Are your summer adventures coming to an end? Do you need help storing your paddleboards, surfboards, and other summer water activities? If you have invested in a quality board of any kind, it makes sense to find the best way to stow away. Here are a few of the best practices for different storage techniques.
Surfboards
First and foremost, clean your board with fresh water. Your board collects a lot of salt and beach when you take it out. Take off the fins and get any sand that may have gotten trapped in the fin box. Next, lay the board out to melt the wax. Take a thin gift card and gently scrape away all the wax you are storing away for the colder months. When everything is clean, store your surfboards as far from the sun as possible. The harmful UV rays are known to turn any white areas yellow. With a long exposure time, the sun can even weaken the board itself by expanding the foam and burning the protection of the fiberglass and epoxy.
Rigid- Fiberglass Paddle Boards
Store these boards anywhere that will not risk freezing water on them. Unheated garages, sheds, boathouses, or even self storage units can work great. If you choose to store it at home, keep it off the ground if there is a chance that it may be buried under snow. You can prop it against the wall vertically or use a racking system to lay it along the wall off the ground or even hang it from the ceiling. If you are taking advantage of the wall racking system, try a U-mount like this one from REI to reduce damages from falling.
Inflatable Paddle Boards
Many stow their inflatable boards just like their fiberglass ones without realizing they are a bit different. While these boards can be inflated, it is probably best to keep them deflated if you are tight on room. If you are stowing away a deflated board, never roll tightly and store it in the bag in an unheated area through the winter. The freezing temperatures can cause unwanted creases and fold marks. However, if your storage area is heated, feel free to deflate and store it in the bag.
If you are low on space or simply looking for the best way to store your boards, try self storage! We have FREE heating and cooling for our units, so you will be ready the next time you want to get back on the water. So, make your tour reservation today!