surfco textured rail tape

[red_tx]

Unfortunately one of my new boards is real chippy and I am considering rail tape. I ordered some SurfCo Rail tape.. I thought I did not order "smooth" and ended up with "textured". 

Anyway.. I am thinking I need "smooth" because this texture looks like it is going to slow me down.. because I haul so much ass.

What thinks you, zone?

-thanks
-red

[exiled]

A little bit of texture is actually faster than smooth apparently. Not sure most would notice though.

[Area 10]

It won't make a noticeable difference either way.

[PonoBill]

No effect. I experimented with several years ago with textured bottom finishes in my water tunnel (a straight stretch of the Hood River) and got perhaps a very small benefit in reduced drag that falls well into the error band of my bullshit equipment (windsurf mast with a strain gauge attached with a short rope leading to the board nose). I still sand the bottom of my boards to get a dull finish, but it's probably nonsense.

[Bean]

In surfing, the sanded finish became popular when the pro's were seen riding boards with a sanded finish.  Many of us jumped to the conclusion that there had to be a performance gain in doing so.  Some shapers claimed it was a faster surface.  (After all, skiers had know for a long time that a textured base would break up suction in wet snow and allow a ski to go faster.  A textured base also held wax better.)

But, in reality, the only savings were reduced board production time for the sponsors and some weight savings for the riders. 

[Zooport]

All I know is that the Surfco rail tape I bought about a year ago was very difficult to get on the board correctly.  Lots of bubbles and creases.  I have no trouble with other kinds of rail tape, but the Surfco was a bear.  Never did get it on there smoothly; I was probably doing something wrong, I'm sure.

[LeeBee]

While i do not know about textures on snow, keeping the boundary layer of water attached to the surface of the board as long as possible along the length of the rails should reduce overall fraction. i would argue a textured surface, like sanding, will help. The other approach is for products like On-It's Extreme Cream which I am sure is a hydrophilic (water loving) and keeps the water "attached" to the surface. However at 5 mph on an SUP, the impact of any of these things will be very hard to measure.

[Roundhouse]

I used surfco textured tape on my first few boards. It was just about lifetime tape but worked very well. You need to come back with more tape or refurb the board after use....

[Easy Rider]

All I know is that the Surfco rail tape I bought about a year ago was very difficult to get on the board correctly.  Lots of bubbles and creases.  I have no trouble with other kinds of rail tape, but the Surfco was a bear.  Never did get it on there smoothly; I was probably doing something wrong, I'm sure.

Un roll the roll - then roll it back up backwards. 
Makes it flat in the end.
Then tape one end to the rail where you want it - and start applying it from the other end.
Finally - a laminate roller works well to finish it off - and get the wait bubbles out.