Getting into the weeds here--but for all you analytical wingers:
Just got my new Gong HIPE Diamond for travel--woohoo. Comes with its own track hardware, perhaps because it's an inflatable. The T-nuts have a closed end, making it impossible for the bolt to be driven through the nut into the board. Probably a good idea. But I've always been mindful of bolt length and check to see that there is clearance between the end of my bolt and the board after passing through my Axis baseplate.
Here's the rub: the Gong bolts and T-nuts are M6. I've always run the M8 hardware with my Axis base through the countersunk end slots for quick mounting. The countersinking is made for M8. Picking the correct length Axis M8 bolt I can use it in the slots and still have a slight gap between bolt end and board (two pieces of paper). See the photo. The Gong bolts go through the drilled holes with the provided countersunk washer. Bolts from both makes get about 5 full threads into the nuts.
You definitely would not want to mistakenly use the wrong bolts, but I always leave them in the board tracks.
Your thoughts? I can deal with a slightly longer setup time using the baseplate drilled holes. But is the M6 robust enough for you? Yes, they would reduce the risk of a brain fart while rigging.
Thanks
Just for context:Gong nuts are closed on the inflatables as their tracks are shallower than standard US Boxes.Bolts are shorter to keep the carbon plate thin enough to avoid too much weight.
Nuts are closed so you mistakenly do not use too long bolts and damage the board.
Hint: it is quite easy to cut any bolts to any length. Just screw into a nut before sawing, removing the nut will act as a die to fix the thread.Hint #2: if you want stronger M6 screws, you may use titanium.
I have the Duotone inflatable wing board and it was supplied with closed nut 8mm CS bolts and the tracks are very similar to the Gong board. Maybe try and source a Duotone bolt set?
As I have an Armstrong foil set I use M6 or M7 depending on mast and just cut bolts to suit the normal Armstrong track nuts.
I use the tail end of a plastic tyrap to check that I have clearance under the bolts when I put the foil on.
I recently went through this...I dumped all the gong hardware and use shorter M8 bolts...they worked well, but the standard nuts did bind a bit in a couple places in the track...so a lower profile might work better (?)
I also ditched the gong hardware entirely on my inflatable cruzader and just use shorter M8 bolts. No issues 2y later and lots of use. Using axis foil/base plate.
