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

SURFINLOCK FCS
 
The surfinlock FCS is optimized for center thruster fin plugs and rear quad fin plugs (FCS I, FCS II or compatible). 
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 twin board, use the left or right plug.

SURFINLOCK FUTURES
The surfinlock Futures is designed for the side fin plugs. They are deeper laminated into the board.

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 Looplock or 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

How tight do I have to screw the surfinlock in?

Accepted Answer

Hand-tight, just like a fin. It should be tight and not wobble around, but not more.

Question 5

Where is the surfinlock manufactured?

Accepted Answer

The surfinlock is manufactured in medium sized high-tech companies mainly from southern Germany and everything is assembled directly in Munich. We try to manufacture as much as possible locally.

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 (deutsche Version in Bearbeitung)