Fins, fins and fins

[Rand]

I have been running two 5 inch twins with a little trailer 3.5 trailer for the last few weeks, and was really stoked with the setup (for waves):




Well, yesterday I dropped in these guys:



It is a 3 fin set which also uses two 5 inch twins with a 4 ich trailer, but the shape and flex are different.  That tiny change makes the board feel so much different.

A friend over here who is racing and doing crossings said he switched to a big G-10 windsurfing fin and his board fealt like a diferent animal (accelerated faster and tracked better).  I am usually lazy about fins (once their in, their in), but lately I have had the bug and it is very cool.

Let me know what is working for you.

Randy

[andygere]

That sounds a bit like the infinity "Cluster" fin concept.  http://www.infinitysurfboard.com/longdesign.htm  Glad to hear that it's working for you.  I tend to be lazy about fooling with fins, on my longboards, perhaps it's time to fool with them a bit.  What are the specs on your board?

[Rand]

Hi Andy,
Very cool link.  I had been to the Infinity site, but never had browsed the longboards (only stand up).  I had originally taken the idea from Mark Richards who shapes prone surfing models that he calls super twins or super fish.  They use a twin configuration with a smaller trailer.  The cool thing about the link that you provideded is that Infinity is alligning the fins.  I have gradually been pushing the middle one forward, and as you would expect, it gets looser and looser (when it is at the front of the box, you can blow out the tail with a strong sweep off the top).  Having the big fins on the rail makes the board drive and accelerate by pumping really nicely.

This is a Paddle Surf Hawaii 9'2 production model (it seems like it may measure a bit shorter than that- just under 9'1 on my tape) x 26.75-27.25 x 4.25.  The width and thickness are as close as I can measure without a caliper or slide. 

[paddlesurf.net]

I've got a fin question: I'm riding a single fin SOS Big Red- which I thought would just be a pig (from the volume and beef through the nose) but is turning out to be a well thought out board that actually surfs really nicely and crosses over pretty well for a distance board (I shouldn't have doubted SeanO).

Here's the question: I just dropped in a Greenough 9.75" Stage 6 Paddle fin into the box- anybody got any good info on this fin. Where in the box it likes to be? What it's meant to do? How it surfs etc?

Thanks!

[Rand]

Check here:

https://www.surfingsports.com/greenough_stage6.asp

While you are there, drop Wardog (owner) an email.  he has spent as much time on Sean's boards as anyone, and is a fin designer himself as well. 

As for the Big Red, I agree.  This board is an excellent big board.  I paddled one out (after not having been on one in 3 months) the other day in microscopic waves, and had a ball.  The 9.5" fin was a bit forward of center.  Sooo fun to get on the tail and watch 12 feet of board come around.  Of note, I swapped boards with a friend who just bought a Big Green.  Even with the stock fin in it (read super stiff), it was really nice.

Hope that helps,
Randy

[augengneiss]

Newbie here.  Can anyone suggest a good fin setup for a C4 11'6"?    I'll be doing paddling only, no surfing (for now). 

[boots]

no fin, no drag.

[Allan Cheateaux]

no fin, no drag.

yes, but also a loss of stability and directional aid.

[Dooner]

no fin, no drag.

yes, but also a loss of stability and directional aid.

That, and the drag from a single fin at paddling speed is SO small compared to the overall drag of the board... If you want to reduce drag, you really need a dedicated open ocean type board. Then you can start to worry about the drag from you fins...

As for a paddling only fin setup, I would recommend a single fin about 8.0 -9.5"

[shapeshifter]

no board?

...now that's a drag!

[boots]

no fin, no drag.

yes, but also a loss of stability and directional aid.

Hehe, he didn't say he needed to paddle in a straight line

jus kiddin

[jd]

Newbie here.  Can anyone suggest a good fin setup for a C4 11'6"?    I'll be doing paddling only, no surfing (for now). 

I'd probably go with a 9.5 - 10"  If you are just new to stand up paddling, you probably want to stay with a larger fin for more stability.

I have a 12 foot board and the smallest I've used is a 9" Greenough Stage 4A.  At that size the board starts losing some stability and is harder to keep it tracking straight, but surfs great once on a wave and the board will turn around to catch waves with ease.

I just got a 9.5" Farberow flex fin that is working well.


As for no fin, don't even bother, unless you want to be spinning in circles

[boots]

Hey Randy, is that a custom order bag for your 9'2"? If so how much did they cost and where did ya get it?
Anyone know of any bags that fit something in the 8'10" by 26" range...
Thanks

[Dwight (DW)]

Anyone know of any bags that fit something in the 8'10" by 26" range...
Thanks

You're into windsurf bag sizes now.

http://www.the-house.com/bagsw.html

[boots]

I actually never thought of windsurf bags... Thanks DW!