So my favourite S1 Pro has slight damage to lower leading edge. Compliments of murky water n sandbanks.
Its beyond just sanding. Hardly worth mixing any epoxy to repair. Youtube repairs carbon parts using Superglue n Bicarbonate powder. Sets rock hard.Then sand as usual.
Is this ok on fins?

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olskool said..
So my favourite S1 Pro has slight damage to lower leading edge. Compliments of murky water n sandbanks.
Its beyond just sanding. Hardly worth mixing any epoxy to repair. Youtube repairs carbon parts using Superglue n Bicarbonate powder. Sets rock hard.Then sand as usual.
Is this ok on fins?

Sounds OK, give it a try, take some photos and let us know

I had no idea youtube did carbon repairs? Do they do them at head office? Or do they outsource?

I'd hate to think anyone was using this method to do structural carbon repairs, but filling in small fin edges (where youre just seeking to get the shape back) is probably the perfect application to give it a go. I can't see anything eating anything, and the worst that could happen is it falls off and you start over.

give it a go i say.

Subsonic. Judging by the vast array of topics on Youtube, Id reckon they OUTSOURCE. No one human could possibly DO or know SOOOOO MUCH.
Technically speaking YOUTUBE has changed the world right before your very eyes. Like Wow!!!
One Carbon fin repair comin up!!

Hey oldskool,
I've done plenty of refoils, start off with 40 grit and get a new leading edge then sand both sides to a foil shape. Use your first two fingers with fin in between to check shape.
Drop to 80 grit, 120, 240 if you're fussy.
Another option is check out the weed fins so you miss those sand banks.
Cheers from windless Auckland

Well upon re thinking, im wondering how bicarb is going to go if any of it makes contact with water??? What exactly was youtube repairing?

^^ All kinds of things. But none were to be immersed in water. Ive just completed applying the superglue n bicarb. Will sand it later. The bicarb chemically reacts with the superglue. Setting it even quicker. Almost instantly. Apparently increases the glue strength as well. See how it goes. Nice n quick repair so far.

Does the bicarb work as a rising agent, i.e. entraining air, or is it a filler adding bulk?

Superglue sets in the absence of oxygen..... a drop on the bench won't set for ages, but put your finger on that drop on the bench and hey presto! Instant bond.
So the grains in the powder get all stuck together as all those little things touching each other makes it set.
Many powders would do the same - bulk up and also as a bonus make it set.

Some smartarse called it Rapidfix and sold it at ridiculous prices in auto stores a few years back..... some youchoober just figured it out


Anyway I feel for you olskool- the fin repair that is halfway between just sand it out, and a proper building up with glass and strong filler, is a hard one. The repairs at either end of the spectrum are much easier than the inbetweeny one
Small amounts of filler fall out too easily.
Lately I've been removing more of the fin first, putting a few layers of glass on as a "rib"then a mega hard filler like JB Weld on both sides of the glass.

I can see for the in beteweeny repair, the superglue on may work well as superglue will soak in to the split laminate well with capillary action and thus key into the fin well, and the filler you made will be nice n hard

Spot on Mark! Just finished n sanded. Slight colour change. But bond is super strong n mega quick to do.
John340 The bicarb just bulks it up n sets the superglue super fast.
I sanded using 240 n 400. Easy as, looks great. Mega quick repair.
The real test will be the next sandbank i fang into at full noise. Will report back. Wont be too long im sure. 51cm fin n Last of the Run out tide at GB = super flat shallow murky water. My Nemesis....

So was it - put superglue on then sprinkle powder? That is how the Gucci-priced "Rapidfix" worked I think

Or mix bicarb into superglue then apply?

Works well on a carbon fin, with graphite powder instead. Best done with a new white t-shirt on,

Mark, apply superglue then sprinkle bicarb. Sets pretty damn quickly. None of this leave it overnite stuff. You could easily repair a fin at the beach n be back on the water in 10min.
I keep superglue in my kit. My older boards footstrap plugs are well worn. Bit on the screw n tighten. Also works great for quick fix to seal a minorly cracked board. Apply a few layers n youre sailing in no time. Easy as!!

Great info olskool, i shall keep some in my van from now on.

