Loose / Wobbly Future Fin Boxes on Hellfire

[Nige]

Have a new Hellfire which is going real good, is such a good board but have a problem with the Future fin boxes.

Firstly was a problem of the rear fin grub screw going in at too low an angle and not locking in to the slot of the fin properly. After losing a fin, solved with next fins by filing down fin slot so grub screw would have some effect.

Second issue is with the fin boxes themselves being too wide (ie; fins don't fit snugly into them). Have a set of Shapers fins that fit ok but there is still a bit of play/wobble in them even with the screws tightened. This became really evident when I tried out some of my mates Future fins. They fitted so loose and there was so much play and wobble that I didn't bother using them. Tried the same fins + a bunch of others in an old board and they fit nice and tight, but all loose in the Hellfire.

My experience with Futures is that the fin boxes are usually so tight that it takes a bit of force to get the fins in and out, no play/wobble in them and very stable at the base. Its why I like the system better. Don't know how to remedy this other than putting a thin layer of resin along the base of all my fins to "pack" them out so as to fit tight. Although that would render the fins unusable with other boards + I can't try any others that aren't mine out.

I feel like I've ended up with a dud batch of fin boxes somehow. Has anyone seen or had any experience with this before? Any suggestions or remedies on how to fix it? This must be a Futures manufacturing thing I guess.

Love the board apart from this.

[prjwebb]

are you aware that there's 2 different depths of futures boxes? is it the front fins or the back? i believe the fronts are deeper than the rear boxes.
or is it literally side to side movement?

[Nige]

Yeah, side to side movement. Front and back. I've heard of it happening over time (searched the internet) where the plastic of either side of the fin box apparently gets compressed and the fins loosen up a bit, but not in a new board. Have tried all my fins in it and compared with my old boards and friends boards, and all agree they fit a lot looser than normal. Unless Futures have altered their manufacturing slightly???

[iggy]

Hit Chris with an email detailing the board, serial number and the problem and he'll get n contact with you shortly.

[Piha Local]

Hi Nigel, loving my Hellfire 6'4" [FCS!] more every time I surf it. On windsurf boards we used to shim the fin base with mylar or some other thin plastic sheet. Loads are much greater on a windsurfer than a surfboard so it should work well. Sticky electrical tape should work and can be removed easily also so you don't end up with a 'one off' set of fin boxes on your board.

[core personal training]

yep piha nailed it...gaffer/pvc tape etc...even seen plastic bags used...

[Nige]

Cheers guys, Andre at Ultimate Surf (local dealer) is going to sort out. Great customer service between him and Firewire. Wrapped with this forum and the whole Firewire community. Using layer or 2 of waxed lunchwrap paper at the moment, placing over the fin box then inserting fin and tearing off the excess. Seems to work quite well. Hamish, I agree with the stoke of the Hellfire, glad you helped put me on to it.

[Chris]

good to hear Nige.