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Your first surf board: wax up!

surfboard-waxup

So after thinking about which shape you want depending on the conditions and your skill level, it’s time to check your bank account and head to the surf shop! Usually you bargain a good deal and at least get fins and leash for free. Don’t get those soft, flexible fins however and check that the leash is longer than your board – that’s most important for the start. So now you got your new toy, but it’s not ready for a ride yet. First, you need to wax up.

When waxing up a board for the first time (and also after taking off all the wax after a couple of weeks) , you first have to apply Base Wax – otherwise the Coat Wax, the second layer, will just wash off after you catch the first couple of waves. You’ll need a lot of both wax types for the start, so buy a block of each one. If you forgot to get it when buying the board, simply buy it directly at the Atlantik Surf Camp.

Then, turn on some music, open a beer and get started! Start by rubbing a fine mesh on the board with the edge of the coat wax. Try for a 45° angle between the lines of the mesh and the rails of your board and keep the wax-free patches between the lines as small as possible. Was everything from the nose (except for the first 30-40cm) to the tail (except for the tailpad ^^). Then take the Coat Wax and apply it in small, circular movements. Thereby, small bumps should form and the waxed surface should roughen up in general. Although this doesn’t look as nicely as a board without wax, increasing friction is exactly the point here – so don’t scrub off those nice wax bumps…

Alright – this should be enough to take your board in the water with you for the first time. Just be sure to not get too much sand rubbed in the wax and don’t let the board lying around with the waxed side facing the sun! After the first couple of days you can use a wax comb and/or apply some more wax at certain spots if necessary. In case you don’t have a comb with you, just use some sharp stone or shell. I’ve also seen some people using their finger nails, but from my own experience I’d advise against this…

Ok, so much for taking care of your first board – stay tuned for the next post!

Cheers

Dominik

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