I recently picked up an early 70’s Con Z Wingnose. It has a “different” way or securing the fin into the box… Does anyone know much about these boards and or the fix-box setup? Also I have an early 70’s ( 7’8” approx) single fin Harbour Banana….has a “modern” fin box , not much rocker and is at least 3 1/8” thick….does anyone know much about these?...Harbour has serial numbers on their newer boards (so you can track some history) but this board was made before then……
Guidance G System, maybe? With swallow-shaped notches in the fin-box? You insert the fin, then pull it back and it locks in? Here’s a 1970 Con ad where the system is mentionned:
I had a Con Deuce in the mid seventies. It had a stepped deck and 3 fin boxes. One large fin in the mid and 2 smaller fins each side. The fins were held in place by some plastic tabs that snapped in place. The tabs were 2 different sizes and you could adjust the position of the fins within the box by rearranging the tabs. Pretty neat idea for the times, unless you lost or broke a tab.
I remember the “wonder bolt” as being just a bolt with a hole drilled in its head, thus allowing it to be screwed in without a wrench, just your car key or some other small metal rod. Besides, the hole was also used to fasten your leash to it. (Those were the very first leashes being used at the time. We started drilling through the bases of fins to fasten them to, then came this “wonder bolt”, then suction cups on the deck, then fiberglass leash loops, and, in the end, the leash plug as we know it today.) But I can’t remember if the bolt was a specific Con device, or just an accessory made to match different fin systems of the time… Any old timer around?
I worked for “Control Products” in the late 70’s and sold a hell of a lot of “wonder bolts”. They were a patented steel screw with an eyelet on the top for the leash tie. They worked with “waveset” boxes and were easy to install and adjust.The problem with them was that if the leash stretched too far, the leash could dig a hole in the tail rail. As leash plug designs advanced, the bolt went by the wayside. I still have a few of them around along with the “Power Cord” and “Control Wax”