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How to Clean and Re-Wax a Surfboard

By: Michael Christie

As every surf bum knows taking care of and properly maintaining your surfboard or collection of surfboards is a really big deal if you want to continue to surf, at least without any real stick troubles. All you surfers know that it is true too even if those landlubber goons are to thick to understand that there is more to it than just paddling out and catching a wave. So talk about cleaning and re-waxing a surfboard and what is the best way to get the chore done so you can get out there and enjoy some very choice walls without wiping out and hurting yourself or your pride.

The obvious first step is of course how to get the old wax and the gunk stuck in it off your board. Some surfers like to use a hairdryer on their boards to get the old wax and stuff off their boards, while others like to use hot water to accomplish the same thing. These two methods may get the old stuff off without any real labor but they may also damage the surface of the board by lifting the glass off the blank, which is not a good thing. Another bad idea is leaving your board out in the sun so the wax will heat up and run off, because it will turn the board yellow as well as do a bad job too.

The best way to clean off your board is still the time honored and tested method of scraping. Yes, it is a little bit more work than the other methods mentioned here, but there is a better chance of not doing any damage to your board this way. Moreover, while you are scraping all of the old mess off the board you can also take the time to take a closer look at the board and see what little dings and stuff need to be fixed. Make sure you have a good wax comb or scraper and then remove the last of the old wax with a turp-soaked rag. Some say Vaseline works well to, but turpentine is how it is usually done.

Once you have all of the nasty gunk off your board you are going to want to apply some new wax to the surface of it. An important thing to think about is the work surface you are going to use when waxing your board. If you are going to be using a concrete surface or something that is similarly hard put a towel or something under the board so it don't get dinged up. Waxing up on the beach could turn the top of a board into bad news for those of us who surf without a top or wetsuit. It is a sure thing that none of you wants a sand rash so find a nice soft spot without any debris and then wax up.

Make sure to choose the right kind of wax for your stick because you are almost certainly going to want to stay on your board when you take off on that killer wave. Your choice of cold water and warm water wax is important so make sure to check with the local in the surf shop to find out what works best in the locale where you are going to surf. As a general rule make sure to apply the wax to the spot where you place your feet. The first coat of wax needs to be light and in a circular motion, and then you can put on a thicker second coat and leave the rails a little sticky for duck diving.

Which Winter Wetsuit Should I Buy?

By Ben Riley

Choosing a Winter Wetsuit
There are many different options to think about when purchasing wetsuits and the same applies when choosing a winter wetsuit. Depending on where you live in the world or where you plan to use a wetsuit will determine which type of wetsuit you purchase. The harshest environments with frigid water temperatures will require a thicker wetsuit to stay warmer where as a milder climate may only require a thinner wetsuit for the coldest part of the year. The price will also determine how many features are crammed into the suit along with the quality of neoprene used in the different panels of a wetsuit.

About Winter Wetsuits
The biggest distinction is the thickness of the neoprene used in it's construction. The neoprene panels around the arms and legs are usually 3mm in thickness where as the panels around the chest, back and torso areas are thicker and usually 5mm. Recent advancements have produced a thinner, lighter neoprene with even better thermal properties. This new material can be 0.5mm thinner due to better insulation created by layers of bubbles within the neoprene. This means that a typical 5/3mm wetsuit can now be 4.5/2.5mm. But what does this actually mean. Winter wetsuits are typically bulkier and more restrictive which makes moving much harder and energy absorbing. The thinner more lightweight neoprene has a positive impact on a surfers performance and overall flexibility.

Wetsuit Features
The more you pay for a winter wetsuit the more features are likely to be crammed into the design. Some of these may include a detachable hood which can be zipped on to the collar of the wetsuit to provide a flush fit and protect your neck and head. Seams that bind the neoprene panels together can utilise a double fluid seam weld which is the strongest and best for restricting water penetration through the seams. Look out for these features when deciding which winter wetsuit to buy.

Trans Surf are experts in wetsuit and surfing equipment. We specialise in Winter Wetsuits for surfers, wind surfers, kite surfers, in fact any water users that requires a wetsuit. We are here to provide the best advice in this are so don't hesitate to contact ourSurf Shop.

