Surf Talk Guru

If you’ve had the same plain white board for awhile and you’ve got an artistic streak, why not spice it up with some kind of design? Several options are available: paint, markers, or vinyl. You can use spray paint after taping off the design you create. Just make sure to cover it with a coat or two of clear gloss. If it chips off, it will look bad. Some people use Sharpies, but those can fade quickly in the sun and salt water. A better bet is paint markers (Posca is a good brand) with oil-based enamel paint resistant to UV and fading. There are always vinyl graphics, too–stickers that can hold up in the water. If you wanted to pay a little more, you can get decals glassed on by a local shaper, or try it yourself if you have the tools.

The picture here is from Drew Brophy, a surfboard artist out of San Clemente. If you’re not as artistic as all that, you could simply go for the colored surf wax from Sticky Bumps. Rub it on like crayons to create some pretty cool designs that you can scrape off if they don’t turn out. Then again, if you have any extra time on your hands, you might want to work on improving your surfing rather than your surfboard!