Jimmy Lewis Boards

With proper care, your Jimmy Lewis board will last for many seasons of riding pleasure. Here are a few tips that will help you take good care of your board and it applies to most other brands.

Sun and heat are the enemy!  We highly recommend keeping your board in a padded board bag made with reflective or light-coloured material when transporting and storing. Do not leave your board in a hot vehicle for any length of time as damage can occur.

Boards can get hot enough in the sun to delaminate and/or soften up the adhesive on the deck pad, so try to keep them as cool as possible at all times. Boards are not warrantied against damage caused by excessive heat.

If your board is equiped with an air vent, it is maintainance free. They are very fragile, so don’t mess with them! If you’re in salt water, you can rinse it with fresh water from time to time to elliminate salt crystal buildup.

Don’t store your board in a wet board bag — dry it out before leaving it in a bag for any length of time to avoid paint blisters and mold.

When your board is not being used, place it deck-down on the beach.

Inspect your board carefully if you suspect that it has been hit on a rock or other hard object, or if you have run aground. If you determine that it will leak water, you must seal it before use! Plastic packing tape or epoxy putty can be used on small holes temporarily, but you should have the board repaired professionally as soon as possible. Duct tape is not recommended. Five-minute epoxy can be used in an emergency but it will have to be removed before a proper repair is done (it doesn’t harden up enough for a solid repair). If a fin box has any cracks that might allow water in, it should be replaced by a professional board repair shop.

Winter storage? You may let the board freeze without damage.

Paddles

Most people like their paddles cut to 10″ (25 cm) taller than they are; i.e. if you’re 6 feet tall’, cut the paddle to 6 feet,10 inches.  Wave riders often go with a paddle 8″ longer than they are, and distance paddlers sometimes go up to 12″ taller.

To cut the shaft, use a sharp, fine-bladed hack saw (a chop saw or table saw also work well).  Mark the cut with masking tape and rotate the shaft while cutting it so that it doesn’t splinter when you get through to the end.

Glue the handle on with two part epoxy and use plenty to ensure that it is fully sealed. Make sure the handle is straight before the epoxy sets by putting it on a level floor. If you use 5 minute epoxy, it’s possible to remove the handle later if the shaft is too long. Just bang it off carefully with a hammer.

It’s a very good idea to tape the edge of your blade so that it won’t scratch the rails of your boards. Use one or two layers of high-quality electrical tape, mastic tape, or SUP paddle tape. You might have to replace it every few months, but it’s cheap insurance.

Enjoy your Jimmy Lewis boards!

If you have any questions about care and maintenance of your Jimmy Lewis board, please e-mail us at support@jimmylewis.ca and we’ll be happy to help!