Chipped fin.....repair or keep using

[Prancing monkey]

Hi folks. Had a lucky near miss with a metal groyne when my leash snapped, but unfortunately chipped my (second hand) new 4a when it washed up on a gravel beach.

Only a few mm or so on the tip; should I just keep using or will it start to degrade quickly now the inner glass is exposed? Have attached photos (iPhones need a clear fibreglass zoom setting; took ages to get one in focus!)

[billie_morini]

Whew! Close call! I'd simply smooth it up really nice with medium and then fine sand paper. Should be okay. If you think not afterwards, then apply very thin layer of mixed resin. Then sand to blend in.

[Prancing monkey]

Whew! Close call! I'd simply smooth it up really nice with medium and then fine sand paper. Should be okay. If you think not afterwards, then apply very thin layer of mixed resin. Then sand to blend in.

Which medium grit? 100-120 or finer?

See picture of the offending groyne at low tide. Nicely complemented by a big concrete pipe and other wooden detritus

[billie_morini]

Begin with 220
Finish with 600

[Prancing monkey]

Begin with 220
Finish with 600

Thanks billie_morini

Weekend job beckons!!

[billie_morini]

Begin with 220
Finish with 600

Thanks billie_morini

Weekend job beckons!!

Prancing, be patient. Do not over do it. You just want to clean it up to make it less likely to flake, chip, or split. In total, it'll require less than one-half hour. With that 600 grit, it's ideal if it's wet paper (black). Then you can literally wet the surfaces and paper to assure smoother surface, partially because removed material will flow away. Secret: add drop of dish soap to water. This provides additional lubrication and particle removal. Flush freely with water and/or soapy water. Still, with these extra suggestions, total effort should not exceed one-half hour. If it does, then you're either over-thinking it or sanding too much.

[Prancing monkey]

Cool. Thanks for the tips. My wife is on a hen weekend and also left me with a multitude of other weekend jobs (including looking after the kids) so I reckon 30 mins will be my max anyway!!

[billie_morini]

Kids... Amen!

[Prancing monkey]

I forgot to ask about the resin. Is something like solarez ok

[waikikikichan]

I forgot to ask about the resin. Is something like solarez ok

What you need the resin for ? You wont need it on that fin tip scrape.

[Prancing monkey]

It sanded down ok in the end; I thought the chip was deeper than it really was. Won’t win any beauty prizes but it went fine this morning

[billie_morini]

Hurrah! Looks good!
P.S. For future, know there are two "flavors" of Solarez: 1) epoxy board, and 2) polyethylene board. So, you need to know what resin your fins and board are made with.

[Prancing monkey]

Pu solarez is already my friend; a consequence of a gravel shoreline and shore dump waves at high tide!!

[Ratfinksurfer]

See picture of the offending groyne at low tide. Nicely complemented by a big concrete pipe and other wooden detritus

Where is that Prancing monkey? Just curious. Seems like a terrible hazard.

[Prancing monkey]

its on the approach road to a harbour next to Brighton (uk). The beach is on the other side of a big commercial port, so I guess the port authority may be responsible for it