My neighbor has one future box that has lost 3 fins in the last 4 sessions. I looked at it, the screw appears to be moving fine, fins sit flush in the box, and its not visibly loose once its been tightened in. Theres no resin drops or anything in the box that would keep the fin from sitting properly. Any ideas out there? I told him that if we don’t figure anything out he should just glass a fin into the box and call it a day… but we’d like to avoid that (obviously).
The screw seems to be fine. without a fin it can be screwed down and out the bottom, so the threads aren’t stopping it short of holding the fin. We tested and pulled on another fin we put in, it didnt move at all.
@ Dave, do you mean the plastic piece in the back of the box? If so, that’s still there. If theres something else I should look for let me know and i’ll check it out
@ Mike, its a side box not a rear.
My guess was some sort of manufacturing defect, but if that were the case there would be multiple reports of it. If it keeps happening, do you think we should scuff the box and fin with 60 grit and just pour a little resin in the box and coat the fin base? I thought about using some glass rope but that might be just making more work for ourselves. Thanks all
the best possible explanation is that the screw isnt clamping down on the fin. tighten more. test if you can pull it out.
Make sure the pin built into the back of the finbox isn’t missing. Sometimes that can break out of the box. I’ve seen this happen with no other obvious damage to the box. Rare but it does happen.
Is this a rear (1/2'') depth box?
were these brand new fins ?
older well used fins ?
one of the " issues " i have with futures as the LITTLE tab that is where the grub screw hits is fragile and weak ( more so over time )
s_d, Yes the plastic bar or pin in the rear of the box that the rear of the fin hooks into. From some type of unusual impact this can break out. The box and install show no sign of stress otherwise. When you install the fin I suppose you are really pulling on it from the front and rear to see if its secure. Usually Futures fit really tight and are hard to get out of the box. I have a customer who broke out that rear piece in one box and he has been surfing it with a new fin and it fits so tight he hasn’t lost the fin yet. Good luck.
Dave
Are you using plastic production fins or composite fins?
~Brian
It happened with 2 old fins and 1 new fin. Oddly, while the fin sits flush its not tight at all until the screw goes in. I’m not super familiar with futures but it didn’t seem unusually loose, just not particularly difficult to get in and out.
It has been 2 plastic fins and 1 comp, which I believe would the the future equivalent of fcs’ performance glass.