Repair & Maintenance of your Rescue Board

Posted on April 30, 2010 - Filed Under Surftech Boards | By Surf Commission

Just like any other piece of rescue equipment, your Surftech Rescue Board will require some routine maintenance and we recommend that you inspect all of your rescue gear daily to ensure safe and positive results. We further recommend a biannual inspection program that will maintain your rescue board in top shape. This maintenance schedule should include a record of what has been done. Photographs of the rescue board are especially helpful during the biannual inspection and the serial number located near the tail of the board will help identify individual boards if your agency has multiple rescue boards.

OVERALL: Check the board nose to tail and pay close attention to the handles and fin system. The rails must be inspected for damage or cracking due to impact with hard objects or storage issues. Any damage must be recorded and repaired to ensure safe operation. Several companies manufacture products that can be used to repair Surftech Rescue Boards and we can assist you if needed to locate suitable repair products. One of the best sources for information about repairing epoxy boards can be found at www.boardlady.com.

THE NOSE: Check for impact damage or tears in the foam skin if applicable. This area seems to come into contact with everything and sustains most of the normal wear and tear. If the board is a Softop, the EVA fabric can be easily reattached and red or yellow replacement pieces can be ordered directly from Surftech.

THE RAILS:Look for and record any cracking or fabric tears. Cracked areas in the shell of the board can be repaired with Ding Dough and must be done before any soft fabric like the EVA is reattached. Some repairs will require you to peel back the fabric and expose the shell of the board, this will give you a clearer view of the damaged area. Once the shell is repaired and completely dry, the fabric can be reattached with “Super Glue” or a similar product. Painter’s tape is very useful to hold glued areas in place until they are completely dry.

THE TAIL: This area often receives damage from dropping, dragging and ramming into hard objects. Once again, the shell must be repaired first and then the fabric can be reattached. Cracking can result from impacts and need to be repaired to avoid further damage or injury, when in doubt remove the rescue board from service until repairs are complete.

THE FIN AND BOX: Remove the safety fin from the fin box and check the screw and plate for damage and replace as needed. Inspect the inside of the fin box for cracks, wear or other damage that might have occurred during rescue operations. Check the Safety fin for damage or cuts that might have occurred during use and replace as needed for safe operation.

HANDLES: Newer handles are soft and complete, but over time will wear down due to exposure to the elements. Like all of your rescue products, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight will reduce the lifespan of a rescue board and the attached handles. Handles that have exposed plastic or peeled edges revealing the attachment stainless steel screws must be removed and replaced immediately with new handles to avoid injury. Surftech carries replacement products and we recommend that only Surftech replacement products should be used, other types of systems may not meet the tested requirements for this product.

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