quad question?

[DrStrange]

Getting ready to order 1st board and very drawn to quads but...recently watching Sparrow and Friends and noticed only quad rider, Baden, seeming to really have to work hard at cut back and not getting very far around for his efforts. Is this just artifact of that footage? Baden's style? Part of how quads ride in general (though I doubt this one)? Fins too far back or front/rear fins too far apart?????

Any input from the design savy would be greatly appreciated.

"I'm not a real doctor, I just play one..."

[DarcyM]

I've never had a problem cutting all the way around on a quad, bouncing off the white water ball, big round cutbacks or short snappy ones. Can't say as I've seen the footage you refer to, so can't comment on what the problem might be with Baden's cutbacks.

[Beeline2.0]

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[Eric Carson]

I have one quad and one tri fin, both from Blast. The tri turns much easier on its fins whereas the quad turns better on its rails, with speed needed for the quad.
I've had my quad for over two months now and haven't taken out my tri out since then. That's how much I like my F2K fish. Today I surfed my tri again and had two great sessions on it.
Keeping your wave size in mind, I would suggest getting a tri first and build your quiver from there.

[Scott]

I'll weigh in with the rest of you on this. Having both a Blast Quad and a Blast Tri-fin, I find both cut back very well. No doubt, though, the tri-fin is looser in smaller waves, but that brings me to my second point:

If you have a good shaper making the board, and he takes into account your height and weight, and for what sort of waves you wish to ride it, then the board will probably work fantastic. A great board is, as has been well-attested in the many board design posts on this site, the result of length, width, rocker, rail contour and thickness, tail design, and fin size/placement. And all of that is further refined (hopefully) to work for a particular type of body and for a particular type of wave.

Of course my tri-fin is looser than my quad; I had it designed for small, mushy waves. My quad is for meaty stuff and it works in 15' faces. It just turns incredible when there is some good surface area on which to carve. I really love both my boards in the right kind of surf, and my surfing has improved because of what they can unleash in the appropriate conditions.

Talk to a really good shaper about just what you want to do on what sort of waves; he (or she) will have some great suggestions. At first I was surprised when Bud McCray (Blast Kneeboards) wanted a lot of specifics from me when I would order a board, but it became apparent why. It also explains why some other boards of his I've ridden that were shaped for other guys didn't work the way I expected...

[HALFMANRIPS/MIKE GARRETT]

WHAT WORKS FOR ME MIGHT NOT WORK FOR YOU !!!
(( RULE OF THUMB ))

JUST BECAUSE TIGER WOODS PLAYS A CERTAIN CLUB
IT WILL NOT MAKE US A PRO

ONLY YOU CAN DIAL IT IN ! TRY IT > TWEEK IT > RIP IT

((( after many years of r&d i found my majic board ))

[hart]

Dr Strange,

Baden is a twin with his brother Andrew..and throughout the 90's we had the expression 'Smithback' for the cutties that these guys could do at random.

Baden and Andrew were (are) very clever contest surfers and they knew what to do to get out of a heat.

Their cutback style was one of accentuation..almost exaggeration..

The fact that they chose quadfins to do this showed that the lack of a centre fin allowed the tail to come around FLAT..the tail would come around without a rail..

Simon's cutbacks in 'Sparrow' are purest in style..but they rely on a rail to give drive.

The choice as always , is yours.

[hart]

Dr Strange,

Baden is a twin with his brother Andrew..and throughout the 90's we had the expression 'Smithback' for the cutties that these guys could do at random.

Baden and Andrew were (are) very clever contest surfers and they knew what to do to get out of a heat.

Their cutback style was one of accentuation..almost exaggeration..

The fact that they chose quadfins to do this showed that the lack of a centre fin allowed the tail to come around FLAT..the tail would come around without a rail..

Simon's cutbacks in 'Sparrow' are purest in style..but they rely on a rail to give drive.

The choice as always , is yours.

[surfhorn]

DrStrange - John has a demo Fish quad at Feeline in Santa Cruz if you want to give it a try prior to ordering a new stick. I also have my 6'0" round tail quad that you can have a go at. I leave it with John all the time so he can ride it.

It is a 'flatter' ride - really good for someone coming from the Fish school. I'm an old single-finner so I'm getting ready to work on a newer design thruster - forward fin placement as compared to my old tail riding thrusters.

-Dan

[DrStrange]

Wow!!!! much more than I anticipated...great feedback and I thank you all. Don't know if I can spring loose to make to down to SC but will definitely look into it. I used to stand on single fin eggs and was more into the bigger arcs and down the line style. Speed is king for sure. Anyhoo, lot of food for thought. Thanks again...

[DrStrange]

Just rewatched video... Early on Baden on fairly small green board. Looks like it comes around, he just never sets up for more than about 90 degrees. Later, last 1/3 of movie, he's on a much bigger yellow board, maybe a swallow tail and that one looks like its maybe too stiff for the waves. Couple cut backs he comes part way around and if the rail starts to catch. Looks like a fast board but just way stiff. Guess I'll just have to see if I can ride a few...

[Beeline2.0]

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