How to Pack Your Surfboard for a Surf Trip
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Story by Joe Walsh
I've had it happen to me a dozen times. I pack a new surfboard (or at least a board that I surf often and therefore love), it actually makes it to my final destination, I'm going on a surf trip and I'm excited. Liberia, New York, Lima, Miami, San Jose, Atlanta, it doesn't matter, a surfboard remains a foreign object to airline employees. The dude with the golf clubs didn't get charged, but you're forced to ante up $100 to bring your board. Doesn't make sense but what can you do? Then, you're forced to sign the damage waiver saying that the airline isn't responsible if they, say, drive over your board bag with the luggage train. With luck, your board arrives. Chances of survival, maybe 50%.
You arrive to the beach after an endless taxi ride, the surf is up, you're unpacking your board and find that it is damaged. No surf for you! Very tragic, yet avoidable. I've grown to hate this feeling, so after many surf trips I've perfected the process for packing my boards. It might cost you a few bucks and add to your already hectic-because-I'm-leaving-town schedule. But it will ensure the survival rate of your board and your immediate surf upon arrival. Good luck and happy surfing.
What you'll need:
Surfboard Bag- You can find one used on craigslist.com, you can buy or even rent one from some surf shops, or you might have a friend who owns one. Get a bag that is at least six inches longer than your surfboard.
Pipe Insulation- You can buy pipe insulation at Home Depot, even in warm cities like San Diego. The stuff is cheap. Measure the length of your board(s), multiply by 2, add 4, and then buy that many feet of pipe insulation.
Bubble Wrap- Get the kind with the big bubbles. Buy enough to wrap around the entire board.
Duct Tape- one roll
Fin Keys- (2)
Screwdriver- (for longboard fins)
1) Take Off Your Wax?
You can take off your wax if you want, but I don't. Call me unconventional but I think its a waste of time. I find myself surfing cold water wax in warm water and warm water wax in cold water, the only difference I see is the hardness of the wax and ease of application. Cold water wax doesn't just mysteriously melt in the tropics unless the water is extremely hot. Just remember to keep your board bag wax-side-down (on top of your rental car for example) so the sun doesn't melt the wax through the bag. You'll probably have more time on your surf trip to do things like change your wax anyways, so you might as well do it on the beach instead of in your living room.
2) Remove Fins and Leash-
Unless you really want to bring that fish with the glassed-on fins, I suggest bringing boards with fins you can take out. It will help keep your boards safe during travel and makes traveling with multiple boards easier. Use a fin key or screwdriver to take out your fins, also remove your leash. Wrap everything in a towel and put in your board bag (fins, fin key, leash), as you want to keep all of your surfboard's parts in the same place. Place another kin key in your backpack just in case.
3) Protect Your Surfboard-
Most dings seem to happen to the rails, nose or tail of a surfboard. I recommend protecting your board in the following order:
DEFINITELY
apply pipe insulation to the surfboard rails, nose and tail
ALSO MAKE SURE YOU
protect the nose and tail of the board with your wetsuit, board shorts, towels, etc
YOU MIGHT AS WELL
wrap the board with bubble wrap
- Cut all pipe insulation lengthwise so that you can wrap it around the rails, nose and tail of your board. Cut small notches in the insulation so it can easily form around the curves of your nose and tail. Secure everything with duct tape.
- Wrap your wetsuit, clothes, towels, or anything else that is soft around the nose and tail of your surfboard. Secure it in place with duct tape. In some cases you might be returning from a remote destination with no pipe insulation or bubble wrap, so dirty laundry will be your only option. Investing in a cheap blanket and wrapping it around your board will definitely increase your chances of no dings, plus you'll have a souvenir from your trip.
- Wrap your board in bubble wrap. This can be done before or after you secure the rails, nose and tail with insulation, normally before. Secure with duct tape. Then throw the duct tape into your checked luggage as you'll need it during your trip.
*Once, without other options and already late for a flight, I bought bubble wrap and tape from the an airport post office and checked a shortboard wrapped only in bubblewrap. Believe it or not, it made it to Costa Rica fine. I started to think that baggage handlers, realizing it was a surfboard, handled it better than if it had been in a board bag!
4) Put Board In Bag-
If you are bringing multiple surfboards, place larger boards below smaller boards, make sure all boards are facing the same way and that they are all same-side-up. Make sure to lie to the airline agent and say that you only have one board in your bag even if you have three. They rarely check, when they do check and catch you lying, start complaining about the guy with the golf clubs or just play stupid, saying you forget which surf trip you're on. 4 out of 5 times you only get charged for one board. If you own the board bag you can write "Fragile" or "Please Don't Break My Surfboard" or anything else you think might give you better chances against the luggage handlers.
Good luck, I hope your surfboard has a great trip.
Surfboard Baggage Fees
US - Liberia, Costa Rica (LIR)
Updated June 17, 2008
American Airlines - $100
Delta - $150
Continental - $100
Us Airways - $100