Is there a time to change your board?

Willy · Outlaw Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Posts: 159 City: Montreal

I mean, if you like your board, you're not doing sliders or anything, you're not particularily turned on by any of the new stuff; then will there come a time when you need to change your board because it just wears out?

For comparison, a pair of snow skis will last me max 3 seasons before they lose their strength and feel like wet noodles so they need to be changed. Is there such a thing about wakeboards?

By the way, I have a HL Era and a LF Fish that I got a good deal on, so I bought as a "second" board. However, I liked the Fish so much that I rode all summer on it and never went back to the Era.

Oh gosh, did I just answer my own question?

Willy

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Sep 05, 2006 9:07 am Post subject:

yeah, the sun really does some destruction to your board after a few seasons. Not only do the graphics fade, but it will break down the resin in the fiberglass, and the board will lose its snap off the wake and may evey delaminate. also, when the edges start separating, your board can start to take on water, which will rot the foam inside. I'd say 4 seasons is the most you'll every get out of board before it starts losing its performance, unless you've been grinding it, which considerably accelerates the process.

boarder_boy · Outlaw Joined: 15 Jul 2006 Posts: 210 City: Morgan hill

i dont see why you need to change the board unless you dont like the graphics or somrthing.

MinnesotaBoarder · Outlaw Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 139

I would keep it till it doesnt preform right.

LF79 · Newbie Joined: 08 Jul 2006 Posts: 43 City: Palm Harbor

Ride it until you break the thing.

Fauker · Soul Rider Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 471 City: Charlotte

I usually ride them till they break. Since I dont get to ride nearly as much anymore - they usually last about two seasons..

Partyb · Posted: Sep 07, 2006 1:35 pm Post subject:

I would say get a new board under the following circumstances:

1. your current board breaks
2. you move up in ability level and need a diff board to progress or to support your new riding expertise
3. you try a buddies board and find it more fun and suitable to your style then your current board. This happens all the time b/c most people don't demo., or demo enough. Try and borrow your friends boards as much as possible whether you are in the market or not.
4. you are tired of your board and can afford a new one
5. your parents can afford to buy you a new one
6. it's xmas and you don't know what else to get
7. you just bought a brand new 50K+ wakeboat and you ask the dealer/shop "can you throw in a board?" They always say yes!
8. Your board is 3 years old and your buddy gets a new shiny board and you are jealous.

RufioSwashbuckle · Posted: Sep 07, 2006 7:45 pm Post subject:

Man I would get a new board every model year... That way when people see you walk on by with your brand spankin new ride under your arm, they'll say to themselves "dude must know what hes doin, he looks super gnargnar fo sho..."

no doubt.

BGeezy125 · Newbie Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 12 City: Toledo

LakeIolaLuke, Do you store your board outside or something? I have an '02 Belmont and it's still in near perfect condition after riding every weekend for 4 summers.

WakeBoarder44 · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Posts: 1107

What Partyb said...

Cool

bmartin · Addict Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 794

[quote="LakeIolaLuke"] but it will break down the resin in the fiberglass, and the board will lose its snap off the wake and may evey delaminate. also, when the edges start separating, your board can start to take on water, which will rot the foam inside. quote]

Does this really happen? Edges separate all the time and all it takes is some epoxy to seal them, but have never noticed a board loosing snap from the core breaking down and have seen 5-6 y.o. boards being used for some big tricks like ralleys.

Nice post partyB.

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Sep 08, 2006 5:37 am Post subject:

BGeezy125, bmartin, Take your old board and try to bend it. Now do the same with a new board. You'll notice the onld one's more pliable. This causes the board not to snap back to it's original shape as quickly when you leave the wake, and you'll start losing some pop. This can be because of the fiberglass weakening or from the foam inside getting soggy, or both.

So, in some minute degree, you do ride better on a new board.

kyle · Guest

I get a new board every two or three months or so, sometimes the same board, sometimes a different one, but generally the same. After hitting sliders on the board and riding it for two months strait, it definately loses the spunk that it started with. Sometimes it is also to get on a new shape because the difference in feeling allows for different kind of tricks. I rode a PS3 the beginning of this summer after being a premier rider since 2001 besides for the year i rode for double up and i went back to the new premier about a month later and rode SO MUCH better, but i was kind of getting into a rut with the premier before i switched to the PS3. Its also good to ride the same board and change up the sizes every once in awhile to see what you like.

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Sep 08, 2006 5:48 am Post subject:

kyle, agreed. boards that have seen their fair share of riding definitely show it. As for two to three months...dang son you must grind pretty hard. That's why I use one board solely for sliders, cause I don't care how much pop it has, and save the Watson for the wake.

hammy · Outlaw Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 137 City: dallas-ish

I just pulled out my old '98 Super Squirt a couple of weeks ago for a quick ride - other than trashed fins and some fading, it still rides just like I remember it - slow, loose and a hard pop.

My '95 Hyperlite still shines....

kyle · Guest

LakeIolaLuke, i used to be like that but a lot of times when you get a board you are really comfortable on the wake with, you will be really comfortable on sliders with. To ruin a board in 3 months isn't that bad at all. I probably hit rails 3 or 4 times a week and ride the wake for 5 or 6 during the summer, and most of us in my crew use the same boards so they diminish pretty quickly, especially once they start cracking, then it is downhill and a race to who can break the board first

LakeIolaLuke · Posted: Sep 09, 2006 4:28 pm Post subject:

kyle, Yeah I know what you're saying about being comfortable on a certain board. The board I started on sliders with was my first board, which I had ridden for a year and a half, but I couldn't ride it on the wake anymore because it landed so hard. So when that board was thrashed, I just got a new one just like it for rails. I've gone for rails on my watson and just didn't like it, the spine in the center made it rock back and forth. And since our boat's been in the shop for 5 weeks, ( Evil or Very Mad

) I've been hittin rails probably 3 times a week. I just epoxy the edges shut on my board when they start to split, and it's been lasting quite a while. Plus, blindside billy Mckees are on ebay for 100 bucks...try finding a watson for that!

Justin 25 · Addict Joined: 29 Aug 2006 Posts: 797

I'd say once the board stops losing it's pop or if you get tired of it....but seeing as i'm not the first to say that, i'm not much help there.

kyle, I was wondering how you liked the PS3, I want to get one but i'm kinda iffy seeing as i have no board shops by me so i won't be able to try it out.

kyle · Guest

The PS3 is a good board, but if you are thinking about getting a PS3, get a premier 100% I really liked the board until i went back onto a premier and the pops didn't compare yet the board rode pretty damn similar in all other aspects. The premier will also last a lot longer. The first ps3 we rode we broke in half on the third set. If you are going to hit sliders on the board, go with a hyperlite because it will last you much longer