Always remove vent when not in water. I can't believe people think this is too much effort. We load up car/trailer head down beach, then rig up sail, get board out, put sunscreen on, put wetter on, lock car, walk equipment down beach. We do all this religiously but think its too much to put a screw in which takes 5 secs. Mmm
I think the argument for leaving the vent screwed in based on personal experience of never having had a problem would be similar to a smoker arguing that all health warnings are rubbish based on good personal health so far.
From what I read here it seems that those in WA need to remove the plug and those in Qld don't.
Clearly this is a daylight savings issue. The extra hour of light must somehow warm the board up more.
Personally after I have removed, checked, cleaned, greased, kissed and polished the plug I then blow dry the footstraps with my 12v hairdryer.
Ok say your board has now delaminated ( theoretical question -mine are great)..is it fixable and if so how?
I know it would depend on how bad but does anyone have any photos of a board that has died due to the plug being left tight so we can see what it looks like?
.
I always unscrew the plug and then wedge it (softly - don't damage the rubber) in the mast track. That way I can't screw a UJ in until I've remembered to put the plug back in.
It's idiot proof as evidenced by the fact that it works for me.
A good example.
Ive been doing a small ding repair on a mates board. Nothing big, just deep enough to get to the styrofoam.
Being an "undoer" I did all the right things (rinsed, dried and sanded) and when ready slapped on the epoxy. straight away small air bubbles started popping out of the ding.
Bugger, straight away turned the board over and undid the valve.
Never been undone before (board approx 4 seasons old) , hiss of air and bubbles stopped.
resin had started to harden by this stage so began again. Ding repair worked sweet.
You be the judge, probably why the makers put the warnings on your board 
For the last year and a half I have stored my board undercover in it's bag with the vent screw almost out (a few turns left) when not in the water. The storage area is in a rack (standing upright) with other boards around it and open on all sides.
I brought the board home today and noticed a large bubble/delaminated area (about a quarter of the bottom surface area) on my 2 year old isonic 121....it's been used under ten times. It is in Singapore where everyday is 28-32 degrees with high humidity and showers/t-storms thus rain has probably wet the bag (lightly) at times.
Should I have removed the plug completely or not at all or is the delam due to something else?
YAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can definitely push the skin down to meet the foam thus think it is more than just the paint.
An idea I'm going to try tonight. This is taken from the aircraft world. A "Remove Before Sail" indicator.
In winter, I normally leave them in (very little temperature change). Summer time, I vent my boards when not in use. I normally do up the screws at home when I'm packing, but tomorrow I'm going for a sail after work and taking my gear to work. It's going to be +30C at my work, and even hotter in the car. I don't want to have my board in the car with the vent screw done up and I'm one of those people who forget little details like doing up the vent screw; doubly so in the rigging area when saying hello to people and all the other distractions.
It's a off cut from a foam mat (you get at Clark Rubber or Bunnings). It's the same width as a mast track. This is the rules: When it's in, the vent screw is open. It's impossible to fit a base. Before flight (sail), do up vent screw, then remove indicator. After sail, slide indicator back in rail, undo vent screw.
Hope that helps 
J
Have been thinking of another option lately. What about a sort of 'vent plug holder' consisting of a threaded hole or fitting in the mast track that one could thread the vent plug into once its removed? It would be difficult to forget putting the vent plug in if its in your way when you try to fit the mast base into the track!
for the forgetful,, wht not a message on board bag, DONT FORGET PLUG, personally i dont mess with plug much, but when its hot, over about 35, i bring boards out of shed and put them in the cooler house.......then i put wife in shed, its sweet, a win/win
still a better option !!!
don't know of other brands apart from Exocet that have that system ?
If you must remove the plug, put it into the two bolt base bit that stays attached to the board, it stays captive in there and you cannot attach the rig to the board without dealing with it.
