On my very first run with my new board I dragged the fin through the sand, and now the bottom 6 inches or so of the leading edge is all chipped and scratched. (How was I to know I would cover another 30 metres after depowering the sail on my way into the shore? I've never travelled that fast on a board before !)

Anyway, I figure there are two possible responses:

A) What are you worried about, that happens all the time.

B) Oh no, you are going to spin out easier and go slower - get out the 640 grit, and sand that baby smooth again.

Which is correct?

Thanks,
Harrow.

Don't worry, it happens to everyone. I damaged two $500 custom fins. First one - nearly cried, second one - oh well! Just sand 'em out.

You wont feel a thing, you may experience spin out and it might make you 0.1 knots slower. If there is anywhere that may cause a bubble/distrupt flow on a fin that is the start of spinout. When most likely choppy conditions when your fin is leaving the water pretty regularly or when you are going your fastest which makes it potentially a bad problem if the leeward rail catches and trips (high speed faceplant/catapult here I come).

Generally as soon as you touch bottom jump off as it dosent often get deeper, if it's murky/your unsure at the very least tilt the board onto rail to keep the fin clear or even better start riding the nose.

Actually, I did have a couple of spinouts the following day (it was gusting to 30+ and lots of chop). One huge one on Sunday that never seemed to end.

I'm just amazed at spinout sometimes. How the heck can the fin travel sideways through the water at that speed for that long?

Anyway, out with the wet'n'dry.

Regards,
Harrow.

Sand with 80grit to get the right profile. Then use 240grit
to make it sharp and sand smooth with some wet and dry 400grit.

quote:

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Originally posted by decrepit

trouble with sanding each time you damage fin, -- fin gets smaller!
I normally sand once or twice, then build the fin back up again to original shape. Or you could use something like needit (stiff epoxy putty) to bog the damage, then sand that smooth. I don't think there's much speed improvement after 400 grit, but 800 lookes better.

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"each time", "normally"

It's a wonder they don't sell sandpaper in the sailboard shop !!!
(Uh, maybe they do, I haven't looked)

Regards,
Harrow.