Hey guys, a question for all of you “almighty and all-knowing shapers”
Well, I have a question about a fin setup for a board that I’ve been trying out.
My friend shaped this board (he’s a pretty good shaper, it was his 15th board, so he sort of knows what he’s doing), and it’s 5’8" x 20 x 2 3/8, it’s pretty much an egg-shape tri fin. It has two pretty large keel fins (not retro fish fins, more like oversized thruster fins) and then a smaller trailer fin for stability. It’s a round tail. The board looks a LOT like the Channel Islands original single fin (not this year’s new single fin, the first one they made).
Now, if I were to put a typical modern thruster set-up, do you think this would dramatically change the feel of the board? The reason I really liked the board was because it had a lot of speed and drive down the line, but when you turned, since the back fin was so small, you could release the tail really well.
So, once again, my question is, if I used a regular thruster set-up would this change the feeling of the board?
The reason I ask is because if I don’t have to buy/make two new big side fins and then buy a trailer fin, then I won’t.
Would the TC Whitelines work on it. These fins are meant for little guys like me, below 145 pounds. They have a pretty wide base, but they have a small tip allowing for more release.
This is a picture of the Channel Islands single fin I was referring to. The template of the CI single fin and my friend’s thruster that I’m talking about is a similar template, so I thought it would help to pos a pic.
Easy JLW, every answer isn’t always right, some are funny.
Anyhow, I’d experiment with a set of G-3000, get them used on e-bay. Your a lighter guy and the board is pretty small, that would be a good start. Them mix them with a set of G-5’s. Put the G-5 trailing fin, with the G-3000 side fins on bigger days, and put the G-3000 trailing fin with the G-5 side bites in on smaller days. Depends on what the bottom of the board looks like, and what you want it to do. Guys get to caught up in the outline of the board, eggs, fishes, pintails, squashes, …whatever. It’s the rails, rocker, bottom shape, and fin cant that matter.
Or you can surf it without fins…real surfers don’t need stinking fins. This is Resinhead with just one solution, probably wrong, and not funny…Out
Try a normal thruster set up. g3000 may be a little small, but give it a shot. g5 may be better. I personally like the big side fins and a small trailer in that type of board. However, I shape the board to accommodate this set up. If you have enough width forward and the plugs aren’t set too far forward the twin with trailer set up is fast and drivey. If the plugs are farther forward and the front outline of the board is pulled at all, you may like the standard thruster set up. Rocker plays a big part also. The beauty of removable fins is the opportunity to play around a bit.
Howzit JLW, G3000's are a good fin set up for that sized board, but one of my shapers (Mark Angell) swears by the K2.1 fins for rounded tail boards. You could also try the new F series fins from FCS. Also surf shops have FCS fins that they will let you test ride so you can figure what works best. Aloha, Kokua
It’s true too. -Carl