초록 ▼

A retainer is described for holding the fin box of a surfboard, windsurfer, or small sailboat very securely to the rest of the board to greatly resist breakout of the fin box from the board, which is of relatively low cost and of light weight. The retainer is formed primarily of foam of a density gr

A retainer is described for holding the fin box of a surfboard, windsurfer, or small sailboat very securely to the rest of the board to greatly resist breakout of the fin box from the board, which is of relatively low cost and of light weight. The retainer is formed primarily of foam of a density greater than the foam in the rest of the board, and is molded to the fin fox to bond thereto. The retainer extends up from the fin box so the assembly formed by the retainer and fin box has a height equal to the thickness of the unfinished board. A groove is cut in the unfinished board through the entire thickness of the board, and the retainer/fin box assembly is placed in the groove with the upper and lower surfaces of the assembly even with the upper and lower surfaces of the unfinished board. When the unfinished board is “glassed”to finish it (a strong thin surface layer is bonded to the surface), the bonding resin in the surface layer also bonds to the upper and lower surfaces of the retainer/fin box assembly to securely hold the fin box, thereby transferring loads from surface to surface. The retainer can include a plastic sleeve around the retainer foam.

대표청구항 ▼

In a water board which includes a rigid foam core of moderate weight per unit volume, having upper and lower sides, a stronger surface layer lying around and bonded to the core and having upper and lower surface layer portions lying respectively against said upper and lower sides of said foam core,

In a water board which includes a rigid foam core of moderate weight per unit volume, having upper and lower sides, a stronger surface layer lying around and bonded to the core and having upper and lower surface layer portions lying respectively against said upper and lower sides of said foam core, and a fin box with upper and lower surfaces lying in the core for holding the upper end of a fin that projects downwardly from the fin box, the improvement comprising: a retainer of rigid plastic foam lying in said foam core, said retainer having an upper surface lying substantially even with the upper side of said foam core and bonded to said upper surface layer portion, said retainer having a lower surface bonded to the upper surface of said fin box, and said fin box having a lower surface bonded to said lower surface layer portion, whereby to hold the assembly of the retainer and fin box to both the upper and lower surface layer portions to resist breakout of the fin box when the fin is pushed sidewardly.