Fin logic

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norm
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Fin logic

Post by norm »

I rode fiberglass only fins for many years, but I am trying to figure out how to fine tune my fins. I have a quad setup and I want to loosen up my board so I still have drive, but get a little more pivot so I can get more turns in the pocket. I can experiment with combos of fiberglass, techflex, carbon fiber, etc. but that takes valuable session time to get an idea. Is area and size of fin more important than type of material? Any go to fins or fin combos that are being used?

For 3 fin set up.... how do you get more pivot? Adjust front or back fin?

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Scott
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Post by Scott »

There's a lot of different opinions on this, Norm, and if the guys weigh in on the subject en masse, well, you'll be more confused than ever, yet know your choices.

I, too, was on that same quest to loosen up my boards, feeling comfortable with my ability to move quickly down the line and make waves, but have wanting more pivot out of my turns. Here are my opinions, as expressed in my two principle boards--both are set up to be ridden as either quads or tri-fins:

a. if you know how to make a kneeboard move down the line well through good turns and pumping, then you can focus your fins on what turns vertically the best; but you won't then be able to rely strongly on the fins to give you all your speed down the line. That's my philosophy so I'm happy with my switch to the smallest, most pivoty fins that I can find and still keep my tail from sliding all over the place. There are two that I've purchased this year and really enjoy: Al Merrick 3 (primarily the small size) and the Futures WCT fins. These do a much better job of keeping my board from hanging up at the top of a wave. While they make them in quad sets or tri-fin sets, I bought them both as tri-fin sets.

b. When surfing with these fins as a quad, I use either of the above sets as my front fins, and then pair them with other really small rear fins, typically the GX size. Again, the smaller the rear fin, I feel the better release from the top of the wave. When surfing as a tri-fin, if the surf is a 4' or higher I use the center fin that comes in the package (AM-3, or WCT), but if' it's a not that big, then I can use a little GX fin in the rear. This puts the turning emphasis on the front fins, which delivers more of a pivot turn (which is what I am after). Yes, the tail slides a bit if I intentionally push the turn, but I actually like that feeling in smaller waves.

Thus, I feel that the front fins generally provide your pivot, and the rear fin stablizes, provides drive, and controls some of the release.

The Futures Fin website has a good explanation about how various materials and fin foils affect the performance of their fin templates and I suggest you research that.
http://futuresfins.com/en-us/
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Josh Peters
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Post by Josh Peters »

Move that center fin forward and use a fins with less rake. Have you tried future WCT fins?
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norm
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Post by norm »

I may be going through mid life surf crisis ..... instead of buying a shiny new Red Corvette, I've been buying WCTs, EAs, Fullers, Stretch, Rastas.... fiberglass, techflex, honeycomb, blackstix....and any other Futures that I thought I could dial into. My Blast boards ride better with stiffer fins... i.e. fiberglass and techflex and the drive is always good. When the waves are of consequence or high performance, the fins that come with the Blast boards works great. It's the other half of the time when the waves are less than ideal that I want to try another fin set up. Maybe the next board I order will have an adjustable box for a 3 fin set up. I have some really good boards besides the Blasts, but they need a "less stiff" set of fins.
Thanks for the input cause that's what I was asking for. As far as GX fins, are they the same size as Bud's trailers?

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Paul
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Post by Paul »

How much do you weigh? What boxes are in most of your boards?

I have been having a revival of sorts with my new fin set up. Like most of us, I've packed on a few pounds. I'm pushing over 230 lbs now, but I've been amp'ed up over these Tommy Carrol Redlines and Aqua Lines. Big bases give tons of projection, smaller tips break loose faster. Ultra quick snaps. On the really small days I'll ride BC Rudders (Blast) trailers that are cut narrower, up to a couple of feet over head. Then to traditional Blast trailers to double overhead, then switching back to the regular BC Rudders quad set for anything really heart pounding.

The Tom Carrol's only come in FCS but I had some knock off's custom made for futures in fiberglass and after a couple of botched rounds with a different guy, they turned into my magic go-to fins.

I will be putting up my lightly used Yu Quads (better than fair) and almost new Vector 2 quads almost new (both sets are composites material) for sale cheap ($12/fin maybe?) up for sale soon if anyone wants to scoop them up early. Photos later.
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Scott
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Post by Scott »

Norm, all of my boards are Blasts--yes, I love to use the BC rudders for larger surf when I want all hold and all drive. I am only using the smaller fins for smaller surf with those boards.

