I live in a small house. There are not a lot of places to put a surfboard. Sure, I can put it in the corner of my room or on the wall, but that takes up valuable space for something else. So what about leaving surfboards outside? Would that be OK?
Surfboards can be stored outside as long as they are kept out of the direct sun. For best results when storing a surfboard outside, keep it in a board bag that is kept of of direct sun. The north side of your home, a carport, or even under a large shade tree are some examples.
So whatʻs so bad about the sun then? I mean, I surf on my board for countless hours each day under the hot sun at the beach. Why canʻt a surfboard be left in the sun when stored outside?
Great question. Letʻs dive into it.
Why Is It Bad To Leave My Surfboard Outside in the Sun?
Fiberglass and epoxy surfboards do not like the sun. The UV rays from the sun will cause the polyurethane foam to discolor and turn yellow, weakening the foam at the same time. Learn more about this phenomenon in this post.
The heat from the sun can start a chemical reaction in the surfboard that can cause the fiberglass wrap to separate from the foam core, leading to delamination and a weakening in the glass job.
Using surf bags like this one found on Amazon can be a good move if you have no other choice but to keep your surfboard outside in the sunlight.
But even with a good surf bag, itʻs good practice to try and keep your board out of the sun when it is being stored. It will last much longer that way.
How To Store Your Board Outside So It Wonʻt Get Ruined
Iʻve been storing my surfboards outside for years. Do I leave my expensive, brand new surfboards outside?
Hell no!
But for almost every other surfboard, I leave them outside in the shade on some racks that Iʻve made.
Iʻve already mentioned the tip about using a board bag to store your surfboard in if you are leaving it outside, but I have a few more tips that you might be interested in as well.
- Make Sure Nothing Can Fall On Your Surfboard
If you leave your surfboard outside, please make sure nothing will fall on it. I had a coconut fall on one of my boards once, it put a pretty big dent in the deck of the board.
So before you put your board down, look around, look up, make sure there isnʻt something that can potentially damage your surfboard.
- Leave It In The Shade, Or At Least Use A Tarp
Youʻve learned already that surfboards hate being left out in the sun. If you canʻt leave your board on the north side of some sort of structure, you can leave a surfboard under a tree, or an awning so that it can get shade.
If you donʻt have that and the only place you can leave your surfboard will get sun for a couple hours each day, either put your board in a board bag or cover it with a tarp. A simple act like that will ensure longevity in your surfboard.
- Ensure It Canʻt Get Stolen
When leaving anything outside, there is always a chance of something getting stolen, even in your backyard behind a fence.
I had someone come on to my property once, which is a house, surrounded by a fence on a half acre lot, and steal a bike. They couldʻve easily taken one of my surfboards.
First thing you can do to ensure it doesnʻt get stolen is to keep it out of sight. Temptation is the cause of most thefts, so donʻt even let that be an issue.
Next thing you can do is lock your board up. Iʻve seen surfboards stored outside in public in Waikiki locked up thru a special fin screw. You can try do the same. If thatʻs not possible, think of at least installing a security camera so you can catch whoever might try and runoff with your board.
- If You Leave A Surfboard On The Ground, Watch For Rocks
I often lean my board on the side of my side when I get home from a surf. One time though I did not see a rock when I put the board down and totally cracked the rail. An easily preventable ding if I was just looking closer at how I lay my board down on the ground.
Make sure when you leave your board outside that there arenʻt any hidden rocks or whatnot that could cause the same damage to your board. If a rock does cause a ding, you can fix it pretty easily with a tube of SolarEZ that you can pick up on Amazon for pretty cheap.
- Racks will Help Keep Your Surfboard Safe
The best thing you could do when storing your surfboard outside is to store them on dedicated surf racks, off the ground and out of the sun.
I prefer to use racks that store my boards horizontally on a wall on the northside of a building or anywhere else that may be shady all the time. If I didnʻt already build my own, I might have gone with these racks to store my boards.
If you use racks that store surfboards vertically, keep them off the bare ground by placing a piece of carpet or foam where the bottom of the surfboard would otherwise meet the ground.
Is It Bad to Leave the Surfboard in the Rain?
Under ordinary circumstances, leaving your surfboard in the rain is not a problem. After all, you take a surfboard out into the ocean, right?
Only problem is, if you happen to have a ding in your board and you leave out in the rain over prolonged periods of time, then you risk the chance of your board becoming waterlogged. This will cause the board to get heavier and bogged down when riding it.
If in doubt, leave your board under cover. Perhaps in your garage, which I go over in this post. Itʻll be better off overall.
Can You Leave a Surfboard in a Board Bag in the Sun?
Using a surf bag can be a good move in order to protect your surfboard. A surf bag can protect your surfboard from direct exposure to heat or sunlight reducing the risk of damage.
But if it gets too hot in the sun, damage can happen. So itʻs best not to leave your board in the sun whenever possible, but for short periods of time, a board bag will keep your board safer than leaving your surfboard in the sun without one.
Prolite has been making board bags for decades, theyʻre the industry standard. Plus you can get one mailed straight to your door on Amazon. Making it so easy.
Iʻve said this before, take care of your surfboard and it will last for years. Neglect it and youʻll be going board shopping in no time.
