I’m making a 7’5 gun/wave-catcher that I decided I need for the howling offshore winds in central Baja on big days. So, I’ve decided to make a wider (20.5") and heavier board. Last time I was there, I discovered that a 45 mph gust can blow me, and an ultra-light board, clean out of the water. My question is, should I adjust my side-fins to account for the extra width? I usually set the fins 1.25 inches off the rail, with a 3/16 inch tow. Any ideas for better performance in the 10-15 foot range for point surf?
use the red x 20/80 foils with 1/4" toe , set all fins an inch further back than your normal shortboard , reduce the size of your side fins …maybe ? make your centre a little larger , that will be subjective to your taste …
if you dont use the red x , do the 20/80 foils anyway …
dont have time to explain …
regards
BERT
I’ve prolly had over 30 semi guns in that sizing, tho most narrower, since I only weighed about 140 for most of my surfing.
And very familiar with N of Scorps to SRosal areas.
Keep the nose narrow for offshores, thin if you duck, thicker if you want strength, but don’t matter much for riding as flicking around in big waves is poor technique.
About 20 of 'em were storebought, and most had all 3 smaller than average fins spread in a wider cluster, this including HotButtered, Eberly, Prodanovich, RogerHinds, Morgan and RichardBrewers, Rustys, and various others.
Small fins (4.75-4.95") in wide cluster opens sweet spot, important in bigger waves, just making surfing easier in general.
I’d suggest less toe-in than your normal board. My measurements have always been “half way to nose”. That way, it accounts for length of board and wave size usage, straighter for big waves, more toe and quicker turning for shorter boards and smaller waves.
More V if you like to use lots of body and big strong bottom turns, less V if you like quicker flicks and surfing with lower body.
Ain’t nothin like a 1.5 OH day at FedMarineBase.
If you like current 1.25, stick with it.
Quote:
use the red x 20/80 foils with 1/4" toe , set all fins an inch further back than your normal shortboard , reduce the size of your side fins ..maybe ? make your centre a little larger , that will be subjective to your taste ...if you dont use the red x , do the 20/80 foils anyway …
dont have time to explain …
regards
BERT
We advance fins on narrow tail guns, don’t change the toe-in, and use shorter chord length fins (chord length is the fore-aft distance). So, fins are smaller, spaced out further, and further forward. Sides at 12", rear at 4", something like that. Same distance from the rail, for sure.
I really dislike guns with reduced toe-in. They turn like Mack Trucks. Which may be fine if you’re mainly running for the shoulder. You can take em down to 1/8th toe-in if the board is long enough, but more than that is asking for tracking. I’d toe-in a 7’5" a full 1/4".
Never tried the 80/20 foils. All mine are flat inner surface.
I wonder at the toe-in thing…
Got a 6’8" x 20.5 that has dead straight side fins, single foil, made by a unknowledgeable windsurfer person, and it works fine. 3 big 5" fins.
It’s not loose like a 6’ chip tri, but it’s looser than a 7’3" funboard with small fins and lotsa toe-in. Kinda like the 5’6" x 22 Lis fish I rode at Cojo, doesn’t necessarily WANT to turn, but doesn’t resist turning either. Kinda neutral! Very fast, too sinky for it’s size, which could be why it turns easily, but not quickly.
Rides like a single fin, with the side fin pivot action. Not bad.
Put it on an 8 ft gun with a 12 inch tail…
the whole system gets a little stiffer anyway as the board length increases and the fins get closer together b/c the tail is narrower. On a 9 or 10 ft board with the fins toed halfway to the nose you will be jumping up and down on the back corner trying, begging, the board to turn. You will watch big barrels open and not be able to turn into them. Change the toe on those boards to 3/16" or 1/4", and a smooth lean will bite into the turn and you will make it into the barrel. There’s nothing about tracky that I like in a surfboard, and that includes 3 parallel fins.
OTOH, it needs to accompany a decrease in chord length, otherwise the fins will get draggy. The gun is built for a high speed realm, a shorter chord length will feel bigger at speed.
This may be a little overboard for a 7’6" anyway, but all the more reason to keep the toe.
Keep it up, I’m going to need the same info for an 8’10"
Thanks
Hicksy
I’d think with a 12" tail, maybe a single fin is plenty for hold, and for snappy, you can wing it once or twice, keeping the single concave to double bottom.
Of course, any surfer can overpower a tiny 6’8" board and make it turn, even an old fart. Just gotta apply enough wave speed.
I dunnos about the NEED for sooo much turning prowess, however…
In CitySl, board I was riding was a cut down 9’7" x 19 with a 10" tail and single 8.5 very swept fin. Was originally 9’11" and thicker, but too much for this pea.
Seemed to turn OK, considering earlier that particular day, I was riding a 6’ 1" x 19" single fin for more than 8 waves.
That would be a jump in board size over 3’ from 11AM when I went in to check on my buds, quick drink at home, and taking a bigger board out for an easier time. Those Windisch waves were far smaller than anything I had gotten in the AM with the 6’ board, which were concurrent with PeeWee’s, Bones’, and Ralph Ehni’s.
Like I said, if you got some boardspeed, you can turn almost anything somewhat.
Thanks for all the great advice everyone-I really appreciate the help.