The rear fins on the Blast quads are very similar to the GX size, just stiffer.
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Headwax.
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Post by Headwax. »

hya, I ride quads, fin box in front, fcs or similar in back

just a few randoms...

interestingly if you move the front fin back (Ie close the gap) then upto a point the board becomes looser as the two fins start to act as one and the size of the fulcrom 'point' (ie the apparent fine base) reduces.

As opposed to what you normally find where moving a fin backward tightens a board.

Go for flexible tip rake in the front fin for added quad boost.

good luck, lotta fun playing

edit" oh for more drive go more rake, less rake gives more pivot - all things being equal. I suppose wider fin base gives more drive in the first part of the turn, so it depends where you want your drive/pivot happening. Also sometimes taking a little bit out of the back of the fin in the back curve about midway gives more apparent rake and more drive, although the fin area is reduced - by 'little' I mean little. :) I think it's because you are leading the water off the back edge rather than the tip when you do this.

So for more pivot I'd be thinking about the abovementioned parameters in reverse ;)
norm
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Post by norm »

Thanks for the comments, I got two things I can try immediately, get a flexible tip front fin and GX size back fins. I am about 150-155 depending on the beer consumption and all my blasts are quads with Bud's standard boxes..... no 5 boxes on any of them. I've noticed that with different length/shaped boards, they all respond differently to the same set of fins. Sounds logical but it makes such a difference when I change up fins. Still looking for that magic combo for a softer face wave.

this week has some spring waves (2-5 feet) here on the North Shore .... just some funky winds at times.

Thanks for the ideas.
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Scott
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Post by Scott »

yeah, it's really fun to experiment with fins, I'm finding. Then whenever the surf has some real punch to it, slam those BC Rudders back in and let yer Blast fly!
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Bob Gove
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Fin Logic

Post by Bob Gove »

I had a board shaped by James Mangano of K58 fame based on an Aussie design, tried to make it work as a tri fin, and kept spinning out the tail (might have something to do with the handles I use for turns). It worked better as a quad, but since it had the center box, I tried it as a 5 fin. That was the ticket. Since then, my next 2 boards I have been riding with 5 fins. I have a set of 4 different fins for the center, starting with a couple of small keel fins and ranging up to a couple of more normal looking, (but smaller than the ones I use on the side) fins for bigger waves. The combination seems to give more speed, drive and maneuverability. With my current board (based on the Tomo design), if I don't have the right combo for the size, I'm headed for the truck to change them! Bahne fins in Encinitas will custom make any size and shape fiberglass fin you want, just send them a template, or order from the Future or FCS catalog. They'll even mail you the fins if you want. Hope this helps.
norm
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Post by norm »

Got a good session in on some head high range using the WCT techflex as the front fins. The waves were really good and the conditions were great.... no mushy stuff but I could feel the board got more responsive. Thanks for the insight. Bob... I have a 6'0 set up as a 5 fin (not a Blast board), but I haven't used it yet with 5 fins. I rode it as a quad and as a thruster, and it worked best as a 3 fin set up (trailer fin a little smaller than the front fins). I was trying to find out about the 5 fin setup and your post is what I was hoping for. I got a couple futures "TMF" to try out next time.

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Post by hankj »

very general, but I can't surf fins that are really stiff - they're light and quick but go from driving to sliding out with no warning/progression. Stiff carbon fins feel very "digital" to me - either on or off (as in sliding off the wave). Glass filled plastic fins aren't as hair trigger which works much better for me. Then again I'm half a Neanderthal style-wise - stiff fins probably are fine for more finessed surfing.

I'm 6'3' inches and 200 pounds. size-wise I liked big fins on a fins forward board, but a regular fin placement for me feels right with medium size fins - doesn't really slide out more than big fins but gives just a little more on torque-y flat top turns and doesn't tweak the knees sideways as much.
norm
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Post by norm »

Different surfing styles, different board designs, different fin placements, different wave size, conditions..... no wonder there's so much variation in fins used. Lesson learned: what may be the perfect fins for one may be a dud for someone else. Have fun kneeboarding and enjoy the ride.
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