I know the guy at the local rental place. He was asking about fixing wet boards. Sometimes they come back with a ding and he wants to fix them quickly before they go back out. Waiting for them to dry properly epoxy isnt really an option.Any ideas. I had read something about a sticker that was made for surfboard repairs. Cant find them online though.

There are epoxy putties designer for repairing underwater, such as: www.amazon.com/Marine-Underwater-Epoxy-Moldable-Putty/dp/B07CBN57HG

Or he could use polyurethane glues that polymerize with water (such as the Gorilla Glue) or MS/Polymer ones to either fill a ding (maybe with microspheres?), or glue a sticker on.
For best results, mix some drops of water in the glue, otherwise it will cure on the surface exposed to humidity and prevent curing the inside. This is why these glues should be normally applied in thin layers.

The sticker you are thinking of is made by RS Pro: www.rspro.org/products/surf-ding-patch

Tried the epoxy putty but it's not great. Maybe for bigger dings where you need to fill. Will try the poly glue. I have some for woodworking.
3M 5200 works but is messy and takes a while to dry.

Note the epoxy putties should always used with gloves (Nitrile gloves are great as they do no stick to putties or tape). I mixed them with my bare fingers and they did not work, the small amount of fat from the skin was sufficient to make them adhere less.

I have done a heap of repairs to boards and foils using PC-11. It's fantastic stuff.

www.pcepoxy.com/products/permanent-repair/pc-11-paste-epoxy/

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tarquin1 said..
I know the guy at the local rental place. He was asking about fixing wet boards. Sometimes they come back with a ding and he wants to fix them quickly before they go back out. Waiting for them to dry properly epoxy isnt really an option.Any ideas. I had read something about a sticker that was made for surfboard repairs. Cant find them online though.

You mean like ding tape?

https://www.dolphinsurf.com.au/clear-ding-tape

Put vacuum on it with a loose bag and tons of paper towel to absorb the water
that gets 90% out

Then use a single pack foaming PU glue like gorilla or tarzan's grip - they set by absorbing moisture, and set even harder by taking the moisture from the broken styro.

Then repair as normal.

The vac and glue has only added half a day (well, in summer) to the whole repair process.

Oh reading more - he wants to actually have a dinged board that's been properly wet inside - go back out on rental almost straight away?
He's dreaming, he will kill the boards. Hmmmm yeah, duct tape will satisfy his purpose if he must.
But if they have goretex valves, wet core will ensure they don't vent so he's going to need to drain properly for a couple months in the off season and fix the dings correctly.

Better off planning for damage with (1) good deposit and (2) enough boards to always have one or two in for proper repair....

Yes it's a tricky situation. By the time the boards come back in who knows how much water has gotten in. How the bloody hell people manage to put a big hole in boards I don't know. Mostly good quality boards. When he is busy all the boards are out. The boards get stored for the winter and I help him with repairs. Drill holes and leave in the sun.He has used different types of tape. Just seeing if anyone had some top tip. You never know. I think PU glue with tape over it.
He says he can't find ding tape around here. To be honest I haven't looked. South of France. Maybe Colas could give me an idea.
I told him to just by railsaver and cut it to size as he needs it. He has a heavy nonskid pvc tape on the rails that is great. People seem to put holes right next to it though.
On a different note for a crazy idea. If you had a board that was wet inside. Dry it out as best as possible vacuum, sun whatever. Then suck a load of foaming PU glue through like vacuum infusion. Would the PU glue use the moisture in the board to dry and you have an OK fix. Would the board delam under the pressure of the glue foaming? Might have to try it on one of his boards this winter.
Thanks all for the replies.

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tarquin1 said..
He says he can't find ding tape around here. To be honest I haven't looked. South of France. Maybe Colas could give me an idea.

I bought nearly everything via internet, except what I could find at fr.kompass.com/c/polymeres-et-composites/fr0400595/

I guess he should just rent inflatables or sandwich boards. Hint: Gong "FSP" boards are full sandwich... :-)

On tapes, I would look for tapes with 3M glue on specialized industrial sites or amazon.
I would use clear ones to see through to check that its sticks completely without paths for the water to go through.

Another trick: do not put fingers on the tape glue: I apply the tape by the center, then cut off the parts I have touched with a knife (cutter).