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Your opinion on utility of screws in fin box?

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GuillaumeCoteMenard
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Your opinion on utility of screws in fin box?

Postby GuillaumeCoteMenard » Fri Aug 09, 2019 1:07 pm

I owned a few surfboards in the past. On all those boards, the fins always fit snug and thight in their fin box. I always thought that the screws were there just to secure the fins "verticaly" into the box.

I've got a new surfboard with stock fins and box and there's a play of more than 1/16'' in length with the fin in the box. There is also a play in the other axe in the box, but this one is harder to measure.

In my case, the screws hold the fin in the 3 axes. Looks to me like a lot of stress and effort for those two small screws...!?!?

My problem is that i thight the screws at max before every session, but even with that 2 out of my 3 fins come loose after 15 minutes of riding. When I say loose, I mean really loose... At the point that i cannot ride the board anymore without tightening them again...

My question is: in your opinion, are those screws design to just secure the fin verticaly in the box or they're supposed to secure the fin in the 3 axes of effort?

Before anyone ask, the fins are stock. Never, sanded, grinded, etc...;)
Attachments
Gap central fin.JPG
Measurement gap central fin.JPG
Object into gap central fin.JPG

norcom
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Re: Your opinion on utility of screws in fin box???

Postby norcom » Fri Aug 09, 2019 1:34 pm

Do you have a different set of fins to try? The issue may be not in the box but in the fins themselves. Did you check if all the fin boxes are the same length? Are all your fins the same length? Do all the fins have this gap?

I've had issues with fins loosening and all I did was crank the screw down more. The fins will develop a notch where you crank the screw down and sit tighter over time. But cranking the screw down can and will strip the threads and you may need to tap new threads or use a larger screw.

This is a pretty easy fix, just add material to the end of the fin. Jam something in there and tighten the screw and see if this solves your problem. I'm guessing you're just not tightening the screws enough. I wouldn't mess with the box though, your next set of fins might end up being too long if you shorten it. Not sure what box that is but you could probably find the design specifications online and measure to see what's over/under sized here.

Edit:
Search shows those are "North Surf Fin TS-M Pro 1" fins. But I can't find any Futures boxes with a s crew on the side. Is that a Futures box? Do you have the lip at the back that's supposed to fit the fin? Maybe that was ground off at the factory by accident? Or I'm missing something?

Edit2:

LOL ok, found this now:
"All boards now come with our own Futures Fins compatible fin boxes. Two side set screws and no rear tab allow for a wider tolerance of fin fitting and ensure a perfect and tight fit every time whether you’re using our high-quality composite fins or any stock after market Futures brand fin. Easy to install and uninstall even with Sand and Salt."
https://www.inlandsea.com/p-4203-2019-d ... t-csc.aspx

Seems like that was the idea. Just tighten the hell out of them.
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FuturesRearFinBase_Drawing_display_large.JPG
Screen Shot 2019-08-09 at 8.40.55 AM.png

GuillaumeCoteMenard
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Re: Your opinion on utility of screws in fin box???

Postby GuillaumeCoteMenard » Fri Aug 09, 2019 2:56 pm

norcom wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 1:34 pm
Do you have a different set of fins to try? The issue may be not in the box but in the fins themselves. Did you check if all the fin boxes are the same length? Are all your fins the same length? Do all the fins have this gap?
I also tried 2019 Duotone brand new fins and the gap is the same. Tried also genuine Future fins, same thing.
The "problem" is with 2 out of 3 box, the third one fits tighter. The 2 "faulty" box are longer than the other one.

norcom
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Re: Your opinion on utility of screws in fin box???

Postby norcom » Fri Aug 09, 2019 3:32 pm

GuillaumeCoteMenard wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 2:56 pm
norcom wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 1:34 pm
Do you have a different set of fins to try? The issue may be not in the box but in the fins themselves. Did you check if all the fin boxes are the same length? Are all your fins the same length? Do all the fins have this gap?
I also tried 2019 Duotone brand new fins and the gap is the same. Tried also genuine Future fins, same thing.
The "problem" is with 2 out of 3 box, the third one fits tighter. The 2 "faulty" box are longer than the other one.
That gap is a FEATURE straight from the horses mouth. Check their 2017 Catalog on page 59 https://issuu.com/snowsport_pl/docs/nor ... rding_2017
"no rear tab allow for a wider tolerance of fin fitting"
This isn't a standard Futures box and probably used to save some money. If you have the side holes as shown in the North fins pictures I posted, make sure the screws line up with the holes on the side of the fin, CRANK it down so the screws go into the holes and ride!

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Re: Your opinion on utility of screws in fin box?

Postby BWD » Fri Aug 09, 2019 3:37 pm

Cheap maunfacturers using proprietary ($0.50) boxes instead of real, expensive ($1.00) futures ones...

GuillaumeCoteMenard
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Re: Your opinion on utility of screws in fin box?

Postby GuillaumeCoteMenard » Sat Aug 10, 2019 1:27 am

I knew about the wider tolerance... I can tell you that they accept wider tolerance for real... Even too much...;)
But that’s weird that 2 out of 3 have this huge gap and the other one fit thight and snug...
I would have prefer a gap with standard Future box. I would have just wrap a few layers of electric tape to the fin until they fit snug into the box.
But with those box with screws on both side and none on the rear, i can’t use the electric tape trick... Cause the holes on the fin don’t align anymore with the holes on the box when « widen » with tape...

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Re: Your opinion on utility of screws in fin box?

Postby Matteo V » Sat Aug 10, 2019 4:44 am

BWD wrote:
Fri Aug 09, 2019 3:37 pm
Cheap maunfacturers using proprietary ($0.50) boxes instead of real, expensive ($1.00) futures ones...
North used some super light thin boxes on a 2011/2012 board I owned. Then they covered up the outline of the fin boxes with paint. Only when you broke out the boxes did you realize that they were not actual futures boxes, nor were they even a good attempt at a copy. But they were super light weight. "Just pick up the board - see how light it is! That means it it very high tech and worth the money it costs."


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