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Finjak Toolfree

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Created by AndyrooMac > 9 months ago, 5 Mar 2021
AndyrooMac
TAS, 1925 posts
5 Mar 2021 1:44PM
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I recently brought a couple of these from the Finjak team in California and gotta say, they really are an AWESOME product.

The team are really great to deal with, could not be more helpful.

The devise itself is really well made and very simple to use. It replaces the screw and plate system that we normally use and installs in seconds, really well designed and easy to use.

For me I wanted one for when I shape a new board and i'm trying to dial in the fin placement, I can literally catch a wave then kick out and move the fin forward or back in the water in a matter of seconds and straight back to being a massive kook, really helpful... if only it made me surf better and helped me grow a man bun and beard...

Anyways, worth checking out and ideal for mids where the fin and fin position seems to be a more important in getting the best out of your board...

www.instagram.com/p/CLuwivsHM-G/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link






SP
10979 posts
5 Mar 2021 12:29PM
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They are a great idea. I went to get a few but shipping cost was high from what I remember so stuck with 3$ Chinese wonder bolts.

AndyrooMac
TAS, 1925 posts
6 Mar 2021 7:17AM
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SP said..
They are a great idea. I went to get a few but shipping cost was high from what I remember so stuck with 3$ Chinese wonder bolts.


Never been able to use those in the Tassie water to be honest, too f$@kn cold!

Also always found I could never get the cheap thinner screws as tight as I'd like so I have a bunch of the Alkali ones which are a bit more heavy duty.

With the Finjak, If you buy 4 the shipping is free, I brought 4 and sold the extra 2 on GT in about 2hrs so they come in at less than $20ea and yes, you can absolutely do without one but for someone who loves tuning that fin in just right on the mids, well worth it for me. I have a few mates after them now after seeing mine so we're about to order another batch...

thedrip
WA, 2354 posts
6 Mar 2021 8:45AM
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Select to expand quote
AndyrooMac said..

SP said..
They are a great idea. I went to get a few but shipping cost was high from what I remember so stuck with 3$ Chinese wonder bolts.



Never been able to use those in the Tassie water to be honest, too f$@kn cold!

Also always found I could never get the cheap thinner screws as tight as I'd like so I have a bunch of the Alkali ones which are a bit more heavy duty.

With the Finjak, If you buy 4 the shipping is free, I brought 4 and sold the extra 2 on GT in about 2hrs so they come in at less than $20ea and yes, you can absolutely do without one but for someone who loves tuning that fin in just right on the mids, well worth it for me. I have a few mates after them now after seeing mine so we're about to order another batch...


I tried them a few years ago, but found them really really stiff to loosen. Maybe I'm just a man child.

SP
10979 posts
7 Mar 2021 5:10PM
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AndyrooMac said..


SP said..
They are a great idea. I went to get a few but shipping cost was high from what I remember so stuck with 3$ Chinese wonder bolts.




Never been able to use those in the Tassie water to be honest, too f$@kn cold!

Also always found I could never get the cheap thinner screws as tight as I'd like so I have a bunch of the Alkali ones which are a bit more heavy duty.

With the Finjak, If you buy 4 the shipping is free, I brought 4 and sold the extra 2 on GT in about 2hrs so they come in at less than $20ea and yes, you can absolutely do without one but for someone who loves tuning that fin in just right on the mids, well worth it for me. I have a few mates after them now after seeing mine so we're about to order another batch...




Haha. Yeah they wouldn't be the best with cold fingers.

I might have to have another look at the finjak, sure there wasn't a free postage option when I looked.

515
819 posts
8 Mar 2021 5:00AM
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That does look like a great system for experimenting with fin position
Great that it works for fin tab either front or back so if you hit a rock and broke front tab you may be able to mod fin for back tab.
Actually if you did hit a rock with the Finjak on front tab you wouldn't break the fin tab - not that I hit rocks very often

A mate has that finger tight screw as above but never seen him use it and he always has fin at the very back of box and suggested different positions.
When I've experimented with position I like to shim my fins with Mylar around the base to give tight fit so no wobble in the fin box and feel the tip flex more in turns.

