Just picked up my Quiver Killer and it has a warning label to make sure the vent plug is tightened before first use. Does anyone know if there’s a torque value for these things? If too little is going to let water in and too much is gonna ruin my board, I don’t want to get it wrong.
I’ve tried a couple times. They havent responded.
Use a coin to tighten it until it feels secure. There’s nothing more to it than that. It’s just a rubber gasket needing to be compressed for a seal.
Hand tight
You just need to compress the o ring. Too tight and you will push it out
Yes, plastic, self venting with a rubber gasket.
Coin? Mine only takes a 16mm socket. Uni just got back to me though and confirmed what you said. Slightly more than finger tight. All it needs to do is compress the rubber gasket. I ended up using a long socket and just my hands.
I don’t know how carbon foil boards differ from traditional fiberglass surfboards enough to appreciate the necessity of vent plugs, but I’ve never had one on a surfboard. Having any kind of opening from the inside of my board to the outside world gives me anxiety. Seems like a point of failure over time.
The need for a GoreTex vent has nothing to do with fiberglass or carbon. It’s all about the core foam and board volume. EPS higher volume boards are helped by venting. The higher the volume, SUPs for example, the more air inside that can expand when hot. There is a surfboard EPS manufacturer in Florida that never adds vents. Surfboards are low volume, so you weigh the risk of heat damage without venting, versus vent failure and or customers messing with the vent and pick the path of least warranty claims. EPS blank density plays a factor too. That FL surfboard brand is likely using 2 lb EPS, so even less air inside the core. Your foilboards are using 1 lb foam when made in Asia. Custom builders in the US usually use 1.5 lb. Lots of factors to weigh when a manufacturer decides to vent or not.
There have been improvements to the durablity of the Gore vents. Casica Engineering, the main supplier to US custom board builders, has switched to more durable Gore vent made by Donaldson Filters, where the cap doesn’t snap off when customers play with it, and it has a much more coarse and durable thread. But the cost has risen a lot.
Thanks for the education! Makes sense, everything has pros cons and you have to pick your battles.
With the price tags on foil equipment though I feel like everyone’s earned a two-page pamphlet in their board bag with care instructions and warnings. A single sticker with “Make sure it’s tight.” can mean different things to different people. I would prefer to be treated like I know nothing for a couple pages so I don’t do something stupid. It would probably reduce those warranty claims too.