Build a Vacuum System to Dry Boards

[Bean]

I would agree with Marlon (and Jimmy), it's generally best not to poke the bear when dealing with a passive vent.

Because they are designed to gas out, and they constantly make bubbles, it makes it difficult to diagnose a leaking passive vent.  This is especially true when you consider all the different ways they can fail, (all resulting in bubbles at the vent).  Bond failure between the vent body and the lam, cross threaded, cut or deformed o-ring, bad element, etc.  As you can imagine, these failures sometimes happen when installing and uninstalling the element screw.

If you suspect the vent is allowing water in, one way to check is simply by unscrewing the element.  If there is water inside, it is obviously leaking.  If not, stuff a small piece of paper towel inside and reinstall the element.  Apply water for a little while and see if the towel remained dry under the element.

It's never a bad idea to weigh the board and mark it on the stringer so you have a bench mark for those times when you swear it's feeling heavy.

[PonoBill]

Clearly it's winter around here!

So on a far more comedic level of board drying....Did anyone ever see the DingKing board spinner on Maui?

The concept was to centrifuge water to a tip...(presumably the crash site tip)

It looked like a giant lawn sprinkler on steroids.....spun a board at maybe 400 RPM, and threatened to kill anyone within it's wobbly radius.

Personally, water ingress, and a few dings brings me closer to Spousal-Permission to get a new board.....She is far less happy about all of the fibers/dust/sanders/microballons/ noise discarded cloves masks and mess.....

I didn't just see Mark's, I built one. I used the transmission and motor from a clothes dryer. I attempted to add a dynamic balancer to it but it didn't work. I used it twice and took it to the dump. Yes, it worked, yes it was scary, especially with a 14' board. There was pics and a video of mine in operation on the Zone back around 2008 or 9. I think the pics disappeared as part of the great Ke Nalu website destruction incident.

[toolate]

Saw one on Oahu 20 yeras ago in a windsurfing shop. wonder what happend to it. was a good idea

So on a far more comedic level of board drying....Did anyone ever see the DingKing board spinner on Maui?

The concept was to centrifuge water to a tip...(presumably the crash site tip)

It looked like a giant lawn sprinkler on steroids.....spun a board at maybe 400 RPM, and threatened to kill anyone within it's wobbly radius.

Personally, water ingress, and a few dings brings me closer to Spousal-Permission to get a new board.....She is far less happy about all of the fibers/dust/sanders/microballons/ noise discarded cloves masks and mess.....
[/quote]

[toolate]

Problem is, in order to check you need to loosen and remove the vent plug and in the process might damage the o ring or not screw it in right or use too much force etc

I would agree with Marlon (and Jimmy), it's generally best not to poke the bear when dealing with a passive vent.

Because they are designed to gas out, and they constantly make bubbles, it makes it difficult to diagnose a leaking passive vent.  This is especially true when you consider all the different ways they can fail, (all resulting in bubbles at the vent).  Bond failure between the vent body and the lam, cross threaded, cut or deformed o-ring, bad element, etc.  As you can imagine, these failures sometimes happen when installing and uninstalling the element screw.

If you suspect the vent is allowing water in, one way to check is simply by unscrewing the element.  If there is water inside, it is obviously leaking.  If not, stuff a small piece of paper towel inside and reinstall the element.  Apply water for a little while and see if the towel remained dry under the element.

It's never a bad idea to weigh the board and mark it on the stringer so you have a bench mark for those times when you swear it's feeling heavy.

[toolate]

me too on the tootsie roll epoxy--it can be formed and jammed into all different sized holes--sands easily, before glassing over, and doesnt heat up at all while quik-drying--if hole is deep ill mix epoxy and balloons, but smaller issues the tootsie crap is great

What type do you like?

[magentawave]

I had a vent plug membrane failure resulting in 8lb weight gain. Drilled a couple 1/4" holes in the swallow tail, inserted aquarium air tubing, sealed with silicone sealant, made a water trap out of an old pasta sauce bottle, reversed the $23.00 pump (this pulls a 5 torr vacuum), removed the vent plug....wow, evacuating the water very quickly I don't know what the LPM is, but you can hear air sounds at the vent plug. The RH is going to be 30-40% this week....should get the job done.

Thanks for this thread guys! It saved me a lot of time.

I took my super light 9-2 Sunova longboard sup out today for a couple hours and noticed it weighed a ton on the walk back to my car. So bummed. Anywho, what kind of pump did you use and where did you buy it and the tubing and connectors?

[eastbound]

bummer--you clearly care about weight, and at 15 lbs x 9'2", that board is light!

[Bean]

Hey Magenta, have you figured out the source of the leak?

[magentawave]

bummer--you clearly care about weight, and at 15 lbs x 9'2", that board is light!

Not any longer!

Hey Magenta, have you figured out the source of the leak?

Yes, it looks like it's one of the FCS1 plugs because if I wiggle the fin I can see water around the perimeter of the plug. It wasn't ever damaged, as in hitting a reef, but the edges of all the fin plugs on this sup are raised slightly higher than the surrounding surface. It's as if the last thing they did on this board was to plop in the fin plugs. This is an older Sunova so I sure hope they aren't still installing them like that.

[magentawave]

Do you guys think this little pump would work to suck a board? It's only $9 at Harbor Freight and has hundreds of positive reviews.
https://www.harborfreight.com/158-gph-submersible-fountain-pump-63315.html

QUESTION: Does a pump like that require water to flow through it so it doesn't burn out?

Now, where to find the tubing? Aquarium store only?

[Bean]

Magenta, I would suggest that you drill that fin plug completely out.  Here's why.  If you only try to seal the fin plug from the top it will still be loose in the cavity and will likely fail again.  The bonus is, as you will completely open the fin box (plug), it will dry out much faster.  Whether you apply vaccum or not.

[Bean]

The trick to drilling out a round FCS plug is to insert a small piece of plastic or wood about the size of a fin tab into the fin slot and tighten the grub screw.  It will help you control your hole saw by providing a stable spot for the pilot drill. 

[magentawave]

The trick to drilling out a round FCS plug is to insert a small piece of plastic or wood about the size of a fin tab into the fin slot and tighten the grub screw.  It will help you control your hole saw by providing a stable spot for the pilot drill.

Great tip! Thank you.

[Surfside]

I had a vent plug membrane failure resulting in 8lb weight gain. Drilled a couple 1/4" holes in the swallow tail, inserted aquarium air tubing, sealed with silicone sealant, made a water trap out of an old pasta sauce bottle, reversed the $23.00 pump (this pulls a 5 torr vacuum), removed the vent plug....wow, evacuating the water very quickly I don't know what the LPM is, but you can hear air sounds at the vent plug. The RH is going to be 30-40% this week....should get the job done.

Thanks for this thread guys! It saved me a lot of time.

I took my super light 9-2 Sunova longboard sup out today for a couple hours and noticed it weighed a ton on the walk back to my car. So bummed. Anywho, what kind of pump did you use and where did you buy it and the tubing and connectors?

Sorry to hear! The pump is a Tetra 100 from Amazon. Connectors included. 1/4" aquarium tubing extra. Good luck!

[eastbound]

the seal with silicone sealant seems a new tweak, and a good one