Bic Rock and Roll Footstraps

Question
QUESTION: I have a Bic Rock and Roll bought new in 1988 but the front footstraps are no longer useable.
Where can I buy a set of replacement plastic deck plugs so that I can fit screw-in footstraps rather than the old plastic strap ones which came with the board?

ANSWER: Hey Dave,

I am a little curious about the type of footstraps you are talking about. If you can send a close up pic, I can determine if you really need to switch the inserts or just replace the footstraps.

If you think you have to switch the inserts, you can find them, dingstick, & other epoxies here;

http://www.chinooksailing.com/products/index.php?cPath=64&sort=5a&page=3

The drawback is putting them in the board. You have to use an epoxy but many epoxies will eat the core of your board. You can use a product called ding stick but it is a little harder to work with. It is like a putty that mixes the two parts and works the same as putty. But if you work fairly quickly, you can get the new insert in and set before the epoxy sets up. Can be sanded after 24 hours of dry time.


Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Windlover,
Thanks for your response. Re. Photos -  Have alook at http://cakedmagazine.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/classic-boards-bic-rocknroll/ and http://cakedmagazine.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/236/

Some further explanation.
The old Bics (R&R and Hard Rock that I know of) had screw-in circular plastic deck plugs (white in colour) about 1.5 inches in diameter and across the plug is a circular plastic bar about .2 inches thick. There are two plug inserts per footstrap.
Each footstrap had a "plastic belt" which looped under each bar at either end of the footstrap. This was then covered by a blue neoprone sleave/cover sealed with velcro which made up the footstrap.
Many years ago you could buy replacement plugs which each had a plastic square bar of about .3 inches thick. You could then have "normal" footstraps by using two screws at either end to attach the regular footstrap.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Dave

Answer
Hey Dave,

I thought that was the type of footstraps that you were talking about and I can fully understand wanting to replace the inserts. It seems that you could remove the old plugs and leave the rest attached to the board. Then, using a dremel or similar tool, cut a slot for a new insert. Leaving as much of the old insert in place should give you more bite to the board. I know that using dingstick to fill in the gaps should work for you. Using a more liquid epoxy may be better but the concern is the compatibility of the epoxy to the foam core. Some epoxies will eat the core and that would leave you with a bigger void to fill.

The inserts I listed are two screw inserts. These are preferable to single screw inserts as the foot straps twist with a single screw and make it hard to get your foot into. But, you can get a single screw kit that has plastic tabs that go on top of the strap and when you tighten the screw they pinch down the strap and minimize the twisting. When I think about it, a single insert might actually work better for your board by just making a large enough hole in your insert to place the new insert into.

Here is a source for single inserts and a single screw kit;

http://www.windance.com/footstrap-inserts-1-hole-brass-pr-3677.html

http://www.oceanairsports.com/prod/FootstrapScewSet1088.cfm?InventoryID=1088&Cat

Hope this helps.
Keep on sailing,
Windlover