Author Topic: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...  (Read 11395 times)

magentawave

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The waves were good today but the back fins in my quad were causing my board to track whenever I tried to lay into a deep bottom turn on anything overhead. Very frustrating. :o I want to start accumulating some good used fins for my surf sup(s) so I can experiment. What are the good fins for sup surfing that you like? For example, I have a thruster set of Gerry Lopez fins that I really like and I use the side fins as the front fins on my quad. I've heard good things about the Jamie Mitchell surf sup fins too. Any others that you like?
Pluto Platter: 7-10 x 29.25 x 4.25 x 114.5 liters

JimK

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2015, 09:24:10 AM »
What box are you using FUTURES?
I like the Controller Quads to reduce tracking
But it depends on the tail width, style of riding and waves

JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com

Biggreen

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2015, 01:36:18 PM »
I like the H3 Nexus both quad and thruster. Also like the C-drives in a quad. If you don't mind waiting 15-30 days on shipping you can find a good value in nice fins from Aliexpress, the individuals' version of Alibaba. I've ordered handles, fin boxes, and pads, no problems. Might be a way for you to experiment without breaking the bank. Just scored these fins for $27

supsurf-tw

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2015, 02:36:12 PM »
Try switching the fins around, Put the smaller rears on the front and the larger rears in the back. Try this. It may not be the final word in what to use but it will give you some insight in knowing if the front\rear sizes are backwards for your board. Some peoples style dictates this setup. 

There really isn't a fin to recommend straight across the board as there are so many factors that determine the correct fins to use. Start with the larger back smaller fronts and go from there
Boards:

 
8-10 x 31 Egg
8-11 X 32 Double wing Fangtail Tom Whitaker
8-6 X 30 1\2  Inbetweener Tom Whitaker
8-4 x 30 Hyper quad Tom Whitaker (wife's now)
8-4 X 31 1\4.  Round (wide) Diamond Tail Quad Tom Whitaker
 9-4 X 30 1\2. Swallow Stinger Quad Tom Whitaker (ex wifes now)
10-0 Brusurf for teach

Wazza66

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2015, 02:44:25 AM »
The Gerry Lopez fins are a very big set of fins.I found them too tight for my liking.

They can stiffen the feel up greatly so try a smaller set. I use Pancho Sullivan fronts and controller rears which give great drive and pivot.

I would put smaller fins in a your board will feel like a new stick ;)

Another good set are Shapers Jackson close S9's or Power quad set .

Sup-position

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2015, 05:27:14 AM »
Depends on the Board and the Rider.

TW notes swapping front to rears, works with FCS
But Futures usually have shallow box rears (Limiting)

When I get a New board into the Shop I will try many configurations
to determine what works best when.

In my opinion Fins are not Sup Specific for Surf Sups. (Racing Yes)

Fin Placement really changes the performance of the board.

One Sim Style Prototype we had, had 9 fin positions.
Super fun and interesting...

We got that board rockin'...

There is forward and rear Quads and a Center Fin Box.

Ralph
Sup-position
(714) 899-3020 call, Text or Message

supsurf-tw

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #6 on: February 15, 2015, 07:41:25 AM »
Depends on the Board and the Rider.

TW notes swapping front to rears, works with FCS
But Futures usually have shallow box rears (Limiting)

 

This is why I never use Futures in quads.
Boards:

 
8-10 x 31 Egg
8-11 X 32 Double wing Fangtail Tom Whitaker
8-6 X 30 1\2  Inbetweener Tom Whitaker
8-4 x 30 Hyper quad Tom Whitaker (wife's now)
8-4 X 31 1\4.  Round (wide) Diamond Tail Quad Tom Whitaker
 9-4 X 30 1\2. Swallow Stinger Quad Tom Whitaker (ex wifes now)
10-0 Brusurf for teach

SUP Sports ®

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #7 on: February 15, 2015, 08:41:17 AM »
I have always called out 3/4" tang Futures boxes forward, and rear, (all 4 boxes) in my SUP board builds...

I've ridden 100's of various standups over the last 10 years...and, I can honestly say that I don't recall a single board, that after installing the fin designs I have been working on over the last couple of decades, hasn't helped to improve it's performance...especially, wave riding performance...faster...looser...better...

These fins are completely dialed for standups...

We have demos available at our shop...trying is believing...;-)

http://supsports.com/sup-fins
Mahalos...{:~)

WARDOG ®
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Santa Barbara, CA 93101

mrbig

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #8 on: February 21, 2015, 09:19:37 AM »
For a walk on the wildside check out my "Molly Hatchet" setup which completely transformed my 8'8" Angulo Surfa!
« Last Edit: February 21, 2015, 09:23:29 AM by mrbig »
Let it come to you..
SMIK 9'2" Hipster Mini Mal
SMIK 8'8" Short Mac Freo Rainbow Bridge
SMIK 8'4" Hipster Twin
King's 8'2" Accelerator SharkBoy

RATbeachrider

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2015, 10:57:35 AM »
I tried various sizes and placement of quad but keep going back to thruster and recently really liking my 8'2x29 with small size fins.  As stated by others, depending on board, rider, etc.

magentawave

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2015, 03:08:12 PM »
My last two Simsups came with Controllers but I didn't like them. Then I put two big Lopez fins in the front with smaller plastic fins in the back. The board felt pretty good in bottom turns but the sweep in the rear fins made the board too stiff for top turns and cutbacks but I still liked it better than with the Controllers.

