Another question for the brains trust...
Probably the answer is that I shouldn't be so cheap and should buy a new board, but given my wish to sail in the most cost effective way I can I have just purchased an old wooden starboard isonic76 w55 from 2008.
Reasonable nick mostly, but on the bottom deck, there was some spray paint and cracks showing through running with the wood grain. There are a few, mostly in one sort of 5 cm wide band running a lot of the length of the board, and a couple in other places. They just looked like surface cracks, but I figured; give it a light sanding (440 grit, dry) and see what's underneath. Much to my surprise, I found wood directly under the paint. I thought there would be a layer of glass/resin keeping the water out of the wood, but it seems not. Looks like just some white paint over the wood. It is odd because there are only these grains sticking up in some patches
Is this normal, or has this board had some kind of dodgy repair?
What should I do to fix it? It doesn't seem structural but it also doesn't seem right that the wood is exposed directly to the water. I don't really want to run a layer of glass over the whole deck, that will make it heavy, and be too much work. I thought maybe just mix up some epoxy and run it over with a scraper and try to get it to soak into the wood if it can? All ideas appreciated, but hoping I don't just have another shed decoration.
Step 1 - sand back bottom $0.50
Step 2 - apply SCA Spray Putty $11.00 (Super cheap Auto)
Step 3 - sand smooth with say 340 grit
Step 4 - Spray SCA Primer Filler (it's grey) $11.00 (Super cheap Auto)
Step 5 - Sand in direction of water flow
Step 6 - Sail - Priceless
Can skip step 1 & 2 if not too precious.
Here's one I prepared earlier www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Delamination-repair-iS97-2012-wood?page=1#13
^^^ depends on how precious is the key I think
The wood needs proper protection, resin all over to properly soak in and sand back, then quality paint would be ideal.
Sausage's method is not the gold standard....
But on the other hand its 10 y/o already, sanding back an expanse of resin to be proper flat is not ideal for a beginner, and what are we trying to achieve? Water tight and another few years maybe?
So whats your priority?
OH yeah, and its not a dodgy repair, that was normal. It was thin paint over wood with a 'do not expose to the elements' warning 
It can't have just paint over wood, the paint wouldn't penetrate nor stick much. I can't believe Starboard would paint over wood alone.
If the wood is black it's been compromised.
for the upper deck on a board I redid, Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer. Then paint.
i have seen Hypersonic's , not so bad but worn , and a wood Acid that wanted a major repair. .
Marine resin may work to penetrate, it's not epoxy, it is more a top layer coat, cheap in cost, compared to the CPES I mention above.
Sand, paint on resin, scuff up resin, spray with etch primer, optional spray with a colour to make it look pretty.
Yes some starboards only had a paint or a resin over the wood, cheap and nasty.
Step 1: open up seabreeze buy&sell.
step 2: look up 76l isonic wood.
step 3: discover Subsonics listing, 76l isonic wood (which doesn't have cracks)
step 4 purchase board dirt cheap.
simples.
In all seriousness its down to how nuts you want to go about it/how long do you want to sail the board for? If its something you want to have long term then look at doing it like mark said.
if you just want to get on the water asap then go with sausages idea. I gave up on worrying about wood grain cracking, having owned my fair share of wood isonics. Just clean out the damaged stuff and fill/sand/prime/paint.
I found this old thread with a very good link to White Lion Windsurfing blog....
Isonic wood bottoms did not have glass all the way, just around the finbox and the rails.
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Help-its-cracking
Thanks guys!
I have done some board repairs before, but this is my first wooden one. I'm SO surprised to find the wood so close to the surface, thought there was something wrong with my one.
Sausages suggestion is about my budget, but I would like it to last as long as possible.
I'm interested in what Mark would consider a "quality paint"? Is that something I can get in a can, or do you mean 2pac?
The photos on powersloshin's thread look just like the damage on mine. Only hope my fix turns out as well,looks like you invested a lot of time and effort into yours. Not sure I have that much spare time at the mo. That link to white lion seems to address the exact issue too, thanks.
Thanks so much for all the info guys,makes me a bit happier that I'm not the first to see this.
also, powersloshin, how is that repair holding up a couple years on? You still got the board?
I have passed it to a friend, will check with him, but I am sure 2 coats of epoxy and respray in white would last for many years, its not a big job
