Fin cant advice for new 8'0" quad (probox)?

Had Matt Parker from Album Surf shape me an epoxy 8'0" long board and did a Quad + 1 fin configuration with PROBOX. I have all the CANT inserts for the quad set up, but am unsure which ones to use where. 

The boxes are pretty close together, so I pushed the fins as far apart as I could (still not close to my other quads). What do you guys recommend as far as a starting point?  I have 6 degrees in front and 0 degree in rear, is that a good start?  I come from a short board background, so perhaps the looser the better for me, relatively. Not currently using the center box. 

TIA

Cool, new boards!!

Do you have any pictures of it? i guess you do, post em up.

And where will you surf it?

btw 8 foot is not a longboard, but a longer board

what fins you have?

what wave you are going to surf?

did your shaper use the mckee set-up for the quads, near the rails?

show pics, tell us more, and sure a good answer will come

but you will only find out if it is a good answer by  trying stuff out.

i do know that the -0- degree insert is not going to make your board loose.

try reading this: http://www.hanaleifinsystems.com/pages/fins/quad_fins.php 

in that menu, go to the right side of the page, it has a downloadable pdf - it is a quad setup explanation

the loooser the better, thats for longboards not women…

www.MOREsurfboards.com

Duplicate post with small pics, sorry

Pictures, DONE

I will surf it primarily at San O.  I am really more of a shortboarder and actually just got rid of a 9’0" that I never used because I really am not into longboarding and it was so dang big and heavy.  BUT, I have some buddies that seem to like going to SanO more and more (they have recently started to teach their kids, etc…) so after a few times going with my potato chip and not catching nearly enough waves, I figured I better get something longer, but not too long and not too heavy.  I know Matt Parker so I had him shape me this board.  Dims are approx:  8’0" (actually measures much closer to 7’11") X 23" X 3 1/8"

 

I have a set of Hanalei fins show in the pictures, that I got straight from Larry.  No clue on the fin placement template that was used.

 

I do want the board loser and fun, so perhaps I need to take out the 0 degree rears and go with a 4 or something?

WOW, those pictures are tiny, wonder what happened?

Try one more:[img_assist|nid=1066874|title=Album Rocker|desc=Rocker and Fins|link=none|align=left|width=218|height=640]

[img_assist|nid=1066871|title=Album Tail|desc=tail|link=none|align=left|width=448|height=640][img_assist|nid=1066872|title=Album Top big|desc=top|link=none|align=left|width=288|height=640][img_assist|nid=1066873|title=Album Bottom Big|desc=Bottom|link=none|align=left|width=330|height=640]

hey rod

the 4 degree in the back sound like a good idea

i have a board with all 8 degrees in, 4*8degrees, pretty loose! 

You should try all 8, then spread them further apart, if still too loose then, put in 6 degree in the back, then 6 front, 4 back, etc

are you a big guy? the tail looks wide to me

did you read this: http://www.hanaleifinsystems.com.au/resources/PDFDocuments/hfs_quad_setup_guide_2012.pdf 

 

I am about 185# but by the time i am suited in a winter and booties probably pretty close to 200+. A wanted the board relatively wide and thick with a fairly flat rocker so it planes well and catches a lot of waves, at the same time, I didn't want it too long or heavy.  The rails are also very tapered down.  I had an infinity secret weapon at 7'9". It was like 3 1/2" think but the rails were pretty thick and the rocker was a little too much. For me it was the worst of all worlds:  too much rocker to paddle well and glide, at the same time too much volume in the rails to make it turn well or bite. It was really an odd board (my buddie swears by his 9' secret weapon, but his looks like a traditional longboard and was much different than my shorter version). 

 

I have read that site in the past, it all makes sense. Since this cluster looks so much closer together than my quad fish that i have dialed in, I will spread the fins apart as far as I can and start with a 8 degree and 6 degree combo and go from there. 

 

Thanks!!!!

Another question,  what size center fin should I purchase as a good starting point if I were to use it as a 2 + 1?  7"? 8"?

 

TIA

If you bought a surfboard from Stingray the center box would be in the same place but the side boxes would be in a different location. Seems to me that your shaper should be giving you fin advice.......

