Surfboards are fragile and easy to damage; once the fiberglass skin is breached, the foam underneath is exposed. I have seen dings go from a tiny rail crack to a palm sized soft, yellowed mess in a couple of weeks simply because someone kept surfing “just one more session.” When the least they could’ve done is covered it with a piece of tape or a sticker to keep it dry until it could be properly repaired.
Quick repairs with the right kind of resin and the right kind of repair kit keep things simple. They also keep your board feeling the way it should under your feet, light, responsive, and balanced.
That is exactly Phix Doctor focuses on making premium repair products that real surfers can use on a surf trip thousands of miles from home or in the backyard between sessions.
Step 1: Dry It Out Properly
If the ding happened in the water, assume moisture got in. Leave the board to dry in a cool dry, shaded spot with good airflow. Give it at least a full day. Longer if the crack looks deep. I don’t recommend it, but I’ve actually sucked some of the water out of a new ding myself trying to get the process to go faster, I don’t advise doing this as it’s too easy to get broken fiberglass pieces in your mouth. It’s amazing how fast they can absorb water if the damage is serious enough.
Avoid leaving it baking in direct sunlight. Heat can cause the board to expand, which can cause separation of the fiberglass outer skin from the foam core, also known as delamination.
Step 2: Clean and Prep the Area
Wax, salt, and loose fiberglass can sabotage an otherwise good repair. Lightly sand a small area around the ding using fine-grit paper. You are not reshaping the board, just scuffing the surface so the resin has something to grip.
Step 3: Pre-Fill Deep Dings if Needed
If the ding is deeper than ¼ inch or 6mm we recommend creating an ultra-lite weight filler by mixing the white powder included in your kit (Q-Cell) into the resin to form a thick white putty.
Pour the resin into a mix cup, apply the correct number of drops of catalyst (hardener) and thoroughly mix. Proper mixing ratio is 10 drops of catalyst to 1 ounce of resin. Add Q-Cell powder to this catalyzed resin, mix well to create a thick but flowing putty to fill the
hole. Leave room to apply a final top coat of resin and fiberglass on top.
Step 4: Apply Top Coat to Seal and Strengthen the Repair
Cut to shape a piece of fiberglass to overlay the damaged area by approx ½ inch / 6 mm, Mix resin and catalyst as needed for a top coat using the same mix ratio as in step 3.
Wet the repair area thoroughly with the resin mixture, lay the fiberglass down, apply more resin being careful to work out any air bubbles.
When repair has hardened sand any rough edges or high spots, if needed.
Step 5: Let It Cure All the Way
Fully cured resin should feel hard and dry, not rubbery or sticky. Depending on conditions, that might take less than 45 minutes in ideal warm conditions or a couple hours in cooler conditions.
Getting your board back to being watertight and ready for the next session is the goal of a good polyester repair kit.
Step 6: Sand It Smooth
When the repair has hardened sand any rough edges or high spots if needed.
When DIY Makes Sense
Small to moderate surface dings are perfect for home repair. Crushed rails, major delamination, or damage around fin boxes depend on the skill level of the repairist. Knowing the difference comes with time, and maybe one or two repair attempts.
For the everyday knocks that come from travel, reef scrapes, or parking lot mishaps, a dependable polyester repair kit in your bag can get you back in the water pretty quick!
Get Back in the Water Sooner
Dings happen, but they don’t have to get in the way of your next wave. especially if you Keep a handy, well stocked kit handy like Phix Doctor’s Polyester Repair
Come Back Stronger With Phix Doctor!