Sunk fin box, use Solarez?

[Jon760]

Hello folks,

I'd like to get your advice if I can fix the fin box with a Solarez compound. If so, will the blue tube work? In my mind, I wanted to pry that box open, fill in just enough compound and replace the fin box into its place and dry. It would cost me between $50 to $75 to have a new fin box installed. Now that the board's quality is revealed, I am not going to invest anymore money into it. I hope the pics are in order and showing properly. Any other thoughts on how to DIY this fin box would be appreciated. Thank you.









I've had this board for two weeks now and took it to 3 sessions. I bought it from Degree33 Surfboards here in San Diego. It is a popout no doubt but it's a fun board and as a beginner, riding it made me felt like Johnny Utah for the first time. I was in love with the board but the quality is a let down however as you can see how thin the layer of epoxy was. Last Saturday, while the board and I were facing the shore with me on the port side (i.e. starboard side / port side because left / right is confusing) I got preoccupied with the new POV cam I have installed, a set came and must have hit the tail directly sending it either vertically or slanting towards me. The port side fin hit my right hand first then my right cheek like a slap as I try to do a brace position. I did not notice the damage until after 30 mins more. My cheek is still painful from that slap but its a blessing I have only nylon fins and not glass. Moral of the story is always face the horizon for incoming waves. Another moral of the story is you get what you pay for. From the looks of it, this board had "egg shell" quality which could crack if it falls onto a concrete.

I have a Torq board I have sold a week after I got this new one. This Torq already fell twice from a 4-ft wall onto a concrete pavement but you can see how deep the scars were and how thick the epoxy on this popout vs the Degree33 popout. Another moral of the story: I will just save and have a reputed shaper make a new one for me as I become comfortable with step-down boards (and some popouts do stand by the epoxy durability claim such as Torq). I am never going to buy any more popouts as their prices aren't that much cheaper than local shapers.

[kitesurfer]

You might be able to ying something together but honestly that fin box needs to be pulled out and replaced. Its not a difficult job to do and more than do able for anyone with ding repair skills.

KS

[Jon760]

Its not a difficult job to do and more than do able for anyone with ding repair skills.

KS

I don't think this board deserves anymore sophisticated job. I'll probably DIY it myself--sort of a training. Learning to surf and repair at the same time.

I did pull the box out. The fin boxes aren't cheap. Do you or does anyone know a cheap fin box set I can purchase online?

Thanks again.

[waikikikichan]

4 observations
#1 the Blue Solarez is for epoxy boards. Will work , BUT....... your board is opaque painted. Can you get the UV to cure the parts deep under the glass that the box is sitting on ? ( p.s. I like the Solarez brand compared to the other UV curing repairs. Make sure you softly knead the tube a bit, since the stuff has settled to the bottom )

#2 the infamous 3 plug fake FCS box. China made those to get around the 2 separate plug patent design. Repair shop will charge you more if you have those. Best option is to install the Fusion plug.

#3 shops want happy satisfied customers. Ask the place you bought it at if they have an in-house repair guy. They should cut you a deal for the repair.

#4 are you running a Quad set up with a Red Nubster trailing center fin ? Seems to be in the wrong way.

[Jon760]

#1 the Blue Solarez is for epoxy boards. Will work , BUT....... your board is opaque painted. Can you get the UV to cure the parts deep under the glass that the box is sitting on ? ( p.s. I like the Solarez brand compared to the other UV curing repairs. Make sure you softly knead the tube a bit, since the stuff has settled to the bottom )

Should I cut a rectangle and dig that box out, then apply the compound? If I let it sit for a month or so you think the parts deep will cure enough?

#2 the infamous 3 plug fake FCS box. China made those to get around the 2 separate plug patent design. Repair shop will charge you more if you have those. Best option is to install the Fusion plug.

FCS Fusion is one that is an 8-shaped box right? My current FCS fins should fit right into a Fusion, you think?

#3 shops want happy satisfied customers. Ask the place you bought it at if they have an in-house repair guy. They should cut you a deal for the repair.

I did went back to the shop. Unfortunately they don't cover damage from fin boxes and they told me these things are bound to happen. They instead referred me to a ding repair shop. He is right these things are bound to happen but his epoxy popout is also of dodgy quality. At least now I know.

#4 are you running a Quad set up with a Red Nubster trailing center fin ? Seems to be in the wrong way.

Thanks for spotting.

[waikikikichan]

"Should I cut a rectangle and dig that box out, then apply the compound?"
Your only making the hole bigger, the less you cut out the less you ned to fill. Do you have access to a Router ?

"If I let it sit for a month or so you think the parts deep will cure enough?"
It's UV curing. It needs sunlight or UV ( I use a UV flashlight so I can do repairs at night after surf ). Oh, and if/when you work with the two part liquid epoxy resin ( not UV curing in a tube type ) you need to be very exact on the proportions. It is not like PE resin where you can add more/less catalyst. Make sure to let a thin layer go off hard first on bare EPS foam. Don't add a large amount all at once.

"FCS Fusion is one that is an 8-shaped box right? My current FCS fins should fit right into a Fusion, you think?"
Looks like a big white peanut. Yes it will fit genuine FCS fins and your not genuine FCS type two tab fin.

How much was the quote at the repair shop ? for $50 US dollars it be worth the hassle.

[Jon760]

"If I let it sit for a month or so you think the parts deep will cure enough?"
It's UV curing. It needs sunlight or UV ( I use a UV flashlight so I can do repairs at night after surf ). Oh, and if/when you work with the two part liquid epoxy resin ( not UV curing in a tube type ) you need to be very exact on the proportions. It is not like PE resin where you can add more/less catalyst. Make sure to let a thin layer go off hard first on bare EPS foam. Don't add a large amount all at once."

I mean under sunlight for a prolonged exposure should penetrate and cure the resin.

"How much was the quote at the repair shop ? for $50 US dollars it be worth the hassle.

I figured I'd do that instead. Not worth the hassle and mess.

Thank you for your thoughts.