I have a couple of retrofish surfboards, one with fcs plugs and one glassed on fins. I'm thinking of converting them to quad fishes if that's possible. The fcs board I have no qualms about making it a probox or other system, or just adding probox for the other two fins. The glassed on fins I'd probably just glass on the next two fins also, cuz I don't think there's room to get a router in there. Can it be done that way?
Hi Huck,
It looks like the fcs board has plenty of room to me for another set. To remove glass ons I use a dremel tool and cut into the base. Then give it a sharp slap on the side to pop it off. That’s a pretty board to start cutting into, though. Why don’t you make a third board and make it a quad from the beginning? Mike
yep boad # three is correct.
does J.c whitney still have those
rolls royce radiator add ons for volkswagons?
or maybe a continental kit for the motor lid…
quads are more than just two more fins.
ask a quad guy.
…ambrose…
[quote="$1"]
does J.c whitney still have those
rolls royce radiator add ons for volkswagons?
or maybe a continental kit for the motor lid...
quads are more than just two more fins.
ask a quad guy.
[/quote]
hahaha - I thought that's what I was doing!
btw - the reason I thought of it is that probox larry has a thread on this on his blog where he took a twin fin fish and converted it to a quad by adding two more fins. I assumed he might know what he's doing? So thought I'd inquire of any quad people here if it could be done with my retrofish shapes.
[quote="$1"]
Hi Huck,
It looks like the fcs board has plenty of room to me for another set. To remove glass ons I use a dremel tool and cut into the base. Then give it a sharp slap on the side to pop it off. That's a pretty board to start cutting into, though. Why don't you make a third board and make it a quad from the beginning? Mike
[/quote]
Thanks Mike - maybe I'll keep the yellow as a twinfish, and add two more to the wood board. Will the keels I have still work in a quad setup, or other fins? Appreciate any info on setting up a quad fish, been wanting to try one for awhile. Also - got any recommended shapes for quad fish, or stick with same template?
Hi Huck,
I assumed your were going to install quad fins, not add two more fins to the keels. That’s a lot of fin. Chipfish has been down that path. Maybe he’ll chime in. I’ve used the Pavel quads on my Lis type fishes with very good results. Is there a problem with how your two boards surf? Mike
[quote="$1"] Hi Huck, I assumed your were going to install quad fins, not add two more fins to the keels. [/quote]
At this point, I'm thinking of converting the wood twin to a quad, and going with quad fins. But I have to add two more fins to make it a quad, no? Even if I kept the same fins, they can be modified. I made them myself, I have no problem with modifying them.
------
Nothing wrong with the way the board surfs, but I'd like to try a quad fish. In Probox Larry's blog, he converts a twin to a quad with probox plugs. He puts the back fins in the exact location where the twin fins were - so the board can be surfed as a twin, like it was, or as a quad. I thought that was a cool idea. I'm going to be doing some remedial work on the board anyway, so I thought I'd follow his example, if you quad guys think a quad setup will work on a retrofish shape.
[quote="$1"]
[quote="$1"]
does J.c whitney still have those
rolls royce radiator add ons for volkswagons?
or maybe a continental kit for the motor lid...
quads are more than just two more fins.
ask a quad guy.
[/quote]
hahaha - I thought that's what I was doing!
btw - the reason I thought of it is that probox larry has a thread on this on his blog where he took a twin fin fish and converted it to a quad by adding two more fins. I assumed he might know what he's doing? So thought I'd inquire of any quad people here if it could be done with my retrofish shapes.
[/quote]
Hi Huckleberry, Thanks for looking and following my Blog, alot more updates to come. The Bushman works good in two positions, 1) Twinzer keel set up like the pic below 2) With the orginal keels that Bushman had. When using a regular Quad set-up the board had no drive. What I would do looking at your wooden board, leave the FCS Plugs and add a set of ProBoxes to the front. This will give you the option to ride the board as a regular Quad using the back 2 FCS plugs to give you drive much like the Mckee set up. If the board feels alittle stiff you can always loosen by smaller rear fins with alittle more tip flex on all four fins. That is alot better feel that loosing drive like the Bushman when riden with Regular Quad Fin set up.
I agree with Rooster, leave the other board alone, beautiful board. Make #3 like Ambrose suggested.
[quote="$1"]
[quote="$1"] Hi Huck, I assumed your were going to install quad fins, not add two more fins to the keels. [/quote]
At this point, I'm thinking of converting the wood twin to a quad, and going with quad fins. But I have to add two more fins to make it a quad, no? Even if I kept the same fins, they can be modified. I made them myself, I have no problem with modifying them.
------
Nothing wrong with the way the board surfs, but I'd like to try a quad fish. In Probox Larry's blog, he converts a twin to a quad with probox plugs. He puts the back fins in the exact location where the twin fins were - so the board can be surfed as a twin, like it was, or as a quad. I thought that was a cool idea. I'm going to be doing some remedial work on the board anyway, so I thought I'd follow his example, if you quad guys think a quad setup will work on a retrofish shape.
