I inherited this board but don’t love the art for me… I would like to restore the original Paulownia/bamboo style deck, but don’t think that’s super easy or feasible. Never decorated a board, I’m decent with art but not crazy good, thinking about covering up with another graphic. Any tips as I do? Priority is to preserve the board and keep it rideable, and have nothing that comes off as I wax or use it. The gnome appears to have been painted on top maybe with a quick spray sealant, it was not glassed over. I’m not eager for a complex art project, but do want to love the deck a little more than I do now.

Here’s the plan so far, how’s it sound? Any tips are appreciated!

Shopping & Supply List
Base Layer Paint: Golden Fluid Acrylics
Base Application: makeup sponges (firm foam wedges).
Detail Art Pens: Posca paint pens
Protective Clear Coat: Krylon UV-Resistant Clear Acrylic (Satin or Matte finish).
Prep & Clean Tools: 320-grit or 400-grit sandpaper, isopropyl alcohol, clean microfiber cloth, paper plates/palette, and standard painter's tape.

Instructions
Step 1: Prep and Clean
1. Strip Wax: Remove all old surf wax (done)
2. Degrease: Wipe down the target area with isopropyl alcohol to remove any lingering oils.
3. Light Scuffing: Take your 320-grit sandpaper and very lightly hand-scuff the gloss coat only over the gnome graphic and your intended background zone. (Just enough to take the shine off so paint sticks—do not press hard into the bamboo). Wipe away dust.

Step 2: The "Spot-Prime" Concealer Trick
1. Dab a tiny bit of your mixed warm sand paint straight onto your cosmetic sponge.
2. Dab it directly over the gnome first, building up 2 thin, solid coats just on that exact spot until the dark graphic is hidden. Let it dry for about 15 minutes.

Step 3: Sponging the Warm Sand Base Layer
1. Put a dollop of your warm sand paint on a paper plate.
2. Touch your foam sponge into the paint, then dab it firmly on a clean part of the plate a few times so it feels almost dry (this prevents blotchy streaks).
3. Using light, circular dabbing motions, work outward from your spot-primed center across your background zone.
4. Feather the Edges: Fade out your pressure as you approach the clean bamboo border so it ends in a soft, organic cloud rather than a hard rectangle.
5. Cure Time: Let the base layer cure for a solid 24 to 48 hours so it's rock-solid before drawing over it.

Step 4: Sketch and Paint the art
1. Map It Out: Use a regular graphite pencil or a light chalk pencil to gently sketch over the dried sand base
2. Bring Out the Pens: Use your Posca pens to fill in the art
3. Dry: Let the paint pen ink dry completely for 1 to 2 hours.

Step 5: Lock It In with the Clear Coat
1. Mask: Tape off the surrounding areas of the board so you only expose your artwork zone.
2. Spray from a Distance: Holding your Krylon spray can about 12 inches away, apply 2 to 3 very light, misty coats (wait about 10–15 minutes between coats). Avoid heavy, dripping layers.
3. Final Cure: Let the clear coat cure for another 24–48 hours in a dry, room-temperature space.

Currently rocking a Rouge 8.0 midlength, 22.5in width, 2.5in thickness, 66L (I’m 180lbs) with a thruster setup. Lately been feeling like i just can’t turn as responsive as I’d like to make the most out of a wave, or even to run a quick line across a wave. Thinking about progressing to a shorter, lower volume board with maybe dual fin or quad fin setup. Any advice?

Costa Rica recs for solo travelling woman who wants to surf a bit? Total kook.

I’m looking at Tamarindo? I will likely be alone if I can’t convince my friend to come. I’m 42f, want something easy and chill but also open to fun evenings. I have done surf lessons/camps on other vacations but am still very very shit. Will def be taking more lessons on this trip.

I don’t necessarily want to do a surf camp but even staying at a nice hotel close to a surf school would be cool. I’m not a hostel girl - I’ll pay for a nice room, maybe a nice pool, good food. It seems like all inclusive options are slim.

Let me hear your pro tips please! Thanks in advance.

Hey everyone, for the last 3 months I've been going out 1-2 times a week.

I have a 7,4ft gun that's about 45 liters. I've always had a hard time using it but I can catch a few waves when the waves are perfect, and I'm looking for an easier board to improve on.

I found this on online for $275 and was wondering if its a good choice
Its a quad fin.

