Extremist 9'8" damage

[alap]

I just got a brand new Starboard SUP 9'8" extremist board. Sporttech construction. The board has minor damage.

Here is the slideshow:

http://picasaweb.google.com/andrew.lapides/Extremist_9_8/photo?authkey=pB_BWeOPmxA#s5192268956670822450

or if slideshow doesn't work, here is an album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/andrew.lapides/Extremist_9_8?authkey=pB_BWeOPmxA

if I touch it it feels like an eggshell crack (i mean one side of a crack is sticking up a bit)

If you have a minute could you advise me how this should be repaired and what is the extent of a damage

is it a cosmetic thing? (some paint layer haircracked, but isn't it a sandwich underneath it, and if sandwich is intacted then prolly it is just cosmetic - am I wrong?)

Is it easy for me to repair myself? I am not worried if the scars will be visible, I just worry about functionality. Most likely i should use file, knife, sandpiper and widen a crack (3 cm long), make the crack say 1 mm wide. Try not to damage anything underneath this eggshell and then fill this 1 mm* 30 mm area
with epoxy. is this the way to do it?

And also what is the construction? I mean, this haircrack is it in the paint or it is in the sandwich itself? BTW, this is brand new board out of the buble tape, and its certainly was damaged in the factory and then packaged very nicely. I can of course request exchange, but I am actually trying to go to the pass of least resistance.

thank you!

[steveC]

Hi alap,

I hate to tell you this, but it will be necessary to remove the damaged area to truly discern the extent of damage. If you elect to address the repair yourself, I recommend that you check out the BoardLady's website. It offers all you need to get the job done the right way. Unfortunately, the real hard part is getting the color matching correct.

http://www.boardlady.com/index.htm

[alap]

sorry, anybody from the Starboard team is reading this?

I have asked specific questions, posted pictures. I have a brand new board out of the bubble, with a damage (however big or small). This is not a shipping damage. The box is intact, the internal packaging (cardboard around rail) is intacted. It was packaged and shipped to the customer like this.

I do really need answers to the questions I had posted (about construction, the paint layer, is it a paint layer crack or the sandwich crack, waterseal (what is responsible for waterseal, the paint layer, or not), etc.)

advice from fellow surfers is appreciated, but I posted it in the "Ask the team" forum.

Thank you.

[Ola_H]

Alap, I don't know exactly how these boards are constructed, but I've asked some guys from the office to chime in.