MY first non-fish since 1975-rounded pin with 5 boxes!

Bob Gove · Post by **Bob Gove** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 1:03 pm

After seeing Simon tearing it up during his short stay here last summer, I decided to go a different direction and try a rounded pin with the boxes set forward in Aussie configuration, but hedging my bet by also adding a couple of more boxes for a quad configuration in case I didn't like it as a tri fin. James Mangano of K58 fame did an awesome job, both in the shape,glassing, and artwork as usual. My first attempts as a tri were hopeless, I've been known to do an occasional hard bottom turn with my handles and all, and I kept spinning out the tail. Next I tried it out as a quad in well overhead surf at Scripps beachbreak, I didn't spin out, but wasn't getting the drive and acceleration I was used to with my quad fishes. At this point I was getting ready to give up on the board-I really thought the quad setup was going to be the answer. For the next attempt, I put in a small trailer fin, and on my first wave in gnarly Mexico beachbreak, I knew I had found the solution. 5 fins! Who knew? I got the drive, speed, and looseness I had hoped for, in addition, it comes off the top a lot quicker than my fishes. What I have learned from this is that if the board doesn't work, try another box and fin, and keep trying different fin combinations until you find something that works! Looking forward to the Nationals next month, Merry Christmas all! The orange kneeboarder

eqKneelo · Post by **eqKneelo** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 2:48 pm

That's awesome, BOB!GOVE!

That trailer is stabilizing all that foam in the tail... But that foam is giving you serious speed. Sounds like a rocket.

And so true about swapping fins around. I have a bucket of fins and tinker constantly. I also carry a fin key in my leash so I can adjust my center fin forward or back if the board is too loose or too tight for conditions.

I also jump between fiberglass fins and composite fins that flex more depending on board.

When I rode quads, I found I liked moving the Big Fins to the trailing boxes... It began my evolution to riding Tri's.

See you in HB.

fruitbat · Post by **fruitbat** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:13 pm

Hey Bob,
Stoked to see you have sorted out the board. I am going to try the same thing. My quad is a bit too loose so I will put some FCS plugs in.
There is always a soloution ya just got to keep trying.

All the Best

Eric

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:40 pm

Wow, Bob Gove surfing even better, even harder off the top? Scary...

analbirth · Post by **analbirth** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:55 am

another 5 fin convert on ya bob, i swear by them in certain waves. Chubs was made as a 5 fin and thats how it likes it

southpeakbrad · Post by **southpeakbrad** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 9:17 am

Scott, that's exactly what I said!

Congrats Bob