I have a couple of boards that really deserve to be ridden more, but I just haven’t been able to get a great “feel” for them. They are both from my first batch of boards, so the shapes aren’t terribly refined, and that might have something to do with it (duh), but I also think some fin help might go a long way towards making them fun.
This first one actually got a lot of water time, easily the most out of the first three boards I made.
It is very flat rockered, and gets into waves really easily… But it doesn’t go rail to rail nearly as easily as I’d like, and seemed tougher than I’d like to pump and carve. I just pulled it out after having it put up for several months, and a fresh look showed me that I actually managed to shape a single concave into pretty much the whole bottom (damn newbie shapers!). It has a 2+1 FU/Futures fin setup, but I never liked it as a tri. It was the most fun as a single, just not as responsive as I’d have liked.
I was thinking maybe a TK flex, but I wouldn’t know what size to get. Dims are 6’8" x 19" x 2 5/8"
Here is the second one I would really like to get finned nicely.
Now on this one, I have never found a fin setup that I like. I love this board, but I have never had a good session on it. Granted, it only got about 8-10 paddles out before getting shelved, but I know it could work better than it did. I tried it as a single, as a 2+1, as a thruster… Nada. Again, I’m thinking a flex might be the ticket, but I’m really open to suggestion. I was also thinking about trimming a couple of inches off of the tail and reshaping the tail outline just a little. Maybe make it a squash or a round pin. Just seems like the tail is pulled in just a hair too much. Anyway, I’m awaiting everyone’s thoughts on this. Oh yeah, dims on this one are also 6’8" x 19 x 2 5/8.
Yes, they have the loooong standard center boxes, and futures sidebites. I’m thinking the sidebites are too far up to be of much use, though. Well, except as sidebites, that is.
A cheaper option then may be to make yourself a quiver of nice wood core fins , mould the bases, move them up and down in the finboxes and you’ll hit on what works for you in your waves . Try some upright fins , rakey fins , flexy fins , thicker fins …
Couple of people have suggested the starfin for the egg… I think I might try that. Anyone have any idea how that might work on the one with the more pulled-in tail (the red/yellow)? Or another template that might light it up?
the winged keel [‘starfin’] should go FINE on that board …like I say , move it around in the finbox till you find what feels right for you and your waves …
I use mine in my 7’ pintail single fin pretty often , and it works well for here !
Hello Shwuz- Your egg would benefit from a flex fin. The TK is a good choice since that wide tail needs a fin with a wide base and a lot of flex at the tip. I would get at least a 8" , and a 9" would not be too long. Also consider the Greenough 4A from Trueames. If the fin you have in it now is pretty stiff I think you will notice an improvement.
Back in the day we rode boards like your 2nd one with the Brewer wide base fins.8" was the standard size. The Rustyflex fin is an excellent fin that has a template similar to the Brewer but with good flex that would probably work well for that shape. In fact, If you invested in all those fins you would have a good quiver for all your single fin projects.
As has been mentioned before on Swaylocks, fin adjustments of as little of 1/4" can make a major difference it the performance of your board.So keep messin' with it.
You know, I just remembered that I have a 9.5 wingnut stashed away that I never got around to trying… Think that might be the ticket for the egg? Or would that be too much fin area and too stiff at the tip?
Not exactly sure which fin that is but you need a fairly narrow tip with flex. If you can bend the tip with your hand then it should be flexible enough.Best way to find out, though, is to put it in your board and try it.If it turns out to be too much fin you can always foil it down and experiment with it.
I’ll try it… Good idea with the foiling it down, don’t know why I didn’t think of that myself. Might be able to trim it right down into a nice little flexer. Good second option if I find it too big/stiff. Oh, wait, I do know why I didn’t think of that… foiling fins is a bit of a pain-in-the-butt messy job, but still nice to have that as an option.
swuz, your down for experimenting right? get one of blakestahs rotating fins for your egg, youll love it, its fast like a single but turns sharper and more efficiently. imagine a skateboard with lolngboard trucks super loose that never slides out or gets wheel bite, thats what the turns are like.
Seriously thought about that too, but I really don’t like the idea of cutting out the box and refitting a new one. Plus, I’m pretty sure I discussed that option with blakestah at some point in the past, and he thought that tail shape/width wouldn’t be ideal. I would really like to try it at some point, but I want to try it with a board that is as close to ideal for using the rotating fin as possible.
Hey blakesta, if you’re following this thread; Ever put the RFS in a bonzer? I might be down to try that!
Seriously thought about that too, but I really don't like the idea of cutting out the box and refitting a new one. Plus, I'm pretty sure I discussed that option with blakestah at some point in the past, and he thought that tail shape/width wouldn't be ideal. I would really like to try it at some point, but I want to try it with a board that is as close to ideal for using the rotating fin as possible.
Hey blakesta, if you’re following this thread; Ever put the RFS in a bonzer? I might be down to try that!
I’ve discussed it with several people who think its a dandy idea. I offered a unit to Duncan, but he wasn’t interested. I think it is one of the better things to try, but as always the end result will only be known with testing.
I’m with sensei - an 8" or even 9" flex. TK, L-flex (Liddle from True Ames), etc. - they’re all abuot the same fin.
And I think grinding the bulb off the end of that Wingdingnut cutaway & refoiling it into a nice thin flex fin would be a truly GRAND solution to a strangely frustrating fin.
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