Author Topic: Why aren't you using the Four Way Fin System? Their system looks really good.  (Read 2736 times)

magentawave

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1872
    • View Profile
I've been looking at all the fin box systems available with a fresh eye in preparation for a new board, and unless I'm missing something, the Four Way Fin System looks to be the best by a long shot. There is recent stuff on Swaylocks but a search on this forum for "four way fin system" and "fwfs" and the last mention was almost 4 years ago.

Their system looks really good because you can adjust fore and aft, cant, and toe. Whats the dealio you people? I suspect its probably the lack of 4WFS fins, right? I don't like spending $100 on a set of quads so I'll probably make my own fins anyway.

http://www.4wfs.com/knowledge/general-knowledge/fin-adjustments/
« Last Edit: November 26, 2014, 09:48:40 PM by magentawave »
Pluto Platter: 7-10 x 29.25 x 4.25 x 114.5 liters

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Tried them, didn't like them. Might be fine for a five foot shortboard, but on the board I tried them on the fins flexed and buzzed (I added thrusters to a JL 11er). Most of the adjustable boxes I've tried have had some slop. Worse yet they solve a problem I don't have. I don't fiddle with my fins that much. I get something that seems good and I'm done. My surfing needs to be a lot better before fins matter that much.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

peterp

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 430
    • View Profile
I used them heaps in my kiteboards (and a couple of SUP's) - best system for tweaking your board. Once you've used this system and understand what it can do it is frightening how limited you are when your only choice is to change the fin....

The fin placement can make or break a board and a fixed placement is a thumbsuck of the highest order. The other issue is that many fixed boxes are installed skew and require a refit to correct.

Their only weakness are imperfect fit of some of the fins as Pono says and the fact that they are not easily available.

Having said all that, I turned over our local champs board a few years ago. His fins were all over the place with different toe and cant - it was a mess. He'd just won South African champs on that board and when I pointed it out to him he said: "Ohh....really???....."

magentawave

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1872
    • View Profile
Did the 4wfs boxes have slop in them or was it the crappy fins you used?


Tried them, didn't like them. Might be fine for a five foot shortboard, but on the board I tried them on the fins flexed and buzzed (I added thrusters to a JL 11er). Most of the adjustable boxes I've tried have had some slop. Worse yet they solve a problem I don't have. I don't fiddle with my fins that much. I get something that seems good and I'm done. My surfing needs to be a lot better before fins matter that much.
Pluto Platter: 7-10 x 29.25 x 4.25 x 114.5 liters

magentawave

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1872
    • View Profile
Excluding the boards I've had with Bahne boxes, I've never had a board where I could adjust the fins so I'm thinking it might be pretty nice.

Do you still use 4wfs?

Do you think the issue of the fin/box slop was due to poorly made fins or is there something inherently wrong with their boxes? In other words, if I made my own fins, would that solve the sloppy fit issue?


I used them heaps in my kiteboards (and a couple of SUP's) - best system for tweaking your board. Once you've used this system and understand what it can do it is frightening how limited you are when your only choice is to change the fin....

The fin placement can make or break a board and a fixed placement is a thumbsuck of the highest order. The other issue is that many fixed boxes are installed skew and require a refit to correct.

Their only weakness are imperfect fit of some of the fins as Pono says and the fact that they are not easily available.

Having said all that, I turned over our local champs board a few years ago. His fins were all over the place with different toe and cant - it was a mess. He'd just won South African champs on that board and when I pointed it out to him he said: "Ohh....really???....."
Pluto Platter: 7-10 x 29.25 x 4.25 x 114.5 liters

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Hard to say. I was disappointed with the experiment and paid the board forward--gave it and an old paddle to a nice kid.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

peterp

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 430
    • View Profile
The fit was fine on most fins and box had to be installed correctly so it was completely flush without taking away from the box. I put a lot of stress on them in my kite boards and it worked great.

Here's a pic of a board shaped by the inventor of the system Dean Geraghty, he used to live around the corner from me but has since moved to Australia....

magentawave

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1872
    • View Profile
Do you still use 4wfs?

The fit was fine on most fins and box had to be installed correctly so it was completely flush without taking away from the box. I put a lot of stress on them in my kite boards and it worked great.

Here's a pic of a board shaped by the inventor of the system Dean Geraghty, he used to live around the corner from me but has since moved to Australia....
Pluto Platter: 7-10 x 29.25 x 4.25 x 114.5 liters

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal