RichR2 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 11:39 pm
Because the crack is in the rail, the pvc foam sandwich is unlikely to be wrapped around it which is why on the rail you'll only find laminate (double wrapped from top and bottom layer) that's the reason why you will find water in the core and need to remove it. If the crack was in the deck or hull then might be lucky and not have any water getting in.
Yep. Totally true.
I was just assuming, based on the price these boards sell for, that these boards are a true full sandwich construction.
If you decide to do a "make it like new" repair, then sand gently into the cracked parts but don't go into the foam. Dremmel seems like a bad tool to use on the rail, because the rail is a convex curve and you want the repair laminate to gently blend into the existing laminate.
Personally, on a rail, I would use 60 grit paper on a hard block to removed the cracked portions, but be really careful not to sand into the underlying foam. Then look at the foam... Is it closed foam with tiny voids like you would expect with pvc, or is it made of small beads tightly bonded together like you would expect with eps?
Inspect the foam to determine what it is, then, if it is eps, dry it out. If it is pvc, inspect the foam for cracks, then make a decision on what to do. If the underlying foam is pvc and if the pvc is cracked, then the repair becomes pretty involved and you really need a vacuum pump to do it right.
If the board is stiff and still seems stiff, and the crack is not right under where you normally put your feet, forget all that and epoxy putty might be the easiest, and good enough, if not the best repair option.
Whatever you do, don't use polyester, and don't go just dumping un-thickened epoxy into the crack, because if you do that, and if the foam under the crack is just eps, there is a good chance you will either dissolve or melt the foam.
I'd guess a good repair from a reputable shop would cost more than $100 usd, but probably less than $200... Maybe a bit more if the rail is pvc sandwich and the foam is cracked.
If you really like the board and want to be sure, find a reputable shop that can guarentee a good repair.