Can you place a modern center fin box into an old waveset box and glass it in. I was thinking of purchasing a newer 8" box and drilling the matching 2 waveset holes in it and then mounting it in the waveset box then glassing over it for strength. This way I can pic and choose the fin that I would like to use. The board is a late 60’s early 70’s 7’10" Tanaka.
Thanks
Chris
Hmm…
Seems to me a question like that has come up once in my past.
I think when you glass over, you seep resin in between the two boxes, making one solid FU (fins unlimited) box…permanently.
And if you don’t glass over, you will rip the base out of the sides of the fins unlimited box. I suspect a stronger Chinnook box is slightly wider in the outside, making fit impossible.
My powers of recall diminish as I get older.
bondo-it works wonders…
You’ll find yourself doing a lot of machining to that Fins Unlimited box to get it to fit, which will weaken it considerably. A Waveset fin base is considerably narrower ( and tapered ) compared to the more modernBahne/Fins unlimited box. I’d use something like a construction adhesive to bed it in, plus a couple of screws as you mention rather than glassing it in. Glassing it in is gonna do a number on the ‘collector value’, so there’s that to consider too - might as well go whole hog and just fit the Fins Unlimited box in there with a router if you don’t care about the collector value.
Another approach is to find an old Variable Waveset insert and modify it and the sliding steel threaded piece in it to accept a newer type fin. You’ll wind up modifying the fin base too, but thats a nice installation, albeit not awfully strong. If you find one insert you may find a bunch, as the variable waveset replacement fins ( as weak and miserable a fin system as has ever existed ) were sold only as a unit with the insert. When the fins broke, we’d open up a new fin-insert unit, toss the insert in a box someplace and replace the fin.
Then there’s whittling fins out of HDPE cutting board material - it’s a little time consuming, but it does work.
That’s the best fix that doesn’t involve plunge-routing the old fin box to accept a Fins Unlimited box glassed in as you would with a new installation , which I have done for people from time to time. Handy hint- with that method you want to get the steel inserts in the Waveset box using a hammer and an old screwdriver, 'cos when a router bit hits that square 1/8" steel wafer it tends to do nasty stuff, finbox jig or no finbox jig.
It might be a better move to rout around the Waveset box ( 1/4" oversize in all dimensions) to the same or slightly deeper depth as the box , pop it out ( would probably have to rout through the box a few times to get it out in sections) , glue in some foam or some nice wood, shape that to even with the bottom and then rout that out to accept the fins unlimited box glassed in - cleaner installation, but it requires two jigs and more time. Haven’t tried that one yet but there’s less potential for things going very, very wrong.
hope that’s of use
doc…
I’ve called around today and left messages at the all the fin companies to see if they have any WaveSet fins around. But I’m thinking of doing this. Buy an 8" fin that I like and mold a new Waveset fin into the box. I figure I’ll put the Waveset bolts in then coat the box with either wax paper or butchers wax and place my fin in there and wrap fin rope around the new fin. Then pour in my resin and once it becomes hard work the new fin out of the box. Hopefully the butchers wax or paper will allow the fin to be removed. and I’ll have my bolt holes already in the new fin.
What do you guys think? A local shaper in NJ said to do this.
Thanks
Chris
I could be wrong as my memory has been fading for a few years.
Isn’t the WAVEset fins plastic flexy flyers?
I know some were resin reinforced flexy flyers.
So installing a fiberglass fin might rip/crack the original box.
Installing a flexy flyer synthetic material fin would work, for sure.
I remember someone telling me they were made of lexan. I would have no idea where to get a lexan fin anywhere. Alot of shops have cheapy plastic fins for about 15 bucks. I’m not sure if it would crack the waveset box as the fin that I would be making would still have the two bolts installed to lock it into the box. I guess the fin rope would allow alittle flex around the new fibreglass fin even though it would be resin filled. But I’m really not sure. Never did anything like this before.
Those 15buck cheapy’s are like the high end fins used in those boxes.
Seems the holes would elongate with very little use, and soon tear out of the board.
But it will work for sure for awhile, and you might as well do it.
Not a bad plan, as I can pretty much safely say that there’s no ‘new old stock’ waveset fins around. Occasionally one comes up on eBay, but not especially cheap. Believe me, I’ve looked. As have a number of other people. Now and then somebody talks about making a set of injection molds for the box but you’d almost have to be a manufacturing engineering student with a thesis project to do it cheap enough to make it worthwhile.
You might want to lay a few strips of pre saturated cloth alongside the fin ( or bed the fin in 'em, folded under - a Fins Unlimited fin is shallower-based than the deep part of a waveset base ) to mostly fill the box, to get it in position and give it more beef than just fin rope - plain resin which will crack. Make it a very slow batch, or else it’ll heat up and melt your wax and likely crack besides - use something like the mold release wax or polyvinyl alcohol or paint in a healthy layer of melted paraffin wax ( probably the best idea ) instead of wax paper or butcher’s wax as I kinda doubt those will really do the job. Wax the bejeezus out of the fin screws or leave them out entirely and drill for them later, as if they get resin in the threads you’ll never move 'em.
hope that’s of use
doc…
Thanks Doc, Hopefully I’ll get something to work. Its a neet shape that I would really like to ride.
Good luck, man, and keep us posted on how it turns out, as this is a problem I run into often enough that I’d like a better way to tackle it than either modifying a variable waveset insert ( which is kinda weak ) or whittling something out of 1" HDPE cutting board material ( which isn’t a lot of fun either and is so time consuming that I really lose money on it ) . There’s quite a few still-functional boards with the long waveset box that are idled due to busted fins.
Best regards
doc…
See the this link for chasing down a new fin. Juan in FL def reproduces them (also the old Hobie style too). If I remember correctly, he sells 'em for 125 or 150.00. I was never able to catch up with the CA lead.
http://www.swaylocks.com/cgi-bin/discussion/archive.cgi/read/10811
Or, give George a call at Surfer Supply in Ocean City, NJ. He seems to try and keep an inventory of old fins. 609-399-8399.
I also caught a tip on setting a new style fin in the old box with silicone until you find the direct fit. The silicone glue would be easily removed as opposed to resin or other. Although I question this method for flexing reasons - maybe a shim(s) and use the silicone???
Best luck - hope something helps.
HerbB
Hey Guys....
Best way to get a fin for the board? make a replica mould from an original. I have my board making doing this (Qualified boat maker, surf ski, soft tops, surfboard and fin manufacturer) for me. Currently have six different coloured fins for my VEE bottom Tracker. Only problem is that the wave set fin that you copy is the only style you can have.
Chris,
You're on the right track with the molding idea. But I would use milled fibers instead of trying to wrap rope around the fin base. I also would not leave the screws in. You will get a little resin leakage where the screws go into the box. Instead, tape off the bottom of the box carefully with 3M 233 tape to seal up the screw holes. Then coat all the inner surfaces with wax to act as a mold release. The fin should pop out fairly easily after it cures. You will have to drill the holes and probably mill down the bottom of the fin. You don't want your new fin resting on the bottom of the box. The base of the Waveset fin has tapered sides, so it wedges down into the box. This method produces a rather heavy fin, so you can drill holes side to side through the base of the new fin to lighten it. Also, don't do this with a cheap plastic fin as the resin won't stick to it.