live in a cool climate, warm (gently!) the tape up first on a radiator or by using a hairdryer before applying it. It is much easier to position and to get it to follow the curves of the board when it is not cold.

I remember to my horror few years ago while trying to reposition a rail saver on my Naish x32 how it took all the paint of the rail with it!
I blame my agent and my wife for this ! and Naish quality at that time ...but this board was so easy to chip paint it was scary...

I have never tried water only. I am not sure how much soap you were using in your applications, but when I have applied I use water with add ONE DROP ONLY of liquid soap to my water spray bottle. The tiniest amount of soap in one drop actually helps with the initial repositioning of the tape. Yeah, once it dries out really well, it is pretty much on there permanently. Sorry about the Naish! Warming the tape sounds like a solid idea for installation. I bet warming up the tape would have help with repositioning/removal too. Just a thought.

Following this thread closely as I have some badly applied rail tape I want to replace. It was put on wrapping right around onto the bottom of the board before I bought it. Any tips for removing old rail tape?

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Shabadoo said..
Following this thread closely as I have some badly applied rail tape I want to replace. It was put on wrapping right around onto the bottom of the board before I bought it. Any tips for removing old rail tape?

Heat very gently to melt the glue but not the tape, peel off when it feels like it is ready to let go. Tape should seperate from the glue rather than glue and tape from the board.
Will leave glue residue on the board that turps should clean off.

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Nozza said..

Heat very gently to melt the glue but not the tape, peel off when it feels like it is ready to let go. Tape should seperate from the gl...

Thanks Nozza!

I used to heat a small room to 80F when installing or removing.

Warm water with a drop of soap. Easy peasy as well.

What about location placement fore and aft? I put mine on at the center point, but many paddle swipes occur further foreward of tape, and bugger all marks rear of center. Should've place forward of center... when i do again will be placing as far forward as possible.
How far forward on a narrow nose rail can tape be placed? Prob depends on brand/flexibility?

You can go as far forward as it will reasonably fit. Where it will fit should be self-evident. Check your longest probable reach with paddle while on the board in the water and compare that to any paddle scuff you see on the rail. Rail placement based on forward scuff marks is more important than rear.

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finsup said..
What about location placement fore and aft? I put mine on at the center point, but many paddle swipes occur further foreward of tape, and bugger all marks rear of center. Should've place forward of center... when i do again will be placing as far forward as possible.
How far forward on a narrow nose rail can tape be placed? Prob depends on brand/flexibility?

I've put an extra strip on the front of all my boards because you are spot on and a lot of strikes happen up front while madly thrashing around!!
Haven't noticed any performance issues.... you can carefully profile the end so the join is hardly visible and having the extra piece allows you to follow the rocker profile better....

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Emeboy said..

finsup said..
What about location placement fore and aft? I put mine on at the center point, but many paddle swipes occur further foreward of tape, and bugger all marks rear of center. Should've place forward of center... when i do again will be placing as far forward as possible.
How far forward on a narrow nose rail can tape be placed? Prob depends on brand/flexibility?

I've put an extra strip on the front of all my boards because you are spot on and a lot of strikes happen up front while madly thrashing around!!
Haven't noticed any performance issues.... you can carefully profile the end so the join is hardly visible and having the extra piece allows you to follow the rocker profile better....

I do the same!

As a repairer, my main tip is - don't


Its awful crap, just tape your blade well.

Ha ha yes... you'd get a bit of work out of my board, and even more if there was no giant sticky tape stuck to it!!!
Seriously though, I think I agree. Given half decent board construction (which my board isn't) how many paddle swipes actually do damage that's worse than cosmetic, ie that requires repairing?, And, given half decent construction, if a knock is going to do proper damage, is rail tape going to stop it?
BTW Mark, any tips on repairing small cracks in the plastic (paint?PVC?) coating on SBW products? My Halo is very sensitive.

I don't think I ever saw a paddle strike that required repair, its just paint damage, so yeah I agree.
If you bang the rail hard enough to ding it, like dropping the board then rail tape doesn't do much. Then, its a PITA to remove and if it peels paint off you're now doing a whole rail paint job not just 10 - 30cm or so.

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Mark _australia said..
I don't think I ever saw a paddle strike that required repair, its just paint damage, so yeah I agree.
If you bang the rail hard enough to ding it, like dropping the board then rail tape doesn't do much. Then, its a PITA to remove and if it peels paint off you're now doing a whole rail paint job not just 10 - 30cm or so.

Never thought about it like this but it makes sense. I repaired my Naish Hokua 7'6 and the paint came off immediately when I took off the railsaver. But I also learned it the hard way and paint chip's are at least a sign of usage. RSpro also has good blade protectors for your paddle.