Kechele spider cracks

If I were you I wouldn't be concerned. Most likely in the gloss coat caused by one bang on the bottom etc. Surfboards are nothing more than tools to be used and worn out, and most, if well used don't last much more than a year or two. Worry more about major rail damage and any foam discoloration. A new board is like a new car you notice the first few scratches than it all becomes invisable. I am always amazed at guys who have boards that look brand new 4 years later. Mine last a year at most before looking like a train wreck, although I am very heavy footed.

 

Its all good

I agree with Zippy

I have spider cracks running down my rocker on my 6'4 quad, aka my baby, (i think its from falling on my deck) and my board seems to ride fine. Its more of a sad thing than a serious thing... when I got my first big scratch on my nsp training board a few summers ago I was devastated, like there were tears involved, and when i got the scratch in my shiny new epox board I died a little inside. Its prob fine, its just going to skeeve the c*** out of you for a couple of weeks.

Beach Blonde

 

hey heavyfooter...

Flexlite technologies are pretty sick boards... if you take care of them none of ththe spider cracks and deck dents happen...but if you get any damage like rail damage, or a guage its a ***** to fix, but they ride amazing in east coast conditions.... might be off topic but they are sick boards..Placebo.

 

yeah, I got an s-load os spider cracks on my fish up near the nose too...I wouldn't worry about it too much, as long as water isn't penetrating your all good!

 

Hey how do you test for that? (before you get it waterloged?)

 

If you like your surfboards made in China by non-surfers...

 

ya....

i mean ya... they are made in Vietnam by a shaping machine. but most boards are coming out of machines these days from top brands vietnam or not..... but the shapes are overseen and **** by legit shapers.... i heared tommy moore and shapers like that have been overseeing parts of the production any ways..... i dont care if my placebo comes out of a maching my Placebo-Gorkin, has better dimensions then any of your boards....

 

The "dimensions" are standard because the boards are "popped-out" of a mold or machine. They are not customized to your needs. So I fail to see how the dimensions can be better for you???

By buying a board made in Vietnam you are taking work away from local surfers who could custom shape a board in dimensions specifically for you. This is the problem with the US economy, every one wants lots of nice "stuff", but doesn't want to pay or work for it. Keep the jobs here. Support local surf labor so that your friends and family can keep their jobs. Boards that are machine shaped on a CNC here in the US at least keep the jobs of the CNC operator, the finish shaper, and the glasser in this country.

Aviso is made in the US and will be more durable than Flexlite. Coil is handmade in the US and can be customized for your dimensions. There ARE local options, but you can throw your money away to a sweat shop in indonesia if that's what you'd like to do. It is a free country. I'll stick to forming a relationship with a local shaper who can learn what works well for me and customize a board based on my needs.

I have "custom" Tommy Moore board from when he was with WRV. That board was magic for me. How much of that "magic" do you think he's injecting into those molds over in indo?

 

Not sure the boards are molded, more likely lathed from a 3d rendering of the exact board it is copying. I agree though that a local shaper can tweak a shape just enough to make it magic and keeping the money in the US as much as possible is a great thing. If you pulled all the boards made over seas off the shelves right now there would be a surfboard shortage like no one has ever seen. I wouldn't care one bit because I have been shaping my own boards for a while. I have always had a dream of opening a small shop catering to only local shapers, backyard board builders, one of a kind shapes etc. The prices would be higher but I wonder if there would be enough clientele for a shop like that?

 

Flexlites are likely CNCed and not molded... which is worse cause it makes it harder to tell the difference between locally made CNC shapes and the foreign junk. It really shows how sad a state surfing is in now that most surfers don't care about supporting surf labor. Everything is me, me, me, my waves, my spot, I want, I want... no one slows down any more to share some stoke and think about the other guy. Opening a store like you suggest is a great idea and a great way to share the stoke of making your own board. Don't know if there's enough demand on the EC. Greenlight has been doing it online and out of Philly for a while now. Hit him up and ask how it's going.

 

Have been buying some supplies from greenlight for a while, just got a good deal on resin and hardener and got a piece of bamboo to try my hand shaping my own keels, should be fun. If I ever get the time to open that shop I am gonna do it, even if it's a break even It would be a great place to put some of my own boards once I get more polished.

 

[/QUOTE] I am actually picking up a used 6'4 quad fish next week which I'll be doing some repairs to. I am not sure if I'm ready for a 6'4 yet.. but it's a great deal from a buddy so couldn't pass it up. I'm still a beginner.. I'm 5'10 and like 186, not sure how I'll be on a 6'4 but I'm stoked[/QUOTE]

I know what you mean, l went down to a 6'4 last spring, after having a 7'6 for a season, but i have to sayI love my 6'4 quad fish! its the best board I have ever had and I wouldnt trade it for anything.

Good Luck

BeachBlonde

 

well, the spidercracks on the bottom of my board are visible and I can look at it and see that water is not getting in, all it is is a crack in the top coat, not like a gaping hole...

 

you said your using roof racks, are you putting the board nose (kook style) or fins (correct) forward?

 

Thanks, thats something that allways really bugs me. I have only one board and I cant afford for it to get waterloged

 

lecture me..

i know how the boards are made and i know how the industry works.. but placebo is an american based company, and they are the ones ultimately benefiting from the cheap labor cost of vietnam... suck on a fatty bro... its not all about mine mine mine... ive ordered customs from tommy and they hold up amazing. im just saying no board i have has compared to the flexlite in durability, and not only that. the day i can afford to buy a 1000 dollar aviso. ill tell you, or another coil i can get snapped in hatteras... no thanks...