Future Fin box busted: looking for advice.

General Discussion
1

 

post image wordpress

 

Brand new firewire rapidfire…still having nightmares about this, I was trying to fix a tiny ding on my nose and decided to check the whole board to fix any other spots, I find this…I don’t even know how I did it…It happened saturday and it was super low while I was out and the current way so strong I must have paddled in after ever 2 waves and walked back to my spot.  Must have happened while I was coming in and I was just being lazy and didn’t get off my board while it was low…

 

I can’t fix this myself, I really want to but I’ve never fixed a ding and I hear fin repairs are a bitch so I’m going to just leave it to someone who knows what there doing.

Whats got me worried is water inside it right now; since I don’t know how it happened I could have been out for an hour while it was like this.

 

I’ve had it in my bathroom for two days propped up with the tail down, bathroom vent fan on, and another regular indoor fan blowing on the ding.

Going to be sunny out the next fews days so I’m going to let it dry out for an hour here and there to try to get as much water out as possible.

 

My question I want to ask tho is there anything I can do to the board before I give it to someone to fix.

 

Can I route a hole around the fin box and take it out so there is more surface area for it to dry.

Also if you look at one of the pictures closely near the screw for the fin box, it’s cracked.  I have to get a new fin box right, if theres a crack than isn’t it pointless to try to put it back in, it’ll just leak right?

I’d rather do all this stuff by myself and buy the fin box before sending it to someone to fix.  That was he won’t rush thru with the repair and I can have it ready to go for him so all he has to do is add more foam, cut out the space for the new fin box, and reglass.

 

Is it easy to fuck this up or should I just go someone who knows what there doing and explain to him what I think should be done.

 

My main concern right now is I think there’s water in it and I really want to get as much of it out as possible the best way possible before I get it fixed for good

2

also meant to post these:

3

4

Pu or eps ? Pu doesn’t absorb as much water. Eps sucks it in like straw. You should be fine as far as water is it’s Pu. And if your not going to repair it yourself than don’t start routing holes into it. But I’m sure someone in here can give you advice on how to fix it

5

Ouch.  No damage to your fin on that one?!  You must have hit something pretty hard.

Firewires have EPS core so it may have sucked some water.  If you're going to have it repaired just take it in and let them deal. 

If you're going to fix yourself you'll find it easiest to have a plunge router, straight bit and Future jig.  Take out the set screw and get busy routing the box out by gradually increasing the depth of your cuts as you make multiple passes with your router. 

Once you have the box out it will be a good time to apply a fan and/or a little heat to dry it. 

If I was doing it I'd mix up some epoxy bog with a bit of white pigment and install a new box.  Let the bog fill in the crushed area.  Do the install/fill in layers so it doesn't heat up too much and melt your core.. 

Cap it with a couple layers of fiberglass.

Yes - you can definitely fuck it up so if you decide to try it be careful.

 

 

6

     Howzit dinkup, John hit it right on and I would just add that once ou get the old box out rinse the area with fresh water a couple of times and then start the drying process since you want to get all the salt water out of the foam otherwise you might have some problems later on. Aloha,Kokua