Looking after your sandboard and gear is essential to rider safety and extends the life of your equipment so you can enjoy the sport for longer. Below are a few tips on how to maintain your sandboard as well as some other important information.
Board Protection – We recommend the use of padded board bags for the best level of protection and safe transit of your equipment. Ocean Culture® currently offers the Mystic range of kiteboard bags that can easily fit 1 to 2 sandboards. They are exceptional quality, foam padded and built to reduce the impact of bumps and scrapes from general handling, transportation and dune trekking. They also come with a large front pocket to store your wax, sunscreen, drinks and whatever else you can cram in there.
Board ‘Wear In’ Period – Ply-timber boards require a ‘wear in’ period before attempting more extreme levels of riding. The timber fibers and glue used in veneer need to be worked gradually so ride your board with due care within the first few sessions as it is important to allow natural tolerance, flex and strengthening to occur. Heavy falls, nose or tail landings and other stress bearing situations during this time can risk damage to your new ride, so take it easy.
Structural Heat Stress – Sandboards do not like being subjected to conditions of extreme heat for prolonged periods of time. For instance, leaving your board in the boot of the car on a hot day or excessive exposure to direct sunlight is not recommended. This can damage or discolor the laminate and will cause the ply-core timber to become dry and brittle, resulting in weakness to the board.
Water Contact – Avoid immersing your sandboard in water. Riding over wet sand is ok, providing the correct board wax is used to reduce excessive wear on the laminated base. If you choose to ride on rainy days, keep in mind that the screw inserts in the deck (unless indicated ‘stainless steel’) are not rust proof and susceptible to corrosion.
Tow Boarding – We discourage this activity as our sandboards are not intended nor designed for this kind of use. Under no circumstance should our sandboards be used for any other purpose other than sandboarding on sand dunes. Failure to acknowledge this warning can seriously reduce the lifespan of the sandboard and could incur personal injury to the rider.
Check Bindings & Tighten Bolts Regularly – Footstraps and bindings can become extremely hazardous when not properly secured to the board or show signs of wear & tear. It is recommended you inspect velcro strap attachments and stitching regularly, check fasteners and tighten screws when necessary. Loose straps can potentially cause injury if detached while riding at speed, performing jumps or bailing from a fall, so it’s important to check for issues beforehand and also ensure your straps are adjusted to your correct foot size.
Protect Yourself From Injury – Ride within your limits and use proper safety gear when necessary (helmets & guards are recommended for more extreme styles of sandboarding) Ocean Culture® will not be liable or responsible for any personal, property, equipment or other damage caused to yourself or others by using our products. Check the condition of the terrain and decide before you ride – sand dunes can change shape from one week to the next, including the degree of slope.
PLEASE RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT – Keep out of restricted areas, protected lands, or re-vegetation zones. Take your rubbish home and leave only footprints. The reputation of sandboarding is in your hands.