Hi All,

Had a rather odd problem on the weekend.

The fin screw on my Starboard Drive wouldn't catch the nut when trying to screw the fin into the fin box. This has never happened to me before, and it was all fine two weeks ago (when I previously used the board).

The nut still fit the screw on the fin when outside of the fin box, just not in the fin box, as if the screw was not long enough to reach the nut inside the fin box.

I've never had this problem with SUP or in decades of windsurfing. It really annoyed me since I drove 90 minutes from Melbourne to get to the waves on the Surf Coast.

I still can't work out what's happened.

a) Has the screw shrunk/contracted?
b) Is it the nut?
c) Has a layer of plastic etc in the fin box disappeared which now makes the nut further away from the hole in the fin where the screw enters
d) Something else?

Hey Ant,
Had the same problem with a starby, it was the flat brass nut that was threaded on the inside. Try both a new nut and bolt, as the bolt would have caused the threading. They should be available at any decent surf/sup shop.
Cheers WB

If that screw has got wet it has probably shrunk.

Just kidding.. Eat some Wheaties and with the board upside down get our left hand palm against the leading edge at the base of the fin.. and right hand palm on the rear of the fin near the tip.. and push.. You migh find that the fin will push into the box just a fraction and let the screw pick up the plate.. Good luck and don't cut your hand..

DJ

DavidJohn said...

If that screw has got wet it has probably shrunk.

Just kidding.. Eat some Wheaties and with the board upside down get our left hand palm against the leading edge at the base of the fin.. and right hand palm on the rear of the fin near the tip.. and push.. You migh find that the fin will push into the box just a fraction and let the screw pick up the plate.. Good luck and don't cut your hand..

DJ

Or in my case you cant do it by love, do it by force get a rubber mallet!

I have about 5 sets in the car at all times as I am prone to losing **** a lot :)

so from this we've learnt its important to have a good screw and if we dont it could be that it's too soft and we should get our mallet out. I think

Hi FA,

I have found a couple of boards where the recessed slot in the fin box is not quite even, same goes for the nut plate being less than symmetrical. If the nut plate is slightly (even .5mm) out, coupled with a box which is ever so slightly offset, it can make the screw impossible to align with the nut.

Turn the nut over or 180 deg. and try again. Should fix the problem. Have a look down the hole in the fin and see if the screw plate is perfectly lined up. If it is, maybe the fin hasn't pushed in deep enough to engage the first threads of the screw. Grab the back of the fin with a folded towel and give it a good wrench forwards from the trailing edge.

DM