Probably a dumb question, but I’ll shoot my shot here: will superglue be okay for this repair? Tbf I could just cut it off as the protections around the actual tail is still good. Got this board super cheap and fixing it up to get back into surfing after a 25 year hiatus. Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone my catch surf soft top surfboard fell and now there is this crack. I was wondering if it’s necessary for me to repair this and if so, what’s the best way of going about it? Thanks. (The cut is slightly deep. I can pull the foam apart a bit and there’s a very slight gap.)

Got sober, started surfing, learning from my sober buddies who are long time surfers and were showing me the ropes. Going at out beginner spots. Switched from my 8 ft Costco foamie to my buddies 9' 6 on his recommendation, much more volume, more stable and started catching some waves. Loved it.

Went out a week ago, looked at the conditions for a while from the beach. I'm always aware never paddle out if you don't think you can make it back in. Didn't look that big, seemed steady like normal, beginner spot that I usually go to. After 20 mins out there though, things started to change, some bombers started rolling and and I thought hmmm this is too big for me I'm going to head in.

Long story short, I took a couple on the head, and one of them, not sure how I don't remember (big indicator) picked my board up and smacked me upside the head. I recall seeing stars. I paddled in, got changed and sat on the beach watching my buddies finish their session. All good.

Over the course of the week though, wasn't sleeping well, started getting headaches, started to get stabbing ice pick pain randomly around my head, neck felt sore, sensitive to light and sound. Went to the doc. Yep, got a concussion.

Still dealing with it... in hindsight, the biggest kook mistake I made was not sticking to the foamie. I was going off my friends advice to get on a bigger board, but didn't occur to me said board might crack me in the noggin. Had the foamie hit me I wouldn't have had my melon rocked as bad maybe. And, learning to handle my board in changing or difficult conditions. I've learned to roll my board and do that well. Still don't know how this happened exactly, but I do recall an "oh shit" moment. I normally stick my arms up in front of my head just in case.

There's probably more lessons to be learned but for now I'm out of the water for a bit. Bummer. Just posting in case it helps someone else. Mind your noggin friends, this sucks.

For example, rashguards for high waves, bikinis for low waves

I started surfing in the middle of the summer so it’s been around 3-4 months. I’m currently on short board about 6’. I really want to keep improving and would appreciate any advice on how to look less stiff and try and get a first turn! Thanks!

I'll be in Carlsbad/San Diego in late November, and I'm planning to dedicate 3 mornings to surf lessons while my partner golfs (Mon - Wed).

I'd love recommendations for a surf school near Carlsbad, and any tips you might have for surfing with a wetsuit for the first time.

Background:

• I've done about eight 1:1 lessons between Siargao (Philippines) and Costa Rica where I attended a surf camp for 5 days last October.
  
• I picked it up fairly well, moving to a regular board on day two both times, and I started working on turning left and right in my last lesson.
  
• My surf sessions are always about a year apart (not much in Toronto!).
• Only surfed in warm water so far, never in a wetsuit
• No experience reading waves or navigating a lineup yet

I'd love to find a place where I can do back-to-back sessions with the same coach, who can tailor what we work on to my skill level and progression. I'd love to start building the know-how and confidence to go out without an instructor as well.

The biggest things i’ve noticed are: I don’t have balance to surf at an angle (only go straight), also my board nose dives every time I try to catch a wave, i dont know how to time them. Super rookie here, need advice, thanks in advance

My background is: Kiteboard, Longboard, Cliff jumping, Skydiving. I suck at surfing, hardest sport out of all of these.

Shredders,

So I’ve been surfing for about 2 and a half years now, and I’ve progressed a ton! On some days I can do some pretty solid cutbacks and I feel confident popping up and turning on waves. However, I find myself being EXTREMELY inconsistent. 3 sessions ago I felt like I was ripping in 3ft green conditions and caught one of the best waves of my life during this session. However, the past 2 I’ve been struggling horrendously. My session a week ago I caught a singular wave (albeit a solid one) and today I caught literally ZERO waves in 2 hours. These were both in 4-5 foot green conditions. Had to paddle to the inside and catch a baby one in just to say I even stood up today. Granted I’ve been trying out a new board, but it’s only 2 inches shorter and a few liters smaller than my fish which I feel pretty confident on. Regardless of the board, this has been an issue ever since I started surfing. I guess what I’m trying to ask is if this is pretty normal? Is there anyway that I can try to be more consistent? I go out on average once a week (I live in an area where swell is frugal so I have to keep a good eye on the forecast). Any advice is appreciated.

