FIN BLADE AND FOOT POCKET INSTALLATION FOR FREE DIVING SPEARFISHING

Get 5 amazing tips and tricks to install fiberglass or carbon fiber fin blades into fin pockets for free diving or spearfishing. This is a complete guide with step by step instructions that takes you from just the separate parts to a complete final product. These instructions should work for many brands like, Leaderfins, Cetma, pathos, Mako, Hammerhead, Spearpro, Seac, Mantra, Prana, Meandros, Riffe, Dive R, and many more.

[@slam4444]

Great tips! How do you like those blades? I’m tempted to pick up a pair.

[@finbombvideo]

Had em for about 100 dives so far, love em!!!

[@antoniettamatsko]

Super helpful. Thank you

[@andrewtbrown2]

Excellent video. I wish I had watched this first. I recently installed some fins a bit off center of the foot pocket. I drilled the holes well centered on the blades - but the screw holes on the foot pocket are a bit off center on the foot pocket itself. I didnt imagine that the pocket would have that flaw and did not drill through the front of the pocket like you have shown. I was considering drilling new holes carefully if they don’t overlap, or maybe putting epoxy to fill the existing holes. Do you have any suggestions?

[@finbombvideo]

I am glad my video was helpful! I think epoxying your old holes and drilling into the patch or extremely close to the patch would require a lot of skill and luck to work out as well as you would like, with that said, redrilling holes that are at least 3/8” away from your old holes should be fine under normal stress, i would even say basic epoxying snd sand flattening your old holes couldn’t hurt either with new holes drilled. Since I cannot see your exact blades and pockets, you might want to get over to your local dive shop in person if possible and see if there is someone experienced with blade installs available if you think you would be more comfortable that way. Good luck!

[@andrewtbrown2]

@@finbombvideo Thank you!

[@andrewtbrown2]

@@finbombvideo If I shift the holes over laterally a bit, and also pull the fin out further a little, the new holes would be 3/8 away. But I am wondering if I could also widen the existing holes a little, so as to have more lateral play for positioning the fin before screwing it down and attaching the rails? I figure that maybe with the screws and plate and also rails attached that it would hold in place well

[@finbombvideo]

I wish I could see it in person, that is the only way I would feel comfortable suggesting anything. Do you have a local dive shop you trust?

[@doctorspearo]

Awesome.. 👍👌

[@alant383]

Shining the light through is a great idea but doesn't work that well for carbon fins - slightly better on thin 'soft' version carbon Mako fin blades. The clamp is a much better idea but on a carbon fin you would need a backing plate to spread the load to make sure not to crack the carbon on clamp-up. I mis-drilled my carbon fins (Mako) because it moved during the drilling and alignment process. Fiberglass is also much easier to drill through than carbon. There is a clean up process after drilling the holes in carbon. The side rib supports are much easier on your fins - the Mako side ribs are much thicker and stiffer, much harder to maneuver into place. I made the mistake of putting the fin pocket in the oven to "gently" heat it but this just wrinkled up the foot pocket edges where your foot goes into the "shoe". Good lessons learned - wish I had seen this vid before starting my assembly.

[@rene-chassesous-marine3266]

Hey there, I like seeing someone doing it the proper way lol. I put a ton of goop under the footpocket and cyano on the horns. I find that screws cause a weakpoint, so I don't drill anymore.

[@finbombvideo]

Screws wont cause a weakpoint. Its the improper drilling, aka the wrong bit, or an old dull bit that shreds the hole or causes pre-cracking, o the wrong size screw, or over tightening. With that said some foot pocket/blade combinations will definitely benefit from some sort of flexible adhesive. If you question which combos need it, people should seek out an experienced blade replacer to make that call for them. The combination I use (leaderfins and omer sting rays) do not need it. I hope your replacement goes well👍🏽😁

[@claudioreyesvargas126]

Could the leaderfins blades be mounted on a seac motus foot pocket?

[@finbombvideo]

I believe so…. But dry fit them before you drill or glue to be sure, also a local dive shop might be able to advise as well, good luck!

[@claudioreyesvargas126]

@@finbombvideo thank you very much for your reply

[@hipolitonacua1625]

What is the brand of Foot pocket did you use?

[@finbombvideo]

Leader fins blade, and Omer Stingray foot pockets

[@VBClinics]

No glue?

[@finbombvideo]

Not needed on all combinations, for this combo, not needed at all. But each combo is different, I think pathos is a glue everytime brand from what I hear…. Good luck🤙🏽