Daneli Returns
NSW, 160 posts
8 Mar 2021 10:34AM
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I'm a sucker for stuff like this - just ordered 4.

Lets see how long they take to get to make it to Oz !!

Thanks for the heads up AndyRM


AndyrooMac
TAS, 1925 posts
8 Mar 2021 5:54PM
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thedrip said..

AndyrooMac said..


SP said..
They are a great idea. I went to get a few but shipping cost was high from what I remember so stuck with 3$ Chinese wonder bolts.




Never been able to use those in the Tassie water to be honest, too f$@kn cold!

Also always found I could never get the cheap thinner screws as tight as I'd like so I have a bunch of the Alkali ones which are a bit more heavy duty.

With the Finjak, If you buy 4 the shipping is free, I brought 4 and sold the extra 2 on GT in about 2hrs so they come in at less than $20ea and yes, you can absolutely do without one but for someone who loves tuning that fin in just right on the mids, well worth it for me. I have a few mates after them now after seeing mine so we're about to order another batch...



I tried them a few years ago, but found them really really stiff to loosen. Maybe I'm just a man child.


Certainly not now dude, maybe they've changed the design.

Give the fin a firm whack in to lock/unlock and slides smooth back and forth in the box... super easy and helpful, just watch the vids on the link I posted.

I had to use mine on the Points Friday as the swell looked small and slow from the shore so I had the fin fwd where I like it. But once I got out there it was pretty round and fast so paddled out wide, flipped the board over knocked the fin out, slid it back an inch, knocked her back in and surfed for 5hrs... saved me a 30min dash back to the Van... Stoked.

AndyrooMac
TAS, 1925 posts
8 Mar 2021 5:54PM
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Daneli Returns said..
I'm a sucker for stuff like this - just ordered 4.

Lets see how long they take to get to make it to Oz !!

Thanks for the heads up AndyRM



Mine were about 2 weeks to Tassie, hope you like em.

dools111
VIC, 94 posts
9 Mar 2021 12:08PM
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No issues at all with losing fins? just concerned with the front connection and release mechanism replicating the fin touching the reef or sand and being pushed back leading to a lost fin. i've lost a fcs II longboard fin (box might have been a bit loose) so am a bit paranoid.. obviously you haven't had any problems?

I've also used a ratcheting type locking screw system which is a bit easier than the example above to adjust by hand out in the water (or equally on land as otherwise i just leave the fins in indefinitely!), a hinged fold over lever at the top of the screw tightens the final bit as you close it, then flick it up to loosen and unscrew further (sort of like a bicycle quick release hub set up). that works OK and can be released in the water, but I can't find them any more....

chrispy
WA, 9675 posts
12 Mar 2021 5:44PM
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What a great concept....but no matter what board I have the fin never goes into a box with ease or without a fight , much to say being able to adjust it in the water ...damn some boards/fins I struggle with on dry land ,and if they do go in easily ,I will generally pack them to make it stable...much like 515 says

AndyrooMac
TAS, 1925 posts
14 Mar 2021 8:10PM
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Select to expand quote
dools111 said..
No issues at all with losing fins? just concerned with the front connection and release mechanism replicating the fin touching the reef or sand and being pushed back leading to a lost fin. i've lost a fcs II longboard fin (box might have been a bit loose) so am a bit paranoid.. obviously you haven't had any problems?

I've also used a ratcheting type locking screw system which is a bit easier than the example above to adjust by hand out in the water (or equally on land as otherwise i just leave the fins in indefinitely!), a hinged fold over lever at the top of the screw tightens the final bit as you close it, then flick it up to loosen and unscrew further (sort of like a bicycle quick release hub set up). that works OK and can be released in the water, but I can't find them any more....


