i managed a pick up a campbell 7’6 5 fin bonzer egg, it was a bit bigger than i wanted but you dont see many over this side of the pond (uk)
i have had it in the water a few times, first time (chest high) out it felt very stiff - didnt want to turn, so i pushed all of the fins forward and 2nd time out (waist high) it felt more repsonsive. had my 3rd surf on it a few nights ago (chest / head high) and it felt ok, but still stiffer than i had hoped.
once its over on its rail it holds / drives well but pushing over seems like a real effort - i am used to smaller boards (5’10 - 7ft twin / tris / quads) so maybe i need to get a bit further back…
so my questions, can any one recommend a replacement fin rather than the 7.5 true ames that came with it to losen it up a little?
I have a 7’6" CB Bonzer 5 fin - it flies & is pretty loose. I run it with a 7.5" Bonzer Center fin overlapping the back runners by 1/4". Back runners 11 1/4" from tail and lead edge of rear runners in line with rear edge of lead runners.
Bonzers like a quality wave and are at their best in walling head high.
Try the 5.5. You might find you don’t need much of a trailer fin unless the surf is big and/or hollow. Don’t stop there - fin experiments are fun. Ask Chipfish.
I have a 7’8" bonzer from Malcom built in eps and glassed by clyde beatty back in 2000. It too was stiff with the ‘standard’ bonzer fin at least to me. i messed around a bit and now run with a 6" true ames california classic fin which is lined up even with the back pair of runner fins. this works well for me in 90+% of the conditions i face here in the NE. moving the fin around and trying different fins is a big chunk of the bonzer experience…keep working on it and you’ll find the 'msytical fifth gear"
do you have a photo of the board and fins in question , please ?
Here are some thoughts of mine . Bear in mind I have never ridden a 7’6 campbell brothers bonzer , firstly . Apart from my 9’ mal , the next biggest board I ride is my 7’ single fin .
Anyway , for what it is worth , here goes …
if you’re riding that big bonzer in small waves , and you can move / remove the side runners [yes?]
have you tried taking out the
front set of runners ?
Then ,
try another surf , taking out the back set of runners [while leaving the front set in] .
Move the back fin backwards
move the back fin forwards .
Try different positions and setups …can you make smaller and or bigger side runners for it ? [besides trying some different sized / template BACK fin/s ?]
Try it as a SINGLE fin , too , with the 7.5" back fin [I used that size fin in my 7' single fin for YEARS ...still DO , sometimes ]
okay , I hope this helps , mate ? ...please let us know your findings eh ?
cheers
ben
basswave—can’t post a photo right — our digital cam is sick right now(a teenager was involved in that;-( , anyway, a verbal description—it’s t’8" with the nose and tail both being 15", a rounded square tail, thickness about 3" and widepoint just above center. MC made it for me as a step up from the 7’8" 5 fin that steve seabol made me in eps / epoxy several years before, that one was a bit gunny so MC made it more egg-ish . Overall a bit thick(i’m a big guy) Cylde did the glassing. moonlight was not the main Campbell bros glassers at that time. Problems—pretty much none-except the epoxy has yellowed a bit over time–but, still strong and very light, no dings but a few heeldents—a true magic board
