I noticed some small cracks or creases in my board yesterday. It's a StarBoard Futura, about 15 years old. It's been used about 5 times a season if that. Not sure if I need to do anything about the cracks or if the board is about to fall apart. Mostly on the bottom but I noticed one on the top deck.

When you press the board on those spots, does it feel soft or firm? If you're not sure, compare to another section that doesn't have damage.

Pretty sure its the wood veneer suffering from age/water ingress, then drying out. Standard problem with the wood boards around that age, definitely do something to help it, as to what, i'll let one of the board repairers jump in on that.

Yes, it is the wood layer that is cracking. It is good to seal them, while they are mostly cosmetic, in order to stop them from growing. I have used thin, slow curing, laminating epoxy to saturate the cracks and it seems to work well enough.

Let the board dry thoroughly and they let the thin epoxy wick into the crack. I have boards that are +20 years old now, the cracks that I sealed +10 years ago have not grown since then...

Yup frustrating Starboard problem. That top one is easily done with some resin. The bottom can be sealed up but with constant wetness its going to spread unless you do the whole bottom really - good sand back to almost all paint gone, resin over and then repaint. Not that easy there is 5 sanding steps with a bit of fill..... and while you're there you might as well fix that negative rocker that I bet it will have.

Proper paint helps too. ie: not Bunnings or the Wattyl shop.

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Mark _australia said..

Proper paint helps too. ie: not Bunnings or the Wattyl shop.

I don't know Mark, I've had very good results with 2 pack estapol, very thin, should soak into the wood OK

Done that to an isonic 94, this old thread: www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Help-its-cracking?page=1

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decrepit said..

Mark _australia said..

Proper paint helps too. ie: not Bunnings or the Wattyl shop.

I don't know Mark, I've had very good results with 2 pack estapol, very thin, should soak into the wood OK

Yes that's what I meant. Proper stuff. Any 2K is going to be miles ahead. Anything way more poisonous does it right

I have some thin epoxy for sealing wood (norglass.com.au/products/sealers/norseal-epoxy-wood-treatment) left over from a project but it is not UV stable. I assume painting over it will fix that issue.

If Bunnings paint is not upto the job where is the best place to get paint?

Marine suppliers like Whitworths should have 2 pack poliurethane, make sure you don't spray it unless you have a proper face respirator

If you're near Mandurah Peel Paints also has the good stuff

Unfortunate name hahaha