So i was fixing a board today, and had to get a couple of FCS fins out in order to do it. Except they were really, really, really, really stuck. I ended up having to use WD-40, as well as putting a C-clamp on each fin, and gently, using a wood hammer on the end of the C-clamp tap them out until they were loose enough to shimmy out by hand. I was afraid i was going to tear the boxes right out of the glass! So when i put them back in i decided to smear a little bit of marine grade grease onto each of the two tabs on the fins that fit into the fcs boxes. They slide in and out like butter now but i\'m worried that the grease was not a wise choice in the long run. Anybody ever tried using grease or anything like this inside a fin box? Any adverse effects? I\'m afraid the grease might just congeal/combine with sand and salt water and just make it even harder to get out next time... Or it could work perfectly... Any thoughts?
Don't use any petroleum based products on plastic/fiberglass! Lithium grease (like used at a bike shop) might be okay, but how long it'll stay put when surfed on is questionable. Take the fins out every once in a while and squirt them and the boxes with the garden hose to wash out the salt.
I agree with Mikey... I THINK what you really need is something to break down the dried up salt that gets stuck in the fin box- not necessarily a lubricant. I always used Windex- I just spray it on and let it soak- then pull the fin straight up and out.
