Want the Quad feel from a 3-fin setup!

[Woody]

I'm really looking for some good suggestions here. I'm not well versed with playing with different fin setups and would like to avoid buying a small shop's worth of fins in the journey to finding the feel I'm looking for.

I have a new Imagine Eco Enigma 9'0 that I'm really having a great time with but would like a loser feel when coming off the lip. I've been riding quads for a straight year and really like the feel and my ability to break the tail feel, but what is the best way to get that feel with my 2+1 setup? I'm currently running a 7.0" Futures Fin Performance SUP center fin with 4WFS 4.25" side bites. The 4WFS fin box gives us some additional options here as well.

I've been playing a little with moving the center fin forward to cluster the fins a bit closer but it still seems like it has a ton of drive.

Thank you in advance for your knowledge and suggestions!
Cheers 

[Sup-position]

I have a slew of fins for Testing.
If you can make it up to Huntington Beach,
we can try some on for size.
I have a Future Hatchet Center that
can have the same off the top and bottom release
as a quad, also we can play with a variety of centers
with the FCS center box Adapter. We can put an FCS
center fin in your fin box. Plenty of other options on side bites,
What fins can your WFS accommodate?
I have lots of Futures and FCS side bites.

[CMC]

If you are searching for the tail free type set up why don;t you try some Twin fin sized fins in the sides and a smaller center fin.

In FCS sizing perhaps some MR's in the front and a Sunny Garcia in the back via a box converter.

[SUP Sports ®]

I run my 8'10" North Pacific quad +1  in twin keel mode...max looseness...when I need a little more drive, I'll run a smallish trailer...don't forget that your paddle is the biggest fin on your board...;-)

[Woody]

Great idea! I'm going to give some of those options a try during my next couple of sessions. True, don't forget about the big paddle in your hands!

[jdmotes]

 Sweet-Ass looking board there, Wardog... Keep a stiff paddle.   Later, JD

[joelcr]

I've got an 8'6" Enigma, and second trying out the Futures hatchet center fin. It works great for me in waves up to about head high. Really loose and keeps up speed.

[noa]

please pardon the fin idiot that i am...
what effect does it have on the board when one goes for a twin keel plus small trailer setup ?
how does it change the ride in weak waves up to head high compared to a thruster or even 2+1 setup ?

[Woody]

Joel,

Thank you for the rec! Are these the Futures Fins you were talking about? They described the Hatchets to be for longboards. What kind and size of board are you surfing?

Cheers

[SUP Sports ®]

please pardon the fin idiot that i am...
what effect does it have on the board when one goes for a twin keel plus small trailer setup ?
how does it change the ride in weak waves up to head high compared to a thruster or even 2+1 setup ?

I am a long time proponent of quadfins...both in surfboards and SUP's...even my waveriding sailboard...but, I'm always looking for a different feel from my SUP's, so I am always checking fin combos to loosen them up...having ridden a number of the Beatty twinfin Rocket Fish surfboards led me to experiment with twinfin mode...

The big keels allow you to turn at the top while dropping in...something I like about quads...the more you climb and drop...pumping down the line, the faster you go...I find that the twin keels also effectively moves the center of effort forward, allowing earlier turn initiation...something that I worked with Blair on with his quads...adding a small trailer allows for slightly better tracking while paddling and a tad more drive on bigger days...

[Sup-position]

Yes that is the Hatchet in the foreground.
With Vector Side Bites (for shortys) to provide the drive,
very nice.

Finding the feel you are looking for
might take some time or you might hit it right away.

So much of the performance depends on the bottom
planing of the board and the tail width and shape.

[Pureadrenalin]

I'm really looking for some good suggestions here. I'm not well versed with playing with different fin setups and would like to avoid buying a small shop's worth of fins in the journey to finding the feel I'm looking for.

I have a new Imagine Eco Enigma 9'0 that I'm really having a great time with but would like a loser feel when coming off the lip. I've been riding quads for a straight year and really like the feel and my ability to break the tail feel, but what is the best way to get that feel with my 2+1 setup? I'm currently running a 7.0" Futures Fin Performance SUP center fin with 4WFS 4.25" side bites. The 4WFS fin box gives us some additional options here as well.

I've been playing a little with moving the center fin forward to cluster the fins a bit closer but it still seems like it has a ton of drive.

Thank you in advance for your knowledge and suggestions!
Cheers 

IMO  try the smallest side bite you can find and match it with your center fin like a thruster setup or even better a smaller center by 1/2" difference from side bites.. Just remember with a smaller center fin stability is a big factor but surfing performance is increased big time. Its a give and take thing

[Woody]

So then your suggestion would be a 4.5" to 5" center fin if I use my existing 4.25" side bites. Sounds like a good combo to try out.

Is there much to be said about the fin shapes? There are some pretty significant design variations and with a little understanding of fluid dynamics, I have to believe there are some subtle and more drastic performance characteristics depending on your basic foil shape. How they directly translate to surfing though is where I lack the first hand knowledge beyond the most basic fins.

Thank you for the lessons here; I'm learning and trying out your suggestions as we go!
Cheers

[Pureadrenalin]

So then your suggestion would be a 4.5" to 5" center fin if I use my existing 4.25" side bites. Sounds like a good combo to try out.

Is there much to be said about the fin shapes? There are some pretty significant design variations and with a little understanding of fluid dynamics, I have to believe there are some subtle and more drastic performance characteristics depending on your basic foil shape. How they directly translate to surfing though is where I lack the first hand knowledge beyond the most basic fins.

Thank you for the lessons here; I'm learning and trying out your suggestions as we go!
Cheers

woody yes try a center as the same size as the side bites. For shapes there are some that swear by that short 6" or 4.5" boomerang fin. I would also try a takayama halo center I think the smallest is 7" I could be wrong.

[joelcr]

Woody,

Everyone here is leading you in the right direction. Yes, that is the Hatchet fin that I am using, with 2 wood 4WFS side bites that came with the board. I have the center fin about 3/4's of the way back in the box. It is on the 8'6" Eco Imagine Enigma that I got earlier this summer.

On my 9'3" PSH Ripper, I used a thruster set-up with a 4.25" center fin all the way back in the center box. That was the best combo that I found for that board by far....

The Albacore flex fin that Blane recommends is also a very good option. It is a Futures Fin as well.

I have not tried the keel fins with a smaller center, but it sounds like the next 
thing for me to experiment with......