I tried some smaller fiberglass fins in the front once with the same smaller plastic fins in the back I mentioned above but the board lacked drive so I went back to the big Lopez's in the front.

Then I recently swapped out the back plastic fins for the rear Controllers and the more vertical outline of the rear Controllers made the board a little looser for cutbacks and top turns but it tracked when laying into deep old school style bottom turns in anything over chest high last week. That sucked and meant I was forced to change my style by starting the wave with a quick top turn followed by longer down the line top to bottom arcs which was okay for the steep takeoff two to three foot overhead stuff I was in but not good for waves with slower takeoffs that called for an old school bottom turn.

Its been a struggle since I started sup surfing over two years ago to find a board that didn't get in my way once I was in the wave. Now I know its a compromise because the very thing we need to paddle these beasts standing up is our enemy on a wave. Part of my struggle was my refusal to use the paddle for turning but I have very recently relegated myself to the fact that certain turns on sups will require the paddle (damnit!).

A combo I haven't tried yet is to put the same fiberglass fins in the front that I said lacked drive when combined with the smaller plastic rear fins, but this time I'll try them with the rear Controllers in the back.

I have lost about 13 pounds in body weight in the last 4 months and its amazing how much that changes everything so I think I'll give the four original Controllers a try again too.

The first 3 photos show my current and latest setup that was tracking in bottom turns over chest high last week.

The last photo shows one of the plastic fins I was using before with the big Lopez fins in the front (its behind the rear Controller) that was okay in bottom turns but too stiff for everything else.


The Gerry Lopez fins are a very big set of fins.I found them too tight for my liking.

They can stiffen the feel up greatly so try a smaller set. I use Pancho Sullivan fronts and controller rears which give great drive and pivot.

I would put smaller fins in a your board will feel like a new stick ;)

Another good set are Shapers Jackson close S9's or Power quad set .
Pluto Platter: 7-10 x 29.25 x 4.25 x 114.5 liters

southwesterly

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2015, 03:17:44 PM »
There are so good fins out there, but I do know that the Gerry Lopez 5 inch side fins will really (really) stiffen up a board.

For a quad set up, I like using 4.5 Rainbow Speedwings in front and Wardog's 4 inchers in the rear.
That's the best combo I've tried so far.

magentawave

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2015, 03:24:23 PM »
What kind of board are you riding that fin combo with?

Sometimes I think the cluster on these Simsups is too far apart and too far back. I think there could be a lot of improvement if I had the option to move the fin cluster  forward and closer together. At least I know this would be better in smaller waves.


There are so good fins out there, but I do know that the Gerry Lopez 5 inch side fins will really (really) stiffen up a board.

For a quad set up, I like using 4.5 Rainbow Speedwings in front and Wardog's 4 inchers in the rear.
That's the best combo I've tried so far.
Pluto Platter: 7-10 x 29.25 x 4.25 x 114.5 liters

supsurf-tw

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2015, 05:09:56 PM »
What kind of board are you riding that fin combo with?

Sometimes I think the cluster on these Simsups is too far apart and too far back. I think there could be a lot of improvement if I had the option to move the fin cluster  forward and closer together. At least I know this would be better in smaller waves.


There are so good fins out there, but I do know that the Gerry Lopez 5 inch side fins will really (really) stiffen up a board.

For a quad set up, I like using 4.5 Rainbow Speedwings in front and Wardog's 4 inchers in the rear.
That's the best combo I've tried so far.
Correct. It usually is about the placement. 14-16 inches for the forward fins and 6" behind that  for the back fins, reduced base on the rears and off the rails more than what most people think..
Boards:

 
8-10 x 31 Egg
8-11 X 32 Double wing Fangtail Tom Whitaker
8-6 X 30 1\2  Inbetweener Tom Whitaker
8-4 x 30 Hyper quad Tom Whitaker (wife's now)
8-4 X 31 1\4.  Round (wide) Diamond Tail Quad Tom Whitaker
 9-4 X 30 1\2. Swallow Stinger Quad Tom Whitaker (ex wifes now)
10-0 Brusurf for teach

mrbig

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Re: What are some good fin designs for SUP SURFING? Thrusters and Quads...
« Reply #14 on: February 22, 2015, 05:29:25 PM »
Here is a pic of some Al Merrick AMT fins in my King's 7'11". They come in large or medium and work much better than the GL1 or GL2 fins that worked so well in my Rawson which was a much bigger board - 150 9'4" vs. 117 7'11".

I have heard that the controller style quads work well with Simsup style boards. I believe that is what Kirk supplies with his boards.
Let it come to you..
SMIK 9'2" Hipster Mini Mal
SMIK 8'8" Short Mac Freo Rainbow Bridge
SMIK 8'4" Hipster Twin
King's 8'2" Accelerator SharkBoy

 


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