Has anyone done this? Does it work or does it just ruin the look of your board?

If the hull is rough, damaged or badly worn, sanding with 1200 grit wet n dry will improve speeds. Just be sure to follow the existing shape/contours.

if you are just looking to sand out any imperfections, I'd be pre-checking things with a decent spirit level to see if it actually needs doing. It's really only worth sanding the section of the board which touches the water, front footstrap to the tail.

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mark62 said..
If the hull is rough, damaged or badly worn, sanding with 1200 grit wet n dry will improve speeds. Just be sure to follow the existing shape/contours.

if you are just looking to sand out any imperfections, I'd be pre-checking things with a decent spirit level to see if it actually needs doing. It's really only worth sanding the section of the board which touches the water, front footstrap to the tail.

Thanks for your input mate. No the board itself is perfect as far as the bottom surface goes. I was just told it would make it quicker, but I didn't want to ruin the board in any way shape or form.

Fin drag plays a much greater role, also obviously sail tuning. A baggy sail will lift the board out of the water faster but a more downhauled sail will have less drag and more efficient traction at speeds.

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Maddlad said..

mark62 said..
If the hull is rough, damaged or badly worn, sanding with 1200 grit wet n dry will improve speeds. Just be sure to follow the existing shape/contours.

if you are just looking to sand out any imperfections, I'd be pre-checking things with a decent spirit level to see if it actually needs doing. It's really only worth sanding the section of the board which touches the water, front footstrap to the tail.

Thanks for your input mate. No the board itself is perfect as far as the bottom surface goes. I was just told it would make it quicker, but I didn't want to ruin the board in any way shape or form.

Ah ok, if you lightly wet n dry it with 1200 grit, you won't go through the original paint. Done carefully, it'll have a slight shine so it won't spoil the finish . Just be sure not to apply to much pressure when sanding, Most manufacturers use 1200 grit to finish off the surface. I started to wet n dry my boards I paid they start to feel a bit rough (scratches from coming in and out of board with sand particles inside the bag). Takes about 15 minutes and the finish does feel better. After sanding, run a hose over the area and if if sheets off evenly, it correct.

Aren't most boards already like this when you buy them new? I know both my Tabou and JP boards have a non-gloss finish on the bottom. No idea what technique is used in the factory to achieve it, but you can certainly feel and see the very fine 'sanded' surface underneath the board, quite different to the glossy rails.

Formula racers used to wet-sand their boards with 1200, some with 600 grit. Some boards came that way when new, such as the later F2.