So I have been having a great time on my 8'7 and 9'1 Sunova Acids on my Maldives trip. The 8'7 absolutely rips, but at my 90 kg, when it gets windy and lumpy, I ride the 9'1. But yesterday, on my 9'1, I didn't make a section...

Let me tell you a story...

It all started nicely enough:

Then it started getting a bit steep, so it looked like fun ahead:

Then it just sucked-out in front of me. Looks like mini-ship sterns. I could see the reef in front of me. I tried to paddle backwards. It didn't work...


This was the moment that the nose of the board hit the reef and I started to see my life flash before my eyes...


About this point my back was slammed against the reef. Not sure why my head didn't hit. Luckily (surprisingly) I did not leave any skin on the reef.


There was damage. But I think it should be covered under warranty. I am pretty sure SUPs should be able to survive being driven straight into a reef ;)


The nose was very weak. I could easily lift it up. Underneath was badly damaged. There were also four cuts through the balsa that you can't really see:


But luckily there was a professional board repairer on the boat and it is now perfectly repaired. You can hardly tell there was any damage:




I have had it back in the water and it was fine. Who needs carbon fiber when you have duct tape?

More stories to come...

Ouch, LOL, oh sorry should I laugh. Nice tape job and no skin on the reef well done.

Great Edit CSE
Hope your trip is going well
Please give us the full run down on the trip and photos
Enjoy

Def a bit of major dissapointment there CSE but in true pro style ya just got on with it,well done and hope youve recovered from the trauma.Its gotta be tough on yer over there mate.

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Lucyloo said..
Def a bit of major dissapointment there CSE but in true pro style ya just got on with it,well done and hope youve recovered from the trauma.Its gotta be tough on yer over there mate.

It is tough, but I am managing...

One guy has just come back from the local hospital/clinic - his fin dug deep into his leg just below his knee - 3 stitches inside, 6 outside. My board looks absolutely fine in comparison.

Have duct tape...will travel...and/or nose dive into reefs!

glad to see i'm not the only one that wipes out .

sorry for your board.It must of come down hard .
better the board than you with damage ..
and great photos of a wipe out .

LOL.....gotta love duct tape

Great pics and story. Thanks for sharing.

reefs freak me out.

Warranty for sure

MacGyver would be proud of you. Hopefully the remainder of your holiday is trouble free & you score some epic conditions

Great photos man...and that repair job is mint..
Chur

Yikes!! ...........Duct tape good......."Gorilla Tape" better...... I don't go anywhere without it.

cheers

bob

What can I say, been there , done that, a lot.

This was the same wave with a different outcome. Lots of skin was lost on this section - luckily not mine. On the 8'7 Acid.

Just saw off the front 1 foot of the board and you have an instant "Speecid"

Move back next time

Dude lucky u did not head but the reef ..

had a interesting day yesterday... did this at drainos in the arvo and a mate joffadan snapped his Nalu LE in half out past roadie point in the morning...

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MickChard said..
Dude lucky u did not head but the reef ..

Very lucky!! As I was going down that's what I was expecting... The board has performed well since. We have had a bit of wind so I needed the bigger board.

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Hoppo3228 said..
had a interesting day yesterday... did this at drainos in the arvo and a mate joffadan snapped his Nalu LE in half out past roadie point in the morning...

I don't think duct-tape will fix the Nalu or your fin box... Bummer...

I think aluminium tape is ace for covering any dings.

One of the great human inventions duct tape is unreal. Been there, done that

I appreciate your efforts to deconstruct a Sunova board for me, hopefully that saves me from having to do it myself.

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hilly said..
Warranty for sure

You are all over it Hilly i was thinking same myself,hows youre 8.10 holding up,i know you like to drive it thru some solid stuff,have you noticed any change in performance over its journey?

love the thread!
You might start a legal case against Neptune. With all that plastic soup around he could easily covering the reef to instead of putting you and your gear in danger...

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Lucyloo said..

hilly said..
Warranty for sure

You are all over it Hilly i was thinking same myself,hows youre 8.10 holding up,i know you like to drive it thru some solid stuff,have you noticed any change in performance over its journey?

Usual stuff like deck depression under feet, rail chips from paddle and I have had the leash plug pull out. Got some weird discolouration on the bottom here and there but only cosmetic. Weight has gone up a bit but not much. Overall still very happy with both the speeed and my custom insane 'Rosie'.

Thanks Hilly same here but def been noticing increase in weight and the edge missing on original performance,not complaining as the 8.10 has been great over they last couple years.Ive been alternating with acouple of newer smaller speeds so i just assumed they were always going to have a bit more spark over the older warhorse,could be time to weigh it again.