Technical & Performance

Is the plug heavier than fixed fins?

The fin system in its entirety is lighter than fixed fins. Special care has been taken to ensure that only the finest weight to strength ratio compounds have been used.

Is the plug heavier than competing fin systems?

There are numerous fin systems available internationally. In general the 4WFS is similar in weight, yet offers considerably more functionality.

Will the plug stay intact under heavy contact with another object?

The unique design of the box is designed to withstand significant external pressure whilst the disk and the fin are designed to snap off at strategic points ensuring that the box itself is not damaged. Nevertheless manufacturers are at liberty to determine the bonding strength of the box to the underside of the board itself by varying the strength of the resin mix.

Can you pull the entire plug out?

No - this is firmly embedded into the underside of the surfboard.

What about the deck collapsing?

No, the top deck won't collapse because the diameter of the ring appearing on the top deck allows for the foam to dent slightly under pressure without adversely affecting the integrity of the fibre glass.

What materials are used in manufacturing the fins, discs and box?

Specialised plastics and carbon compounds.

Will the system wear out?

No, the specialised materials selected for each component display very high durability properties.

What are the screws made of? Metal corrosion?

All screws are made from marine grade stainless steel and will withstand the rigours of an ocean environment.

How do you create the holes in the board to fit the boxes?

All holes use a router which is more accurate than a drill. For detailed installation procedures and specifications refer to the relevant installation guides available on this site.

What is the depth of the routered hole?

17mm or 11/16"

The dimensions of the insert into the board, particularly the depth?

Base length of oval = 3 7/8", width 1 7/8", depth of oval 1/8", depth of centre section (deepest) = 17mm or 11/16".

The total available range of tilt of the fin (splay) in relation to the surface of the board in degrees and if the inserts can be reversed to deal with severe concaves or inverted Veers?

4WFS fins are all manufactured with 6 degree splay inbuilt into the side fins. All discs can be easily reversed to cater for extreme V's and concaves.

MOST important, the total fore and aft possible movement of the fin within the insert?

A total of 3/8" movement with 3/16" backwards is available. Manufacturers also have the option of positioning the boxes for maximum movement forward or backwards.

What is the maximum amount of degrees possible per toe in/out?

From it's central point fins can be rotated 5 degrees in each direction.

Have you considered a cheaper and simpler rear fin installation that has only for and aft movement?

Yes, 4WFS have considered an alternative box for the rear fin. However, we want to retain the separate interface between fin and box in order for the fin to break away and not damage the box when hitting a reef etc.. It also allows for altering inaccuracies in installation by inserting alternative angled discs that compensate for human installation error.

Can you strip the screws? What then?

The screws are designed to withstand normal usage. Care must however be taken to ensure that the Allen key is fully inserted into a clean and debris-free screw head prior to fastening. If the screws do strip it is usually possible to remove them by inserting a standard T10 Allen key. Should the above alternative fail, it is then recommended that, in the case of the panhead side screws, the head of the screw is removed using a metal M 4.5mm drill bit. Note that the drill process must be slow (preferably by hand) as the screw head is stainless steel and may melt under high drill speeds. Once the head is removed, the disc can be withdrawn from the box and the remainder of the screw shaft removed by hand.

Will a small fin tab not create unnecessary instability at the fin base?

No, all 4WFS components have been designed with very demanding tolerances. This is particularly so with the fin tab and interdisc which provides for a very tight and snug fit even before the grub screws are tightend. In effect the fin doesn't "wobble" when inserted into the disc (unlike other fin systems which rely solely on the grub screws for primary support) An added benefit is that the smaller lug allows for an overall lighter fin as opposed to fins that have the lug extending over a significant portion of the fin base. Furthermore, the fin is more likely to snap at the tab under severe side impact rather than damaging the board itself. Finally the absence of a lug on the rear of the fin provides additional acceleration when coming out of carving or snappy turns. Note that for the very large 4WFS templates, the lug has been positioned more forward than usual and modified manufacturers installation procedures are available for this purpose.