You surf San O....ride it as a single with an 8" fin......ditch the training wheels......................

 

Generally, I am not sure Shapers know as much about fins as some of the hardcore people here (like Larry), that’s why I came here for advice. Shapers give general ideas for their boards, but don’t always have the depth of knowledge regarding fins, as most fin guys. This has been my experience with every custom I have had built (I had a griffin 5 fin Modfish and he knows a ton about fins, but I didn’t buy it “custom” from him, so he doesn’t count).

whoooa.........does your shaper know you just made this coment?.......

 

Stingray,

Am I wrong to assume that a fin guy knows more about fins than a shaper? I kind of look at it like an aircraft wing designer knowing more about wing design than a general aerospace engineer. Or in my profession, an orthopedist knowing more about orthopedic issues than a general practitioner, or in the automotive world, an engine builder knowing more about building engines than a car designer. The list goes on, if I made the wrong assumption, maybe I am in the wrong?

Come to think of it, then why would anyone ride a fin outside of what a specific shaper recommends for a certain board.

Ie- you go buy a Lost, Merrick, Rusty, FireWire, etc… Off the shelf and they either come with a certain set of fins, recommend a certain set of fins with a sticker on the board, or recommend a set of fins on the website. So anyone that goes outside those recommendations is all of the sudden pissing of some of the best shapers in the world, including but not limited to, Biolos, Merrick, Rusty, Nev, Simon, etc, etc…?

Also, of this is the case, why is there so much selection of fins?

I honestly don’t understand the statement.

Using ProBox system is like a swiss army knife, you can get all sorts of moods out of the board. I ride approx the same size boards all the time, and look forthe same thing you are looking to do.  I think the white/Black insert combo is good. But you got to mess with the cluster push, pull, etc. Plus you need to tri it as a trifin, single etc. etc.   I think the high aspect ratio fins will work good for your application.  But its all a personal preference to what you want in the ride and how you want it to performs.

The other day I had a quad big guy board out and my buddy wanted to ride it......hated it, said it sucked.   So the next day i had it set up as a single fin...he had a blast on it?  Go figure.  Backfooted..goofyfooted, likes to stall. I'm front footed, natural stance, and like to wiggle & turn.

I ride this in my 8fter

 DSC01608

Must shapers know what they like but not always what is correct. I would have to say that board you have has the  cluster set up for Hawaii and fins are to much Rake for San O which is a slow Wave. Your fins need to be more vertical and your cants are ok. But the rear boxes are to far in off the rail which will cause your board to be more trackey right out the gate.

 

Center fin, I would agree with stingray good call.

 

Hope that helps my friend.Mahalo,Larry 

I love your new board Rod....I own a 8 foot board that I think is a magic board.....but it's my board and I shaped it so of course I think it's great........my opinion is that most LongBoard surfers in San Diego County are over finned....getting someone to ditch the side bites is like telling someone my 8 foot board is a LongBoard............

I looked at all my center fins....looks like the 8 footer goes best with a 7 inch fin or a 9 inch flex fin......but it's endless....

Set up the quad...walk up to Church........

Ray

Larry,thanks for the advice yesterday. A few more details that we didn’t have at the time.

  1. The fin box is a 10" box

  2. The distance between the back bolt on the front box is 13 1/2" from the tail

  3. The other quad fins I have of yours are the BING quads

  4. Yes, I did find another set of 8 degree inserts.

Hopefully that helps dial it in?

I think if a shaper rides and tests all his designs, then a customer would be mad not to run with his fin suggestions, at leats for a while till the customer has a good understanding of the board, then maybe try some different fin combos…I find the guys that change the fins too much too early get confused and dont dial into the board and therefore can feel less stoked on the board itself…years ago when we couldnt swap fins as easily, surfers had to adapt and adjust their surfing to the way the board performed, these days, if it doesnt feel exactly how they want straight away, some may blame the shaper, or the fins, or whatever, but not often spend enough time to feel it out and adjust and possibly get the full benefits from the board and suggested fin combo…I personally try all my shapes with several fin combos and only sell them with what template I believe is most suitable…but also give suggestions to others but always recemmned sticking with the initial set up for a few weeks…rant over…

www.MOREsurfboards.com