wetsuit and board advice for family

nthnbeachesguy - 11 January 2013 09:15 PM

Kids will love that stuff Mud, my old man used to make me save up half the cash for my wetsuits and boards from my paper run when I was a kid from about the age of 10 up.  I actually don’t remember having a wetsuit before then, just some Oneill vest and boardies even in the middle of winter ha ha.  Kids are spoilt these days, even the bottom of the line el cheapo suit is light years ahead of what they used to be, I remember my underarms used to look like they had been attacked by a vampire after most surfs and vaseline was a must before every surf as a result.

Hahahahaaa, the old economy size tub of Vaso in the kit!!!!! 

My neck used to look like I’d just tried to hang myself, if I didn’t smear a handful of Vaseline on first!!!!!

Mizu Kuma - 11 January 2013 11:36 AM

I just hope it’s the board that got the rubbin!!!!!

It was a pretty exciting moment for sure!

nthnbeachesguy - 11 January 2013 09:15 PM

Kids will love that stuff Mud, my old man used to make me save up half the cash for my wetsuits and boards from my paper run when I was a kid from about the age of 10 up.  I actually don’t remember having a wetsuit before then, just some Oneill vest and boardies even in the middle of winter ha ha.  Kids are spoilt these days, even the bottom of the line el cheapo suit is light years ahead of what they used to be, I remember my underarms used to look like they had been attacked by a vampire after most surfs and vaseline was a must before every surf as a result.

I sure hope so, Nthn, we’ve definitely spent a load more on gear than we had planned!  Oh, you can also add to that an Xcel ThermoCarbon steamer for myself (talked myself up up from a bottom-end RipCurl), and the missus has just gone for a stroll and was last seen walking in the general direction of the surf shop!    I’m actually pretty happy; apart from the thrill of buying gear, we’re moving towards a healthier type of holiday and one that builds skills in the kids as well (not to mention myself and the wife).

Great choice for yaself too, XCEL make excellent Wetties!!!!! 

snowbum_spaz - 11 January 2013 09:22 PM

I love sex wax and giving it a good rub on my stick or gun. Mr Zoggs is the best though I don’t mind having Mrs Palmer handle my wax job either.

I always buy the cheapest wettie for PP as she out grows anything within a couple of months. If I’m lucky I grab any second hand one if I can.

I’m the worst at hanging my wettie out to dry but so very good at always rinsing in fresh water - it usually stays in my wet-bucket in the car and smells like a wet dog.

It’s the salt crystals that destroy the neoprene fastest and drying a wettie with salt water in it is the worst thing you can do. As the salt water drys the crystals expand and literally tear, pull apart and cut the rubber. Also avoid metal coat hangers, the metal can heat up and cause the rubber to deform and this is why I don’t like a clothes-line with metal wire, but when using a line I’ve found it’s best to spread them out over several lines because the added weight of the water can stretch the neoprene where they hang. (When I do dry my suit) I hang it on a wooden fence or rail. Normally I try and let as much water drip off at the beach before throwing it in my wet-bucket and leaving it in the car - I’ll advised.

I also often leave my fibreglass board in the car too (bad form) but never the softboard, they are really affected by heat like a bodyboard is.

Thanks for the tips, much appreciated.  We’re actually decently good at washing out the wetties in fresh water as soon as we get home.  We hadn’t been aware of the no coat-hanger thing until they warned us about that at the shop.  Might have to consider a wet-bucket for our car, too!

Mudhoney - 12 January 2013 05:03 AM

Mizu Kuma - 11 January 2013 11:36 AM

I just hope it’s the board that got the rubbin!!!!!

It was a pretty exciting moment for sure!

Yeah, just gotta be careful that ya don’t end up puttin white sticky stuff where it doesn’t belong, while ya get carried away in the moment!!!!!

Mudhoney - 12 January 2013 05:13 AM

snowbum_spaz - 11 January 2013 09:22 PM

I love sex wax and giving it a good rub on my stick or gun. Mr Zoggs is the best though I don’t mind having Mrs Palmer handle my wax job either.

I always buy the cheapest wettie for PP as she out grows anything within a couple of months. If I’m lucky I grab any second hand one if I can.

I’m the worst at hanging my wettie out to dry but so very good at always rinsing in fresh water - it usually stays in my wet-bucket in the car and smells like a wet dog.

It’s the salt crystals that destroy the neoprene fastest and drying a wettie with salt water in it is the worst thing you can do. As the salt water drys the crystals expand and literally tear, pull apart and cut the rubber. Also avoid metal coat hangers, the metal can heat up and cause the rubber to deform and this is why I don’t like a clothes-line with metal wire, but when using a line I’ve found it’s best to spread them out over several lines because the added weight of the water can stretch the neoprene where they hang. (When I do dry my suit) I hang it on a wooden fence or rail. Normally I try and let as much water drip off at the beach before throwing it in my wet-bucket and leaving it in the car - I’ll advised.

I also often leave my fibreglass board in the car too (bad form) but never the softboard, they are really affected by heat like a bodyboard is.

Thanks for the tips, much appreciated.  We’re actually decently good at washing out the wetties in fresh water as soon as we get home.  We hadn’t been aware of the no coat-hanger thing until they warned us about that at the shop.  Might have to consider a wet-bucket for our car, too!

Yeah, a wet bucket is a must!!!!!

I rusted out the whole floor in the back of my old Subaru, pre-bucket!!!!!

One noob question - with my softie in the bag, how tight can I reef down on the cargo straps?  Not keen to have the board take to the skies when I’m doing 110 on the freeway, but also not keen to damage the new stick.

Yeah, I’d be careful how tight ya strap it down too!!!!!

Try strappin it down fins toward the front of car, pointing skyward!!!!!

And use a wider strap, or place a towel under the strap, something to distribute the pressure point!!!!!

That wetdog smell is the reason why I swapped to utes over 10 years ago.  After a while it starts to smell like a dead wet dog and it’s just awful, on hot days its like getting into a damn sauna as well.  Surfers should really all have utes for this reason!

I use a crate that has a sealed lid now!!!!!

so you’re just keeping it wet in the suit’s own run-off until you can get it to some fresh water?

Mudhoney - 12 January 2013 05:09 AM

the missus has just gone for a stroll and was last seen walking in the general direction of the surf shop! 

wife came back with a RipCurl Flashbomb.

Mudhoney - 12 January 2013 09:30 AM

so you’re just keeping it wet in the suit’s own run-off until you can get it to some fresh water?

Yeah, unless there’s a shower at the beach to give it a pre-rinse!!!!!