I have apparently stripped the guts out of one of the plugs that holds a footstrap screw in the board.
What's the best way of fixing it so that it will hold the screw in, and still let me move the straps from inner to outer positions as conditions demand
get some 24 hour araldite, or whatever the strongest version is, with the two tubes that automatically mix together. make sure the screw hole is free of dust, etc, mix up some araldite and bang it in the hole, without over filling if you can help it. after a day or so drill into the araldite with a bit that is smaller than your screw thread (obviously, and without going too deep). then put the screw back in there, which will tap a new thread for it. i did it on one of my boards, worked a charm, haven't had it bust out yet, although it hasn't been used loads and i only have the straps in one position.
na trying to epoxy the hole don't work, as soon as you tighten the screw enough to stop the strap moving, it will pull the epoxy out the hole..
it seems to have worked really well when i did it... as a cost effective method it's easier than replacing a plug
Filling the hole and drilling a new one sounds like a good way to proceed to me. If Araldite isn't going to hold on, and I don't have any anyway, what about this stuff called Sikaflex that I used recently to glue a nose protector onto another board? It seems to stick very well so far
Sikaflex is very strong (used to attach car body kits in areas that cant be screwed) however it drys to a rubber like consistency that I doubt would hold very well. The Araldite may be worth a go, as it usually drys with a little play in it. I wouldn't use anything that dries too hard as it will most likely will crack under footstrap pressure and let go.
Personally, I think the bigger screw would be the most fail safe method as long as the screw you use isn't longer than the original. You could also use some plastic spaghetti that hardware stores sell for screwing into holes drilled into concrete and masonry. That might work as well.
The best stuff is the Loctite Thread repair . I don't know the exact product name but have a look on the Loctite website .
I am not sure you can just drill a new hole! I think there are actual footstrap inserts in your board that you screw the straps into.
I think if you want to move your straps regularly then you will always strip the insert eventually.
Last year I pulled a screw out. I tried a thicker screw but it pulled out after a little while. I tried epoxy and other different glues etc, but they all pulled out againb. Eventually I had a new insert put into the board, and all was great again.
There are a couple of guys who can do this, I had to hand over my board for 4 days to get it done but it was worth the wait and cash. Nothing is more annoying then having to cut a session short because the strap comes undone. I dont get on the water enough to be ok missing sessions because gear fails.
PM me if you want the details,
JB
Lokk at the Starboard site under products/product assistance ?repair guide . the stuff is loctite 81668 and it tells you how to do it . Hope I've helped . Regards Martin
