For a lot of us out there, transporting our surfboard in the front seat of the car is the only option we have. With a shortboard fitting pretty easily in the front seat, there is just no need for roof racks. But is it OK to leave a surfboard in a car for prolonged periods of time?
The materials used to make a surfboard do not hold up in temperatures above 130°. The temperature inside a car on an 80° day get as high as 130° to 170°. The fiberglass on a surfboard will separate from the foam, causing delamination in as little as 30 minutes.
My recommendation would be to never leave your board in your car for too long when the weather is above 70°. Leaving it in the car overnight, or on cooler days is fine, but watch out for hot weather! Iʻve had plenty boards get ruined doing that.
But what if you donʻt have that option? The only way you can fit in a surf is in the morning before work and the only place you can keep your board afterwards is in your car. Donʻt worry. I have some tips for you to ensure your board does not get ruined while you have to slave away all day.
Transporting Surfboards In The Car
My first car as a 16 year old kid was a 1964 VW Bug. It was a great car, but tiny. It didnʻt fit much, but it would fit my shortboard in my front seat. I would take that thing everywhere with me, which meant having to leave it locked up in my parked car sometimes for hours. But I sure wish I used surf racks like I talk about in this post.
I lost a few good boards leaving them in the car but eventually realized the heat was destroying my boards when I left them in the car. If they did not delaminate, they would be yellow. I loved my boards too much to allow that to happen again.
Over time I learned how to leave my board in the car even on the hottest days. Here are some of my tips.
- Use a Surfboard Travel Bag
The surfboard travel bag started to become popular in the 90ʻs when I was just getting into surfing. It was hyped as a way to protect your board from dings and scratches, as well as from the heat and sun.
So I got one. One of those silvery looking board bags. I canʻt tell you how well it worked!
I donʻt know if it was just the board bag or the combination of the other things that I would do when I had to leave my surfboard in the car, but I never had a ruined surfboard again.
If you have to leave your board in your car over prolonged periods or even if you just want to better protect your most sacred craft, you must get a board bag. My favorite one that Iʻve trusted throughout all these years is THIS ONE.
- Park In The Shade
This one should go hardly without saying but it is a must. If it is going to be a hot one, you have to park in the shade, there is no other way.
What if there is no shade present?
You have to make some.
You can get a car cover to cover your car when you park. Place a good windshield sunscreen in your windshield to reflect and block sun and heat away from the car. Think about tinting your car’s windows as another way to create “shade” as well.
Good shade can turn an 80° day into a 60° day, which would be completely safe to keep your surfboard in your car.
- Crack The Windows
Another obvious one, lower your windows down a bit. Cracking your windows can dramatically decrease the temperature inside your car.
Many people do not like the idea of rolling down their car windows because of theft. It has been my experience that cars get broken into regardless if the window is rolled down or not. If you are concerned, lower your windows between 3” to 5”, keep your doors locked, and maybe think about installing a steering wheel lock or alarm system with a kill switch.
With that peace of mind, you can keep the windows down in your car all day long.
- And If All Else Fails…
Bring your board with you. Ask your boss to stash it in the corner. Or bring it in when you are at your friend’s house. If you want your board to last, keep that board out of a hot car.
It may be ok a couple of times and you may get away with it, but donʻt become complacent. A hot car will ruin your board over time, every time. Protect your investment as if it were your child.
Taking Proper Care
Surfboards are mostly poly-synthetic material, which is very sensitive to heat. So if you want your surfboard to last longer, you must make sure it is well protected from heat.
Just for a fact, many of my friends have made a similar mistake of leaving their surfboards in the car when they’re done surfing. Trust me, they regret it!
The heat trapped inside a parked car under sunlight makes the temperature rise to the point where it may damage your surfboard’s adhesive and other components.
Over a while, your surfboard will become delaminated. This creates air bubbles in your surfboard and degrades the strength of your surfboard dramatically.
Here is the list of things that can help you to save your surfboard from heat and damage;
- Don’t leave your surfboard in direct sunlight or heat
- Use a board bag AND park your car in the shadows.
- If in doubt, take it out. Do NOT leave your surfboard in a hot car for longer than 30 minutes.
Caring for your surfboard is way more than just keeping it out of the heat; being careless when putting your board in the car can cause dings that can lead to major problems if not fixed quickly.
If you do get a small ding, you can fix it with SolarEZ which you can purchase on Amazon. For decades, Iʻve been using SolarEZ for quick fixes on my surfboard. Sand the dinged area, tape it off, apply SolarEZ, and put it in the sun. Let it cure, then give it a sanding to blend in with the old glass job. Thatʻs it, good as new.
You can have boards last decades if you just take care of them. This throw away culture we see some surfers treat their boards like is disgusting. These surfboards are made with toxic chemicals, letʻs make sure their cost on the environment is worth it. Care for your surfboards!
Learn more about how storing your surfboards in board bags can help them last longer in this post.
Precautions – Just In Case
If you’re a working person and have to leave your surfboard in the car while working, make sure you do it right.
Even though it is not as intense as it may sound, leaving it in your car for a short while probably won’t do anything, would it? As long as you’re sure that the vehicle’s temperature won’t be extreme.
I know you don’t want your surfboard to get ruined, so you can make sure that you leave your car at a cool place.
Keep one thing in mind; heat can ruin surfboards in the worst way. Instead, being careful about the temperature and making sure that your surfboard won’t be in places with extreme temperatures can protect your surfboard from getting ruined.
As long as the temperature is moderate, your surfboard should be fine.
Takeaway
Your surfboard deserves some care; and you can get the most out of your surfboard if you take proper care.
It is not advised to leave your surfboard in scorching places like a car parked under direct sunlight.
Saving your surfboard from dents and bumps is also extremely important; you can use a travel bag and make sure you don’t keep throwing your surfboard all over.
