Hi I am shaping a board for myself and was wondering if it would be best to use FCS or just glass on fins. I know the glass on is a lot cheaper and I am not going to be travelling much. The fcs does look good though. I have seen a couple fcs plugs break off and am not sure. How hard is it to put fcs in a surfboard? I imagine just using a cylinder drill bit like a leash plug? Thanks for your help Brian
Hi I am shaping a board for myself and was wondering if it would be best > to use FCS or just glass on fins. I know the glass on is a lot cheaper and > I am not going to be travelling much. The fcs does look good though. I > have seen a couple fcs plugs break off and am not sure. How hard is it to > put fcs in a surfboard? I imagine just using a cylinder drill bit like a > leash plug? Thanks for your help>>> Brian Forget FCS. Go RedX, future or glass-on. Good Surfin’, Rich
Just went through the same debate. I decided upon the FUTURE system. ROCK SOLID and oh so easy to install. AND CHEAP as well. I was making a Fish with a trailer and the total for the whole setup was a mere $23.00. Also the Future system is so simple to install. No special jig or silly templates to purchase. Just trace the fin box and route. That’s it. Fiberglass Supply in Washington carries the whole system http://www.fiberglasssupply.com/Product_Catalog/SurfSailcom/surfsailcom.html
For a first board, go glass on’s. One less thing to go wrong. I use a router to make the leash plug hole.>>> Hi I am shaping a board for myself and was wondering if it would be best > to use FCS or just glass on fins. I know the glass on is a lot cheaper and > I am not going to be travelling much. The fcs does look good though. I > have seen a couple fcs plugs break off and am not sure. How hard is it to > put fcs in a surfboard? I imagine just using a cylinder drill bit like a > leash plug? Thanks for your help>>> Brian http://www.viser.net/~anthwind/
If you want a strong connection and think you might want to experiment with the toe, cant, position, number or size of the fins go with glass-ons. I find them easier to alter than a fin system. Good luck. Patrick
Hi I am shaping a board for myself and was wondering if it would be best > to use FCS or just glass on fins. I know the glass on is a lot cheaper and > I am not going to be travelling much. The fcs does look good though. I > have seen a couple fcs plugs break off and am not sure. How hard is it to > put fcs in a surfboard? I imagine just using a cylinder drill bit like a > leash plug? Thanks for your help I think the main reason FCS is getting bad publisity is because the plugs are installed without attatchment to the deck. I’ve broken/dinged around the plugs 3 times now(just yesterday actually), but only on the centerfin plugs which is(on my board) not connected to to the deck. I might add that the only times the fin and plugs have broken have been when the fin has hit rocks. If you go with FCS make sure you connect the plugs to the deck using resin with a strong filler and reinforce the glass around the plugs. Good luck whatever you do. regards, Håvard
I think the main reason FCS is getting bad publisity is because the plugs > are installed without attatchment to the deck. I’ve broken/dinged around > the plugs 3 times now(just yesterday actually), but only on the centerfin > plugs which is(on my board) not connected to to the deck. I might add that > the only times the fin and plugs have broken have been when the fin has > hit rocks.>>> If you go with FCS make sure you connect the plugs to the deck using resin > with a strong filler and reinforce the glass around the plugs. Good luck > whatever you do.>>> regards,>>> Håvard If you go with FCS system do not add surfacing agent to resin mixture.Some installers add s.a. inadvertantly to make sanding easier,This is a no no. The plugs won’t adhere properly and will break out real easy. I replaced a plug in a Ben Aipa that they used s.a.in the resin mix. They ran out of the mix half way through the pour and by the time they made more mixture the first pour had gone off.The second pour did not adhere to the first pour and the plug came loose. I find that most problems with fin systems(any system) are caused by the installer and not the system itself.