Yep. Being very much into Rc models before windsurfing. Bicarbonate and superglue are magic rapid set

lots of Youtube on the combination

sets like rock and waterproof

My brother as a LAME use to use it to fill little knicks in full size propellers - quick turn around repair

cheers Jeff
ps use it heaps on my fins. Careful using it on boards as superglue attacks white foam. There is foam friendly superglue from Rc model shops or HobbyKing

hobbyking sell big bottles of superglue real cheap ... just the thing for us bottom scrapers

cheers jeff

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pepe47 said..
Works well on a carbon fin, with graphite powder instead. Best done with a new white t-shirt on,

Can you buy carbon powder in WA or do you make your own?

Olskool, do you find the superglue is self leveling at all? Or did it become quite lumpy?

^^ Using bicarb leaves a rough surface, depending how much is used. By itself its mostly self leveling. Repeated layers of superglue will build up fairly smoothly. Ive done a Fanatic board that had a hairline crack which wasnt watertight n barely visible but substantial in length. 3 layers made it watertight. Have used the board many times since. Does the trick until i have another big stack n really thump it again or can be bothered to fix properly.

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Sparky said..

pepe47 said..
Works well on a carbon fin, with graphite powder instead. Best done with a new white t-shirt on,

Can you buy carbon powder in WA or do you make your own?

You can get it at bunnings. I think it's amongst the lubricants.

Graphite powder is normally used on doorlocks etc. Lets the key slide n unsticks tight lock mechanisms. Hmmm, great colour match for carbon fins as well. Nice one Pepe47!!

Thanks guys

Powdered graphite and hobby superglue.
Rock hard... and black.

i use MarineTex epoxy which is white
sand it wet and permanent marker to blacken it
joewindsurfer.blogspot.com/2012/03/fins.html
seems we all have our tricks

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olskool said..
So my favourite S1 Pro has slight damage to lower leading edge. Compliments of murky water n sandbanks.
Its beyond just sanding. Hardly worth mixing any epoxy to repair. Youtube repairs carbon parts using Superglue n Bicarbonate powder. Sets rock hard.Then sand as usual.
Is this ok on fins?

This sounds so stupid. I must have a fin with a nick somewhere....
Cant wait to try this.

must admit I didn't know what bicarbonate powder is...if you don't know it's Baking powder.

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forceten said..

olskool said..
So my favourite S1 Pro has slight damage to lower leading edge. Compliments of murky water n sandbanks.
Its beyond just sanding. Hardly worth mixing any epoxy to repair. Youtube repairs carbon parts using Superglue n Bicarbonate powder. Sets rock hard.Then sand as usual.
Is this ok on fins?

This sounds so stupid. I must have a fin with a nick somewhere....
Cant wait to try this.

must admit I didn't know what bicarbonate powder is...if you don't know it's Baking powder.

I guess you don't do much baking (-;
but as far as filler in super glue they are the same but try making a cake.

Yes my thoughts too. Baking powder is different.
I'd stick with Sodium Bicarbonate or "baking soda"

Baking powder has other stuff in it (tartaric acid and flour...?)


Anywya I'e always used epoxy particularly metal filled ones like JB Weld and its great, but for really small damage its hard to get it to stay there permanently. I'm loving this new idea as I can see it would be really good for the inbetweeny repairs- and easy to do in the desert for a ten min fix.

Yep its a GREAT FIX. Barreled across a few sandbanks late yesterday arvo. Ooops!!! No damage. So it seems a pretty tough resistant repair. Repair area cannot be seen, apart from where the original carbon layer was damaged/worn. Otherwise its invisible.
Happy days..

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Mark _australia said..
Yes my thoughts too. Baking powder is different.
I'd stick with Sodium Bicarbonate or "baking soda"

Baking powder has other stuff in it (tartaric acid and flour...?)


Anywya I'e always used epoxy particularly metal filled ones like JB Weld and its great, but for really small damage its hard to get it to stay there permanently. I'm loving this new idea as I can see it would be really good for the inbetweeny repairs- and easy to do in the desert for a ten min fix.

Now I learned even more. It's baking soda...not powder.

oh yes, I'm in the kitchen all the time with flour and stuff

Sandpapering for the glue on your fingers works quite well, You do have to poke things to see if its cooked!

The gell from dipers is a great filler , just give it a try

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Mark _australia said..
Yes my thoughts too. Baking powder is different.
I'd stick with Sodium Bicarbonate or "baking soda"

Baking powder has other stuff in it (tartaric acid and flour...?)


Anywya I'e always used epoxy particularly metal filled ones like JB Weld and its great, but for really small damage its hard to get it to stay there permanently. I'm loving this new idea as I can see it would be really good for the inbetweeny repairs- and easy to do in the desert for a ten min fix.

Normally corn starch not flour.
never thought of using job weld.