Hey guys,
I was thinking about experimenting with some different fin setups on both my PSH 10'6" All Arounder and my PSH 9'6" Big Guy All arounder. I was going to try some larger sides, possibly the Sunny Garcia fcs sides, with a 7" center, but I'm not sure which center fin I should buy. I've been searching through the "fin setup" threads on this board to get some ideas, but I'm still not sure what would be a good match with the larger sides. Any recommendations for a good 7" center? Thanks!
Chris
Austin loves the Greenough 7" with Sunny sides but it may be tough to find. Another great fin is the Future Albacore Flex 7.5" I use it with Glass Flex G5 sides with the 7.5 almost all the way up. Small waves on the 10-6 the set up I like most is the FG3's with the 7.5 Albacore all the way forward. Right now on my 10-6AA I have OCCY sides with a 6.5 Island Fin Design 6.5 Flex 3/4 forward. This is my bigger wave set up.
Fins are such a preference thing. The feeling you want may not be the same as the next guy. How you project the board down the line and carve turns has a lot to do with it. If you are at the level where you try to lay into every turn is as hard as you can then your set up would be different from someone who is just able to angle towards the shoulder with flat, powerless turns. The "feel" and how you drive the board makes the call on what fins would best suit your style. Add to that your weight and you may be way different than the next guy. Best thing to do is not skimp on fins. Try everything you can afford and keep them in your fin quiver. Fins are like gold once you get the hang of experimenting.
I just bought this tool bag and it is a great fin keeper. I always have a collection so I can enjoy all our boards to the fullest.
(http://photos.imageevent.com/torturechambers/1108/IMG_3387.JPG)
I love this bag. Makes life easy to fiddle with fins... I keep everything needed from fin plates, fin keys, sand paper, sharpie for marking etc ready to go.
(http://photos.imageevent.com/torturechambers/1108/IMG_3388.JPG)
Once I know of a good set up I mark my boards so I don't forget. Create your own marking system and when the waves get a certain way you can instantly make a change and the board will perform just how you like it. If you don't want to write so much on your board keep a fin log and just mark a line with a number then refer back to your log.
(http://photos.imageevent.com/torturechambers/1108/IMG_3369.JPG)
Thanks a lot Blane! That's really great advice and it'll definitely help me a lot. I'm just in the beginning stages of experimenting with fins, so I definitely plan to slowly add to the fin quiver and I'll hopefully find the right set-ups for all the different conditions I'll be surfing in. Your post definitely gives me a great idea of where to start. By the way, I'm loving the 10'6" AA and the 9'6" BB AA. At my weight (235), I thought I was destined to be stuck on a huge board forever. I'm stoked to be able to use mid-sized boards with so much stability and performance. Thanks again!
I remember reading a bunch of different places that a mere 1/4" fin position adjustment can have a large effect on a board's performance. For in-the-water fin position adjustments, the Super Surf Screw is great. At 5 bucks, its uber-cheap too!
http://surfscrew.com/
It comes with a little measurement sticker that you put by your finbox. Nothing beats being able to make adjustments in the water so you can compare the effects of different fin positions on back-to-back waves. Catch a wave then paddle back out. Adjust the fin position, catch another wave, then compare the two rides. Being able to change the fin position instantly allows for more valid comparisons.
Its a good quality product. I've used it for months and there's not a hint of corrosion on the screw or the plate. Some other screws/screw plates I've tried before seem to corrode after a few weeks.
The thought of the drag produced by a plastic disc by your fin might turn you off, but the like the website mentions, the amount of drag it produces is negligible, and is nothing compared to the drag produced by your fin.
At 5 bucks, its gotta be one of the cheapest ways to improve your ride.
The surf screw seems much more convenient than the dime i have to keep on me to do the fin adjustments in the water!
I surf on a 10'C4 board with a 8" center fin abd 3.5" sides.
How would a smaller center fin change the feel of the board? (if i am TRYING to lean on my turns as much as possible)
I have been using the 6.5 rainbow TK Flex (thanks Glenn). great fin on my 9'6 PSH as well as the 10'6 (with the right side bites). Its a great fin with a really twisty tip.
I don't have a 7", but I use a 6.5" Skip Frye template (looks like the stock PSH fin that comes with the boards, except 2.5" shorter) with 4.25" Proteck Power Flex side bites.
I've never heard of Surf Screw, but I've been using Wonder Bolt for a few years and it's basically the same thing... allows for in-water adjustments to your fin.
Here is the RFC 6.5 TK flex in my 10-6 . Has great tip flex and stable wide base. Compliments the board great. My sides are G5's @ 4&1/4... I keep it 2/3 's forward in the box..
Moto was turned on to this fin and he loves the set up too. I just aquired the TK flex 7.5 for the 10-3. but i use smaller side bites on that board....Need surf to try it out.. Soon...
(http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee280/gjbsup/DSCN1626.jpg)