Wetsuit Materials and Advancements in Technology

By Ben Riley

Surfing and the environment
Surfing and other water sports are some of the most exhilarating and rewarding activities on the planet. There are few sports that are so connected and dependent on the environment as surfing. And it's no big secret that one of the most natural sports ironically has a different side. The equipment that surfers use, mainly a wetsuit and surfboard, are constructed from man made materials that are highly toxic in nature.

Wetsuits
Not until the 1950's was the cold water wetsuit born in Northern California USA. Jack O'Neill, a surfer who declared he just wanted to surf longer in colder temperatures designed and developed the first neoprene wetsuits as we know it. Neoprene is the core construction of wetsuits and the material is an oil based synthetic rubber. This form is formed with very small layers of bubbles that are filled with nitrogen gas and sealed. The combination of synthetic rubber and nitrogen layered bubbles posses very high thermal and insulation properties and are the foundations of the modern wetsuit.

Latest advancements in wetsuit technology
Neoprene has come along way since it's invention in California. Synthetic rubber alone is a very good insulator with high thermal properties however the down side of this was it's lack of flexibility and robustness. It was common place for early wetsuit to tare and ripe when taking them on and off. The problem was finding a balance between optimum warmth and comfort and flexibility. Technology progressed by combining the synthetic rubber with other materials such as spandex or lycra to provide a more supple and stretchy material that would be easier to put on and off but also make the neoprene stronger, providing less restriction to the user. As new materials are found and tested neoprene is reaching unparalleled levels of flex. manufacturers are utilising panelling more and more with the design allowing for different composites of neoprene to be positioned were required. For instance the more flexible lighter weight neoprene is located at the arms, shoulders and legs where are the thicker, heavier neoprene is located at the front and back body area's to minimise heat loss.

Where is wetsuit technology heading
This winter (2010/2011) sees the highly anticipated release of O'Neill's Psycho RG8 series of wetsuits. Many years of research and development have been invested into the recycling of neoprene and plastics. The aim of O'Neill with a number of outside partners was to reduce and re-use as much waste product as possible without compromising performance. With between 30-40% of wetsuit neoprene never leaving the factory and discarded as waste it's clear that not only the materials but the manufacturing processes are not environmentally sound. The main aim of this program was to regenerate old neoprene and used plastic to produce first grade neoprene. Named 'Ultraflex RG8', a limestone based neoprene with recycled plastics on the inner and outer layers this surely is not just a jump on the environmental bandwagon but a step in the right direction for an industry based on highly toxic materials.

How To Body Surf

By Darius Maslow

Body surfing isn't difficult to do once you take the time to learn how to body surf. It is simply a matter of riding a wave as though you are either a surfboard or a body board. In this sport you must use your body as the board to glide along the wave.

Get Ready

Get into the ocean and get ready. Stretch both of your hands out over your head with the tips of your fingers and your hands connected as if you were about to swim the breaststroke. This is the position that you should be in right before you catch a wave.

Swim To The Wave

Start swimming in the direction of the wave that is approaching you. This wave should overtake you right before it breaks. Herein you should be swimming freestyle (the crawl). You will find that this really is the best stroke for this.

Decide What Direction To Ride

Make sure that you know what direction (either right or left) you want to ride the wave in. You need to know this before the wave ever grabs you. While it is fine to go straight, it is a lot better to head away from the direction that the wave is breaking in. This will actually give you a much better, much longer ride.

Stop Stroking - Keep Kicking

Once you catch a wave you will want to stop stroking but don't stop kicking. Instead, extend one arm forward in the direction that you want to go (right if you want to go right and left if you want to go left) and keep your palm down on the water's breaking surface.

Streamline Your Body

Streamline your body so that you can ride the wave for as long as you want. Of course, you will want to stop if you are thrown violently into the sand, you can't hold your breath any longer or the water gets too cold for you. Just make sure that you enjoy your ride and do it is as much as you like, especially since it is free and doesn't require any equipment.

Darius has been writing online now for a while and has many different interests. You can check out his websites at http://www.hermanmilleraeronchair.net/ and http://www.usedrestaurantfurniture.org/restaurant-furniture-for-sale/

Surfing USA

Surfing Guide has launched in the United States of America.  Watch this space for surfboards for sale in all the surf regions of the US - Hawaii, California, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, New England, Long Island and New Jersey.