Looking for Fins suggestions to loosen up a starboard whopper

[SUPalon]

Hi all,

A few years back while visiting my family in Israel, I bought a used Whopper. I was more of a beginner then and appreciated the stability, and was pleasantly surprised how maneuverable it actually was. I left it there as my vacation board and for my younger brother who's taller and heavier and less experienced to use and get hooked on the SUP.
I'm going back there again in a couple of weeks and I'll have lot's of time to hit the water but, By now I'm used to surfing much (much!) smaller more maneuverable boards. I was thinking about bringing a set of fins and see if I can get the old whopper to feel a lil (a lot) faster and looser. it probably has the original fins that came with the board. I'm thinking a twin plus nub set up, but I've never used that set up + all I have are a couple of future sets, and starboards are FCS. any recommendations will be much appreciated.

Shaloha!

Alon   

[Sup-position]

I think you will find a single fin (9") works pretty good.

[JimK]

SUPalon

I've tried it as a twin and it was loose added a "Guitar Pic" and improved it Wasn't keen on the 5" trailer (moved all the way up in the box) Haven't messed with Whopper much recently

JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com

[supthecreek]

I agree with Ralph, a single fin is a great way to loosen it up, I like my longboards as a single, but I use a big 10.5" fin for better hold noseriding.

Since your probably more interested in performance than noseriding, I have found that running only two large side bites work great to "shorten" up a board. I haven't done it on a wide tail board like the Whopper, but it may work. With the wide base "keel" fins in the picture, I got tons of drive and control while keeping it loose.

Another thought... the Whopper is a great board.... you may just enjoy the old glide and swoop of an longboard for a bit of a change.

[Zooport]

Like Creek says, two large side-bites, and no back, thruster fin, loosen up a bigger board.  So you are sort of turning it into a twin-fin.  I run two keel style fins and no middle fin on my larger AllWave.  The two side fins are further up and seem to shorten the turning radius.  It's not magic, but it does seem to loosen up the AllWave. 

[J-Bird]

I surfed a Whopper for a while it is no doubt one of the great shapes, super fun board to surf, even in big waves.  Smaller fins will definitely help it gain some speed, I used to surf mine with two small fins in the sidebites and no center fin, total blast as the board skates around really easy like that.  The stock fins that come with the Whopper are not very good I found, go with smaller, fiberglass fins with some sweep and you'll see a big difference.

[SUPalon]

Thanks everyone, for the insightful helpful suggestions. they should be easy to implement. You're actually getting me exited to reconnect and re discover the whopper. I agree, it's a great shape, I actually made my first bottom turn on it, helped me a lot in my sup surfing progression.

Thanks again,

Alon

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

I was surfing the other day with  a guy on a 12 foot mickey munoz, he  said he switched away form deep fins cause they made the board too hard to turn instead he went with a  4 inch center fin    no others    no granted this was a small day like 1-2'      but you could pick up some  small fins  fairly cheaply and experiment with them  and then report back  Interesting experiment ?

[gorgebob]

I find it funny any fin is going to loosen up a board that 36 wide. Go 9" single fin to stop the turntable and get some drive off the bottom. Loose no, better yes.