No issues at all with losing fins?

Not so far, It takes a decent whack to loosen the fin but the beauty of this is it doesn't break the fin and instead it still holds the fin in with the metal pin... I guess if you paddled away after a knock it could maaaaybe fall out but unlikely... I've played around with it quite a bit and seems very secure to me.


Have a bunch of Taswegians now wanting them after seeing mine so I might bring in a small shipment.

Chrispy, same for me but I find with this I can lock it in fast and toight... Here's a vid and i'll make one myself to show as well... I'll even use my Lovelace so you can rip me about my devotion

www.instagram.com/p/CMZDnxSheZ8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

SP
10979 posts
15 Mar 2021 10:17AM
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chrispy said..
What a great concept....but no matter what board I have the fin never goes into a box with ease or without a fight , much to say being able to adjust it in the water ...damn some boards/fins I struggle with on dry land ,and if they do go in easily ,I will generally pack them to make it stable...much like 515 says


I've been using masking tape down each side. Seems to swell when it get wet and locks them in good.

I think the fin jack thing has a warning on there website about tab at the front fins and to check the regularly or something.

Daneli Returns
NSW, 160 posts
22 Mar 2021 4:04PM
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AndyrooMac said..

Daneli Returns said..
I'm a sucker for stuff like this - just ordered 4.

Lets see how long they take to get to make it to Oz !!

Thanks for the heads up AndyRM




Mine were about 2 weeks to Tassie, hope you like em.


You were right Andy, box turned up today which was about 2 weeks.

Crap surf atm but end of week looking better to try them out.

Cheers

AndyrooMac
TAS, 1925 posts
8 Oct 2021 12:50PM
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Just thought I'd do a quick update after 6+ months of usage...

Still really happy with the product, it's just so quick to change and move fins and really reliable.

Two days ago I decided to try and thread the needle through a few dicey rocks at a really fun point wave... Needless to say I failed, made it through the haul but didn't realise that as the wave drained there was another rock to avoid and a pretty heavy collision was the result... The fin is really badly damaged, will likely become a 7" vs 7.5" as a result, the worst fin hit I've done, but the FinJak kept the fin locked in... Now just to fix the fin and Lizzy...











SP
10979 posts
13 Oct 2021 5:24PM
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Ouch, that sucks. Did it stay locked? probably snap the tab off with a fin screw..

AndyrooMac
TAS, 1925 posts
14 Oct 2021 4:08PM
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SP said..
Ouch, that sucks. Did it stay locked? probably snap the tab off with a fin screw..


Stayed locked... Checked straight away as I thought it might have knocked it out...

That said, I now only by fins with the fin screws at the back of the fin as it would be a different story if it was facing the other way.

surf1ng
SA, 72 posts
8 Feb 2022 10:57AM
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Great info and usage reports @AndyrooMac, thanks.
I stumbled on FinJak online the other day and had a good look - looks a handy tool.

I had one of those "thumb screw" style screws but it didn't work for me as a fin mover. Too awkward for me to undo with wet / cold hands in the surf (I probably did them up too tight as I always needed pliers to undo) and always kind of tricky to line up the screw with the nut hole when moving a fin. It worked fine when keeping a fin in the one position.

I like using FCSII longboard fins. But if I look to use another fin, I will make sure it is a fin with the screw part at the rear and a Finjak.
I am a sucker for these kind of "hacks".
Cheers again

AndyrooMac
TAS, 1925 posts
9 Feb 2022 8:29PM
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Yep, i'm still a massive fan...

I've locked and unlocked mine so many times and they stay locked in hard, they're like new. I was initially concerned that the mechanism may wear over time but it has not.

I'm not really a gimmick/accesorise guy but when something makes more sense and is more funtional/practical than what we are using I tend to go with it and these guys do all that.

Awesome product!!!



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"Finjak Toolfree" started by AndyrooMac