Hey, I’m posting this for a friend of mine, he has a 9’1 epoxy longboard and the centre fin has just become loose in the box. It slides freely up and down in the box with the screw and plate in. Wondering if anyone has had a similar problem or if anyone has an idea as to why it is happening?? The box has no visible signs of damage
Thanks
Matt
put a layer of 6 oz cloth on the base, that should fix it. or you could shim it with some wood.
Easy fix: take one of those large diameter plastic straws (Wendy’s Frosty) and make an incision with a razor blade along the whole length of the straw. Place straw around fin base, insert fin into box and tighten screw.
maybe the nutsert in the tab pulled through
and maybe what the other guys said
easy fix!
matchbook cover.
herb
Back in my windsurfing days we used to shim sloppy fins with aluminum from tin cans. Cut with an olfa knife and fold small pieces around the base of the fin.
Hi Matt If the fin was working fine prior to becoming loose in the box inspect the box ,fin and mounting hardware very closely for cracks or stripped threads. If it’s just that fin it may be the mounting tab where the screw goes through is to thick so the fin doesn’t bottom out in the box. Tighten the screw and see if the fin rocks up and down on the pin you will be able to hear the plate hitting the rails in the box. You can either thin the mounting tab if its really thick or add some resin and fiberglass to the bottom of the fin so it bottoms in the box so the plate can create some tension to hold the fin in place. if you don’t mind playing with resin and glass. You can make a mold with masking tape on the bottom of your fin. the width ot the fin by about half an inch long the depth will depend on how much needs to be built up to make the plate create tension and how much sanding you are willing to do.
have fun Hannya
Put your board fin(s) up on a stable surface, gently rock the fin fore & aft, starboard & port. Does the box move under the glass (it shouldn’t)? Does the fin move excessively (other than flexing laterally in place)?
Check for water stains and soft foam around the box, both bottom & deck. A crack in the base of the box might manifest as a water stain / soft spot on the deck.
Take out the fin and the screw / plate.
Any visible cracks in the box? Check the fin base to tip for the same. Also the Screw / Plate (stripped threads, bent, damaged?) Has your friend clipped any rocks / bottom structure / garage furniture lately?
When the board dries after a session, does salt / more water show up around or in the box? (a few minutes of heat from a hair dryer or warm sun can cause water and salt to exit cracks and show where damage is)
Try another fin to see if the problem is your fin.
If the problem persists with a different fin, try a new (properly tightened) screw / plate.
If the problem persists with the new screw / plate (properly tightened), shim the fin per suggestions above.
If the problem persists, it might be time to try a new box.
I had a similar issue in the past on my 10’ pintail. Using the above method revealed a longitudinal hairline crack in the corner of my fin box that became worse when the fin was screwed down, allowing the fin to move inappropriately.
I would start by trying a few different fins in that board. If the problem exists no matter which fin is used, then the fault is in the box or plate. If another fin seems to fit snug, without movement, then the present fin is at fault and the previously described methods of shimming should be tried.
Kensurf, I've been trying to get my nutsert pulled through for years now.
The quest continues.
hey Tblank
your just not meeting the right women,,haha
but those brass inserts in the plastic tabs can pull through if the tab is upside down
rare but could happen
he did say the fin was sliding fore and aft so I guessing the tab or screw is defunct
Kensurf, "right" woman????
Does this creature exist???
Shall I read a little more into your board lable??
That had me laughing, Herb. Good old school solution. Cram some matches in there, top of your Zig Zag cover, whatever piece of garbage you find in the sand, crank it down.
Ken and tbank. I don’t know what you guys are into, but it sounds painful! Mike
just messin around heehee
I wonder if he broke off the pin
where are you Matt91???
whats the latest?
Hey guys, thanks for all the replies. It has been amazing help!
He put some duct tape on the bottom of the fin and it fits snugly now, so it looks like it was the fin!
Ill put some glass on it for him as a more permanent fix
Thanks again so much for all your help!
Im based in south devon, UK. Are there many UK swaylockers??
Matt