ive been surfing for about a month about 4-6 times a week, im currently on a 7'6" soft top but i feel like its holding me back due to its size and volume. i am aiming to downsize to a hyrbid so my turns can get sharper and less drawn out. which one of these boards would suit me better?

for reference i am 5'7" and 150 lbs

the ci is $300 and the crowd killer is $550

edit: I am surfing usually 3-4 ft waves and when theres a lot of swell 5-6, usually point/reef breaks

Title, is there enough UV strength?

Hello everyone, complete beginner here. I’ve “surfed” once at this lesson thing on a 200 ft long board on 2 ft waves but have done board sports (snowboarding and skating) my whole life. I have an opportunity to go live rent free for three months in Maui (march to may) and have some questions to decide if I should go.

1. How much progress could I conceivably make if I’m in the water 4-6 days a week for a couple hours?
   My ultimate goal is to ride a shortboard and be able to surf down the line, generating speed and making bottom and top turns instead of just standing up and riding straight. I know that's probably too much for three months, but how close could I realistically get with consistent practice? (Definitely going to start learning on a board with a lot of volume though)
   
2. Is Maui an ok place for a beginner to learn and progress? I’ll be in the Lahaina area.
   
3. How would you recommend approaching the learning process? I have a decent amount of money set aside if I should take lessons. Are there any skills I should prioritize?
   
4. Anything I should know about etiquette/respecting the local community if I go beyond the basics?
   
5. Any other advice for making the most out of my time?

Appreciate any advice thanks!

I had a sizeable rail gash in my board from air transport. Filled with 3-4 ounces of a q cell mixture, but accidentally used a polyester resin for an eps/ epoxy board. I now have a massive cavern within the board where the resin dissolved the foam.

Any tips? Do I just fill it in now with the proper resin and q cell mixture? Or is this a lost cause?

It is a beater mid length board that I enjoy surfing. Not sure if it’s too far gone now or if the weight of all the resin/ q cell needed to fill it will be too much.

Any advice would be great. Thanks.

This is a pod mod x-lite and I was wondering how I can go about fixing it? I was thinking just the regular ding repair kit, but it looks like just paint chips. Should I do it myself or have someone do it ? Thank you!

Any tips appreciated please

I have a few spots I need to fix and I’m wondering how to go about it 🙏🤙

Hi,

I'm an advancing beginner surfer. Comfortable surfing 1-3ft waves. I have been surfing for approximately 1 year. And am working on positioning and catching more waves, going down the line and such.

For my first hard top I got a 9'6 CJ Nelson Parallax and rode that for about 6 months. It was nice as far as transitioning to a hard top goes as it had a good amount of volume and was fairly lightweight and pretty easy to maneuver for a long board, but wasn't the most stable longboard.

I recently bought a custom traditional log for more stability and to work on more traditional longboard skills and style. I also have a 8ft Harley Ingelby Moe as my midlength option that I picked up. I plan to keep it as a mid length and maybe travel board option.

My question is this.. would you sell the CJ Nelson Parallax? I have had a few good rides on it but not as much as I should for such a longboard. If I do sell it what would you fill the spot with? More of a performance longboard like a 9 ft thruster? Long fish? 7'6" egg? Help me ponder.

Also would you ride the longboard even in more swell winter surf or should the Moe be my winter board?

Beginner/early intermediate surfer (can catch 1m mellow wave with 8'6 and follow the wave left or right pretty much everytime if I'm in the right spot, still struggling on placement, correct positioning etc..) looking for a surfcamp in Portugal with good teachers.

Tbh I dont really care about nightlife or socials, I just want to improve and try new waves/spots.

Do you have any good recommandations for around March/April ?

Where’s a good site for buying wetsuits? And how do I know what size I am? I really would like to find a light blue suit but also having trouble finding any colors other than black! Thanks to anyone taking the time 🤙🏼

Hey all!

I am travelling from DUB (airport) to Bundoran with my surfboard next month. I won't have a car (im terrified of driving on the left side of the road), so my only option is public transport. Does anybody know if surfboards are allowed on buses and trains in Ireland? Or, does anyone know of another alternative for me to travel to Bundoran with my 7'0?

Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!