[/quote]
Huckleberry, Follow this diagram for placement help. Place a set of probox over the front 2 FCS plugs and draw the Proboxes with a pencil to help you set the front set of ProBoxes. If you have any questions feel free to ask my friend. Mahalo,Larry
Thanks Larry - I'm planning on doing some work on the wood keel fish, and would really like to add the quad option as I've been itching to try a quad fish for awhile now - your blog inspired me to give it a go! I will have some questions on fin layout when I get to that point, I'll let ya know, thanks for the offer.
[quote="$1"]
Hi Huck,
I assumed your were going to install quad fins, not add two more fins to the keels. That's a lot of fin. Chipfish has been down that path. Maybe he'll chime in. I've used the Pavel quads on my Lis type fishes with very good results. Is there a problem with how your two boards surf? Mike
[/quote]
cheers Mike !
I actually like using mini-keels [bonzer runner-like fins] in front of keels from time to time .
or...
you could use herb 'supercharger' sized one-tabbers
or
you could use four fins , all gs-sized for a nice quad setup
options , so many options !
good on you for trying new stuff , mate !
nj surfer - can you post pics or describe the type of fish that does best as a quad?
As a lover of all things fishy… and a “quad guy”… I’ve found that the retro style fishes go best with keels. Modernizing the design opens up more possibilities with fin setups. Nothing gives the solid, smooth feeling of a well-placed keel fin on a flat rockered, short, wide, deep-swallowed fish. And I’m not saying this because I’m some kind of purist, loyal to the retro design. I’m saying it because I’ve tried all kinds of fish variations and fin setups, and have come to recognize my preferences over time.
But this is all just that… my personal preference. Can it be done? Sure it can. And you can have a lot of fun doing it. The suggestions I’ve liked so far is leave the yellow board alone. Add a set of proboxes ahead of the keel plugs and set your rear fins in the back plugs. Play around with the fin templates and positions, and have fun.
Not really a true fish, but a “modern fish” has done best for me as a quad. Better than a Mod Fish as a thruster, by far. I have a 6’4 Mod Fish that has a wide battail, wide nose, down rails, 21" wide, relaxed rocker, shallow single to double concave that’s a quad that is more fun than a thruster in small surf, but can’t handle big, steep waves well.
I’ll see if I can post a pic.
OK, thanks for all the responses. After processing all the comments, and doing a bit of research (and taking into account my stubborn nature), I decided to proceed on converting my yellow fish to a quad. I have ridden the board very little, but I do recall my initial thought being that it seemed "stiff". I was just getting back into surfing after a long layoff at the time, and the shape was just a product of my memories combined with a retrofish shape I had, not really based on anything other than that.
So although I have little water time with it, I believe in the board's shape, but want to try some different fin setups with it. The plan is to go with probox sidebites that I have for my single fin, and see how they affect the ride. I took the keel fins down, re-shaping them, so that area-wise I'll be about the same with the sidebites as I was with the keels. I have the 6 degree cant inserts, and just happened to have set these keels at 6 degrees, so I think that's a good thing.
As it was, I just never felt motivated to take the board out, since I have other shapes I enjoy riding, and I don't need a wallhanger, so this way I have a reason to get the board back out in the surf and see how it rides with 4 fins, something I've been curious to try for awhile.
Huckleberry, That's what I like about this forum, always pushing the envelope. Before you route that ProBox in please take a pic from the tail looking down with some measurements from rail and tail. Mahalo,Larry
OK, here's the pic. The glassed in fins are 1-3/8" in from the rail.
I'm planning on setting the proboxes so the back of the insert will be at the front of the glassed in fins, 1-1/8" in from the rail, and parallel with the existing fins, same cant like I mentioned at 6 degrees.
So the finished product will be somewhat like this green board from DKSurfboards.com, but with smaller front fins. I can go bigger if I want later, but I'll start off with the sidebite fins I already have.
Do you really want that Glass-on fin set to be the primary set-up to work around. I think you should take the glass ons off and set the Proboxes 7" for back and 12" fronts for a more functional Quad performance. And when riding this board make a set of custom fish fins with the tab at the back which would move the fins futher forward. With the set up you have now the board is dead with the front ProBoxes that far forward if you don't like the ride and add ProBoxes to the rear later. Just a something to think about. Mahalo, Larry
I think I followed, up to the point where you talked about moving the fins forward by placing the tab at the rear. Could you clarify?
Also, budget is a constraint here, so I may take another route to accomplish the same thing. The front fins need to be at 12" from the tail of the board to the back of the fins?
Sorry to jump in late, but one thing I’ve found, for me, is less rake in the rear fins produces a less drawn out turn - and, to a large degree - even with more area. I find more area = more drive, and more rake draws out the turn.
I was running four full size fins in my gun, but for smallerish days, I wanted to turn “sharper,” so I tried some “side bites” in the rears - the side bites were pretty standard looking fins, rake and all… like mini side fins - and it turned some what sharper, but the reduction in fin area noticably decreased the drive. So, I customized some fins, and Wa La, retained drive, and turned much sharper…
Hope not to many folk mind the double pic post (From the past), but I thought is fit in here.
This is something you may want to add to your list of things to think about… Ha!
