Hey everyone just looking for some advice here...
After every session Dad and i take all the vent plugs out of boards just for safe measures. However, lately when we have been putting them back in for sessions, we notice that if the board has been in the hot sun for a while that then vent plug starts fizzing and bubbling... Now Dad has dinged his nose a lot and the board would have taken in quite a lot of water over the years but we have repaired the nose so everything is okay...
At the moment i have it sitting out in the sun (being 40 degrees and all) upside down with a cup underneath it to catch some dripps that hopefully come out... is this the right thing to be doing??? whats some suggestions. just looking for some advice on what to do as it has clearly taken in a fair amount of water.
Cheers
Bubs
If it's fizzing, then your o-ring is probably shot. They need to be replaced reasonably regularly if you're always opening and closing the vent plugs. Good thing they're really cheap.
Even with water in the board, a properly sealing o-ring will not fizz.
As the board cools once on the water, it will be sucking anything around the vent plug into the board
.
Getting water out is a mission, take JayBee's advice and read up on Eva's stuff on the Boardlady site.
Hey Bubs,
I have this happen on my Falcon 111 slalom board. Ive had some good crashes and water has got in. Board was professionally repaired and is still exactly the same weight when I bought it.
I am one of those that ALWAYS undo the vent screw after every sail. Some times I get the bubbling etc that you describe. I just take it out all together, leave the board on its side with deck facing the sun and it all dries out.
Plus what 555 said, O-rings do perish pretty quickly.
Then again I sail with some guys who have never taken the vent screw out and no problems. Just persoanl experience.
Bubs, place board in the sun with the vent screw removed. Make a wick out of paper towel/ Twist it into a point and push it as far as it will go into the vent hole. Change paper towel once it is wet. Repeat till towel no longer gets wet
I've read, I think on the Boardlady site, if you put your board in a bag you should not undo the vent screw unless the board, straps and pads are completely dry. Where do you buy O rings from?
Are there cases of Cobra built boards being damaged by not undoing the vent screw, besides extremes of altitude changes?
I heard somewhere around the traps that o-rings are not the ideal design for sealing the plug. A flat fibre washer (automotive?) is better.
Any thoughts on this?
I am wary of screwing the plug up too tight and distorting the o-ring as it is not sitting in a recess.
