Question 1

Is the surfinlock a 100% protection against surfboard theft?

Accepted Answer

It would be nice, but unfortunately no lock or safety mechanism like any bike lock, door lock, car lock, etc. is unbreakable. It just depends on the tools and criminal energy of the thieves. This also holds true for the surfinlock and all associated components. However, the surfinlock decreases immensely the risk of board theft. And keep in mind that „opportunity makes a thief“ and with a surfinlock this opportunity will be practically eliminated. Also think, which thief would make the effort to go for a well-locked surfboard if much easier unlocked prey is around everywhere?
So no more worries, relax and enjoy your surftrip!

Question 2

A surfboard has many fin plugs, which ones are best used for the surfinlock?"

Accepted Answer

The surfinlock is optimized for center thruster fin plugs and rear quad fin plugs (FCS I, FCS II or compatible). Therefore, if you have a 3-fin thruster - use the plugs for the center fin. If you have a 4-fin quad - use the plugs for the rear fins. If you 5-fin hybrid board - it's your choice, use the center or rear fin plugs. If you have a 2-fin twin board, use the left or right plug (logical, somehow) and read below.

More details: The surfinlock is engineered for perfect function with 0° to 5° fin plugs. Some outer side fins can be inclined up to 9° and in combination with a distinct board shape the  movable part of the surfinlock could touch the board. That wouldn't be perfect and that’s why we recommend the center or rear quad plugs. However, on almost all boards the surfinlock works fine with all available plugs. If you have a twin 2-fin board, it’s possible to have just two 9° plugs. So far the surfinlock worked perfectly with all twin boards we tested. And if it won't, which we don't expect, we give you a full refund.
PS: The angle is normally written inside the fin plug.

Question 3

Can I use the surfinlock with different padlocks and/or safety cables?

Accepted Answer

Yes of course, you don't need to use our Marine Safety Cable and padlock if you already have one. However, our products fit perfectly together. For example, if you have a safety cable with two looped ends you can fix only one surfboard at a time and not many surfboards with one cable (unless you use several padlocks).
If you use your own padlock / safety cable consider the maximal shackle diameter. The security hole in the surfinlock is 10,5mm. If you use your lock in combination with our Marine Safety Cable, the security hole there is 6,1mm. We recommend a shackle diameter of 5mm.

Question 4

Do I have to use the supplied extra fin screw, or can I use my own?"

Accepted Answer

No, you don't have to use the extra screw - it is a spare screw and the surfinlock works as well with every ordinary fin screw.
Our screw is an add on to make your package complete but also has some advantages to a standard fin screw. It is designed with a tighter fit for the fin key. Therefore, the fin key fits firmly in the screw and won't wobble during tightening. This unwanted movement can result in wear and destroy a fin screw with time. Most people probably have already had issues with fin screws where the grip wasn't that good anymore or had problems loosenig the screw after a surf session.
Our "long-life" screws reduce that wear.

Question 5

Where is the surfinlock manufactured?

Accepted Answer

The surfinlock is manufactured in medium sized high-tech companies in the Munich area and everything is assembled directly in Munich. We try to manufacture as much as possible locally. But not everything is possible. For example, we found out that all renowned lock companies in Europe manufacture their padlocks in Asia. Therefore we also went for this option. After much research and product testing we found a high-quality and very professional Asian lock company with which we started to cooperate with. But then again, details for the padlock, like the anti-scratch cover and the anti-corrosion Tef-Gel are made in Germany.

Question 6

Why didn't you use the leash plug as a fixing point for the surfinlock?

Accepted Answer

Theoretically, you could think of a mechanism that works with the leash plug, but it would have several disadvantages:
The leash plug is used for the small leash cord, which you'd have to get out first. After having used the lock mechanism you’d have to fumble the cord back in. Nobody likes doing it and you really don’t want to do it frequently.
Due to the leash plug design, a security mechanism would have to be relatively thin and therefore be easy to crack.
The leash plug is not as deep and strongly laminated into the board as a standard fin plug is.
Finally, the connection bar for the leash cord is often quite thin. 
 
>> For us, it has never been an option to consider.

Question 7

What are the care instructions if used in a seawater environment?

Accepted Answer

Our stainless steel is a wonderful material and made for a life-time. To keep it shiny, keep the following points in mind.
Metals and saltwater: For metals saltwater is one of the most aggressive and corrosive media. Even for our high-quality and acid resistant stainless steel we can’t rule out the possibility of a superficial pitting corrosion if left too long in contact with saltwater or salt particles. This won’t weaken the mechanism but might not look pretty. The padlock out of galvanized aluminum needs special care.
Care instructions:
➡ To avoid that salt residues stay on the products, rinse it with fresh water after saltwater contact or at least after your surf trip.
➡ Take special care of the padlock, since you don’t want corrosion affecting the mechanism. If in contact with saltwater, wash it off with freshwater at the next opportunity. Also, we recommend greasing the padlock with our anti-corrosion Tef-Gel before using it in a saltwater-environment. Greasing instructions can be found on the hangtag or in the specs pdf document.

FAQ