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Techno noses and knobs
justal - 13-2-2003 at 19:30

In his recent Diary Entry IainW worte:

quote:

Big down side was little Brothers new board for Xmas a Bic Evo L 263 did not come off so good with an almightily crack under the nose. Is this a common problem with these boards? As I have a Bic Veloco 298 and haven??t had a problem.


Iain, I have heard of quite a few people having problems with the noses on their Bic Techno's, but I think its not just Bic boards that are affected, its more a product of the new shorter fatter boards which have relatively wide noses with little thickness in them. They are also just the right length for a boom to catch them right on the end.

This means that they present quite an easy and fairly fragile target for stray booms following a catapult and often end up cracked or completely snapped off. In addition to this modern lightweight boards are a little less durable than older boards anyway.. A price you seem to have to pay for reduced weight.

So, in short, this is a common problem with Techno's and one that isn't likely to have been a problen with your Veloce which is a more traditional shape with a longer narrower but thicker nose, which presents a more difficult target to hit, if hit it isn't caught right on the end and the increased thickness actually makes it stronger as well.

Its the very fact that modern widestyle boards have fragile and easily hit noses that saw the invention of Jez's Knob and other mast deflection gadgets.

Al.

paul - 14-2-2003 at 09:01

I've got a techno 283 and not got a scratch on it yet, but then I don't catapult on it, I know there of been lots of complaints about the nose being weak, but.....

techno's are often sailed by less experienced sailors and often with larger sails, the bigger the sail the bigger the weight the harder it is going to hit.

I have noticed that there have been a lot of posts on usenet groups about this, but I don't think that techno's are likely to be any worse that any other modern board. They all seem quite fragile because we like them light and they all seem to have quite a lot of noce rocker too.

badexcuseforasailor - 14-2-2003 at 14:45

I agree with Paul. Ive had a 283 for 2 years I havent' dinged the nose "yet!" (will happen next time out now) I think we hear a lot about the so called weak nose is theres a lot of technos out there.

paul - 14-2-2003 at 15:29

indeed I read at lunchtime that Bic have sold over 25,000 techno 283's worldwide

although I would prefer to trade mine in for a starboard formula 147 <drool>

simonzz - 15-2-2003 at 18:16

If anyone has ever been as foolish enough as to use a regular bolt in their Techno rather than an SS bolt (er ...like me) ,perhaps you would care to give me a handi hint on extricating the thing . Its now corroded beyond all recognition and being stuck with a 44cm fin is not too useful for low tide Dale.

badexcuseforasailor - 15-2-2003 at 21:15

Have you tried giving it a good soaking in the good old WD40?

SeanBo - 16-2-2003 at 18:10

What is at the top of the 'bolt'? A crosshead screw/or a proper nut? Is it damaged and giving you more problems, or is the whole thing so stiff that you cannot undo it?

If it just really stiff WD40 should do the job, but if not you may need to take more drastic measures!

simonzz - 16-2-2003 at 19:31

It is (was ) a crosshead screw. I think I'll give it one last soak in WD and perhaps MY drastic measure may be to consign it to being a light wind board only and get something else (sounds like a plan to me). What was your drastic measure?

SeanBo - 16-2-2003 at 20:50

***LAST RESORT ONLY***

In a previous 'engineering' life I used a bolt/screw/stud remover.

It involves drilling a hole in the top of the screw and using a 'reverse thread' tapered tap. As you screw the tap into the screw you hope that the pressure exerted is sufficient to start un-doing the screw.

Sadly they are quite fragile and break easily leaving you with an even bigger problem.

Alternativly, as you suggest, buy yourself a smaller board and treat your techno as a light wind board

badexcuseforasailor - 17-2-2003 at 09:28


**********another last resort***************

I've got an idea hopefuly some other people will post their ideas too.Can you drill the top of the screw off with a bit thats the same diameter as the screw shaft as there is no thread in the board its self a good wack on the back of the fin should pull it through.
Probaly a crazy idea wait for some more posts

befs

paul - 17-2-2003 at 10:32

***last resort***

I had to do that with a desk plate, the screw had jammed and trying to undo it took the slot out, so I VERY CAREFULLY with a small drill bit, drilled out through the top till the head of the screw fell off then the problem was sorted.

good luck

simonzz - 17-2-2003 at 14:20

Wow , Thanks for the response guys. I think you're on to something there. Looks like its time to unleash the ole Black and Decker !!

IainW - 17-2-2003 at 20:43

Thanks for all the replies on Techno noses. In the end he took it back to Boardwise and replaced it with an F2 Powerglide ii for a bit more cash.

Cheers Iain

badexcuseforasailor - 1-3-2003 at 17:25

Sorry for being nosey but how did it go with the black and decker? Hope things went ok

simonzz - 7-4-2003 at 13:37

badexcuseforasailor , sir I salute you.

I finally got around to doing it last weekend after entering a DIY store to buy the correct diameter drill bit.
After only a few seconds drilling , the bolt head came off and with that the fin fell out of the box. Text book stuff.

Still leaves me with the rest of the bolt shaft seized in to the fin but I have no intention of using a 46cm fin for the foreseeable future. In fact I used the board today with a sligthly smaller fin and it was bouncing everywhere although thtas probably to do with my technique (or lack thereof).

If you're ever in Dale I'll buy you a pint.

badexcuseforasailor - 7-4-2003 at 19:17

Glad things worked out ok,