The good old skid - everyone knows it, everyone "can" do it, whether you're an intermediate or a full-time professional. It just happens. The day's surfing is then often over and you quickly find yourself 150 euros poorer for the repair.
Nose protectors have therefore always been an issue. The cheapest and most widespread variant - the good old foam protector, which you used to simply stick to the fork crown - is almost obsolete today, simply because it only helps surfers who ride the fork low down due to the shorter boards. Today, the mast is the main problem. Numerous manufacturers also offer protectors to cushion the mast. Foam pads for sticking onto the nose of the board are also available.
However, if you believe the station operators and their experience from years of renting, glued-on, fixed nose caps are the most effective protection. And here you have the choice between standard GRP caps, weighing 400 to 650 grams including adhesive, or 250 gram lightweight (and also elegant looking) carbon caps. The GRP versions, as we know from our many years of testing experience, are noticeable on the water to the extent that you cannot deny the disadvantage of the additional weight concentrated at the bow. Especially those who have paid the extra price for a lightweight "PRO", "TEAM" or "LTD" version when buying a board will probably prefer the lighter carbon protectors. The price for the additional protection - €110 to €149 for the GRP protectors from the manufacturers, €149 to €299 for the carbon versions from Carbonprotect - can be recouped after a nose repair.
In the following workshop, we want to show you what really helps, how you can fit the protectors yourself and what inexpensive alternatives there are. A big thank you to Eveline and Christian Relling from the Surf & SUP Centre St. Leoner See, who have supported us with photos and their experience from countless installations.
Nose protectors - what do I need?
You need a suitable nose protector. Brands such as JP-Australia and Fanatic offer GRP caps for their models (price: 115-150 euros). The 250 gram lightweight carbon guards are already available for various models (overview of available brands and models on www.carbonprotect.de Price: from 149 euros. Customised products cost from 299 euros, the original board must of course be on site. You will also need two tension belts, silicone & syringe, sandpaper, pencil and some cleaning agent.
Board protectors - what the pros say
Christian, how did you come up with the idea of building the protectors and where did you get the expertise from?
Our producer is a former motorbike racer and is very familiar with the processing of carbon fabric. When he started windsurfing, he quickly realised that carbon boards don't stand up to much. Like many other surfers, he had problems with mast impacts on the bow and was looking for a solution. However, the GRP nose protectors from the manufacturers were too heavy for him, so he developed his own carbon protector. The high impact resistance is achieved by the material used, which distributes the impact forces over the entire protector. Carbon often breaks when biaxial or unidirectional fabrics are used because the impact forces are not evenly distributed, but only directed in one direction. More impact-resistant fabrics are often not used in the surf industry, presumably for cost reasons. The exact current composition of the protector is of course a secret.
How did you test the protectors?
We initially carried out impact tests with a 2-inch steel pipe on a board nose with a protector. The surface of the protector was damaged. We then removed the protector from the board to check whether the impact had also damaged the board. Result: protector damaged on the surface, board undamaged. We then gave some protectors to customers and acquaintances free of charge, as test riders so to speak, all of them taller than 1.90 metres and heavier than 90 kilos, preferably customers who were starting out with footstraps and gliding and, of course, 100-kilo lumps from the racing sector.
Critics of fixed noseguards say that the forces from a skid have to go somewhere and that the board under the protector is often damaged or the damage is transmitted to the unprotected underside of the board.
Under normal conditions, buckling of the nose is not possible! The impact force is distributed over the entire nose protector. We only had one case where the nose buckled: a customer was riding a Starboard iSonic at 68 km/h, the harness rope tore and the mast hit the nose. Without the protector, the board would definitely have been ready for the scrapheap and there is no evidence that the damage was caused by the protector. Unfortunately, competition boards are now built so thin and light that the durability of the boards has reached its limits. One layer of biaxial carbon fibre on the underside is simply not enough!
Harry, which protection has worked best for you?
As a centre, we clearly prefer the firm epoxy lugs and not the soft EVA pads. The protectors stay in place without any problems and don't come off on their own. However, this also makes it difficult to remove them, but all buyers of used boards are actually happy to have the protector. Only freestyle riders are bothered by the caps.
What are the arguments against foam protectors?
Thick EVA pads don't really look good, we wouldn't be able to rent something like that from us. They also "fray" quickly in continuous use because climbers often pull the rig over the bow when practising water starts. The fixed epoxy protectors are also adapted to the design of the boards, so you can't even tell from a few metres away that there is a protector on them. I recommend that anyone who can't gybe super safely and often takes a skidding fall should always use a protector.
But GRP protectors are heavy!
Sure, the extra weight is there, but after an impact with breakage you have to repair it anyway and the resin and glass for that weighs extra again. What's more, you then actually have a predetermined breaking point where the board often breaks again the next time you hit it. Sometimes you wish you could go back to the old boards like the F2 Sunset Slalom, where you could even hit it with a hammer and nothing would happen. But they also weighed four kilos more.
Mikel, how do I actually get fixed protectors off again?
The easiest way to do this is with a nylon strap (the safety strap around the original surfboard box is perfect) or a kite line. The tape or line can be stuffed between the board and the protector and then pulled back and forth like a saw to separate the silicone connection between the board and the protector.
Why don't you use the soft stick-on pads?
I also sell the ones that you clip to the mast and the feedback on them is also good, as with the stick-on EVA pads for the nose of the board. However, the problem with EVA pads is that although they offer protection, damage underneath can go unnoticed. Water can still get into the board through cracks under the padding.
Nose protectors - an overview
Foam protectors: Available from Gun Sails, GA Sails, ION and other brands. Easy to attach to the mast with Velcro. Price: 15-25 Euro
Board-independent, lightweight, inexpensive, easy installation
Only mediocre protection.
Soft noseguards: Self-adhesive EVA foam (Unifibre, JP-Australia) that can simply be stuck onto the bow. Different sizes available depending on the board. Price: approx. 50 Euro
Good protection, cheap & light, for all boards
Cracks under the protection can draw water.
GRP noseguards: Brands such as JP-Australia or Fanatic offer matching GRP caps to order. Price: 115-150 euros
best protection, often even adapted to the board design
Heavy; waiting time when ordering; only for certain models.
Carbon noseguards:Available from www.carbonprotect.de . Price: from 149 Euro
Best ratio of protection and weight, elegant look.
Only for certain models, higher price.
