I just purchased a Naish Maliko S26 & I noticed that the vent plug is a S10 bolt with o'ring.My other paddle boards have a plastic vent plugs with one way gortex.Is this the correct Vent Screw for this board & does it require loosening after use or when transporting the board while it's in the sun so no damage can occur to the board or do you just leave it securely in the board.

Yes it's normal in my opinion..

Just tighten it and leave it.. It's not gortex so you need to loosen it if the board is likely to get hot..

Yes agreed

and you're lucky to have it as goretex is rubbish

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DavidJohn said..
Yes it's normal in my opinion..

Just tighten it and leave it.. It's not gortex so you need to loosen it if the board is likely to get hot..

Thanks David wasn't sure just want to make sure I take care of the board & it gets quite hot in summer where I live.

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Mark _australia said..
Yes agreed

and you're lucky to have it as goretex is rubbish

Thanks Mark do you think I should look at changing the ones in my other boards to the same as my Naish style

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Horto1 said..
Thanks David wasn't sure just want to make sure I take care of the board & it gets quite hot in summer where I live.

Bits of advice:

- get plenty of spare O rings, and change them often, screwing / unscrewing will wear them
- lube the joint with non-chimically-aggressive grease (e.g butter, table oil)
- do not overtighten, otherwise the joint will pop out

- IMPORTANT: use some trick to be sure to be reminded to put the screw back in place before going on the water.
I had these kind of screws on my windsurfing boards, I used to put a bit of orange tape beside the hole when unscrewed. Otherwise you are sure to forget it and fill your board with water.

I use the lube that's for my canister filter on my fish tanks.I also made a green foam plug using a hole punch that covers over the vent screw so when it's loosen off the plug sticks up out of the kick pad to indicate the screw isn't tightend & when tightend it sits flush with the kick pad.

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Horto1 said.. Thanks Mark do you think I should look at changing the ones in my other boards to the same as my Naish style

Definitely if you want them to last
But its surgery (different thread = different insert) so whilst I do that, I'd hardly say you have to.

Just wash the vent a little with fresh water if you're in salty. Replace every year

Don;t cook the board

You'll be fine.

Trouble is the "don't touch it" stickers on boards are not quite correct....

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Mark _australia said..
Definitely if you want them to last

I beg to differ.I never had any issue with goretex vents. Nor heard anyone, unless you touch them.

On the other hand, I forgot more than once re-screwing manual vents.

PS: once your board is properly setup (pads, rail saver, wax, fins...) weight it to the gram on a scale.
This will be invaluable later to check for leaks.

I have tested them as per my other thread somewhere. With salt on them they do not vent at all. Important in a car at 70C

the educate membrane sometimes fails and water is getting in without you knowing it

thirdly if there is water in the board from damage that you fixed then the don't vent.
even the literature from Gore says that they cannot be used in our application. It's the biggest con job in water sports.

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Mark _australia said..
thirdly if there is water in the board from damage that you fixed then the don't vent.

That's not true.Water inside will also evaporate, and can thus escape as vapor.The Gore vent lets the board constantly "breathe" with temperature changes.Their bubbling while on the water also kinds of auto-clean them.

There is no salt (or sand, or mud, or dust) buildup if you rinse the vent (without removing it) from time to time as recommended.
Or, like me, never rinse but not store wet salted boards flat on the hull but on the rail or upside down.

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Mark _australia said..
even the literature from Gore says that they cannot be used in our application.

That's not true.
Of course Gore does warn to NOT use their devices designed for electronic enclosures for marine use!
That's why they have specific products for each use. Such as surfboards.

On their own web site: "GORE? Protective Vents Protect Surfboards from Damage by Sun, Sand and Water"

"GORE Protective Vents provide the best solution for equalizing pressure in sealed enclosures and eliminating the vacuum that draws in water and other harmful contaminants. Some surfboard manufacturers have remedied this with a mechanical venting valve which the surfer must close when in the water and open when on land, leaving a large margin for user error. GORE Protective Vents allow for zero maintenance because the vent is installed within the board. These vents comply with IP standards from IPX4 up to IP69K (high pressure, high temperature wash down applications). They also provide an effective barrier against harsh weather conditions (e.g., rain, high winds), while allowing water vapor to exit quickly."


www.gore.com/resources/gore-protective-vents-protect-surfboards-from-damage-by-sun-sand-and-water

The part number is the same - there's no difference in the ones used for boards - and it says no salt spray no contamination and don't mount flat (to avoid precipitates settling on the membrane)
it was posted I my other thread.

furthermore the wetness on the other side was tested by Decrepit years ago and it doesn't vent.
thirdly, water in board doesn't turn to vapour in any realistic way - as pressure rises it inhibits vaporisation which is basic science. There is no flow of any great degree so it doesn't move out it just stays damp.
manual is safer and it's not hard to use and check the o-ring.
checking a Gore is not easy and all the forgotten ones ruin boards all the time over here