Fins.. how many &why?

Three fins or five?.. any suggestions on the pros and cons?

Three fins or five?.. any suggestions on the pros and cons? any more than1 tracks so 5 really tracks, board better be designed to accept such force in the tail well you can always say that you got the most fins on the block eh!maybe chicks might dig that…i am designin a fin set up just like a billard pool rack…i’ll call my 8-ball design1/2/3/4/5/6 get the picture all fin can be exchangedable or deleted…why…just to try out.see what happens…

Three fins or five?.. any suggestions on the pros and cons? If you use fin boxes then you can have 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and loads of fun experimenting with what works best when…

The way my superchargers are set-up they track less than a tri or even a twin,and I don’t really consider the drafting keys fins(chargers,canards)so I guess you could call it “a assisted tri”(like a supercharger on a hotrod).Herb.

If you use fin boxes then you can have 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and loads of fun > experimenting with what works best when… I find that more fins do track. Disclaimer: a board can be skaty or “loose” or “tight” with one or 18 fins, depending on size, rake, area (base or otherwise;boomerange or banana or “billy-goat”). However, more fins dispersed through out the tail do give a tracking effect(all ther things equal). I had a four fin, loose but tracky. You say how? Loose and tracky are two different are different characteristics that can at times be independant of eachother. Explanation of tracking: take a two inch high fin and run it down the middle of your board for a foot, starting 11 inches up from tail. Your board with track. Take three fins that have 6 inch bases and spread them like you would on a tri. They will track more than a tri. Now, take 7 fins and spread them out…them point is that as water sucks up it hits fins (bases and all) and as you shift weight to keep your board from getting sucked to the top of the wave, there will always be resistance and it will keep you on a track because there is resistance on the trailer(stablizer) fin and all other fins that aren’t blocking water from other fins. And you do usually keep multi-fins interdispersed. If you choose to cluster them to tightly you will create a water “clogging” effect. The point: only so many fins that can be put in a tail section before they start clogging or creating tracky feeling boards. Solution: use smaller fins all around or vary fin size a lot throughout your cluster. Experimenting is great especially with plugs or boxes. But it isn’t the size or number of fins, it is how you use them!

I find that more fins do track. Disclaimer: a board can be skaty or > “loose” or “tight” with one or 18 fins, depending on > size, rake, area (base or otherwise;boomerange or banana or > “billy-goat”). However, more fins dispersed through out the tail > do give a tracking effect(all ther things equal).>>> I had a four fin, loose but tracky. You say how? Loose and tracky are two > different are different characteristics that can at times be independant > of eachother.>>> Explanation of tracking: take a two inch high fin and run it down the > middle of your board for a foot, starting 11 inches up from tail. Your > board with track. Take three fins that have 6 inch bases and spread them > like you would on a tri. They will track more than a tri. Now, take 7 fins > and spread them out…them point is that as water sucks up it hits fins > (bases and all) and as you shift weight to keep your board from getting > sucked to the top of the wave, there will always be resistance and it will > keep you on a track because there is resistance on the trailer(stablizer) > fin and all other fins that aren’t blocking water from other fins. And you > do usually keep multi-fins interdispersed. If you choose to cluster them > to tightly you will create a water “clogging” effect.>>> The point: only so many fins that can be put in a tail section before they > start clogging or creating tracky feeling boards.>>> Solution: use smaller fins all around or vary fin size a lot throughout > your cluster. Experimenting is great especially with plugs or boxes. But > it isn’t the size or number of fins, it is how you use them! A Malcolm Campbell 5-Fin Bonzer was tank tested up at the Gorge( the north shore of windsurfing, up north) by a shopowner/ windsurfer builder/designer and was showen to have less drag and clean up water better than a thruster. I’ve ridden these boards for over 12 yrs. and have surfed full on for over 40 yrs. all over the world and I’m here to tell you THESE BOARDS DON"T TRACK!

A Malcolm Campbell 5-Fin Bonzer was tank tested up at the Gorge( the north > shore of windsurfing, up north) by a shopowner/ windsurfer > builder/designer and was showen to have less drag and clean up water > better than a thruster. I’ve ridden these boards for over 12 yrs. and have > surfed full on for over 40 yrs. all over the world and I’m here to tell > you THESE BOARDS DON"T TRACK! I don’t want to be nasty, but it is hard to tell that longer boards track or not because they aren’t very sensitive as turning is done more by lots and lots of weight on the tail and lifting the nose to turn. A short board is more sensitive and you can definately tell they track with more fins. The single fin is the most neutral board you can have. I don’t understand why anyone you ride eggs, hybrids or those type of boards with more than one fin. especially older guys like yourself. I saw Rusty out at wind and Sea with a hybrid three fin. I swear, he looked so unstable on the thing. And not to critique his abilities, because he never has been a great surfer. Good shaper, but not a great designer(good but not great). I have shaped for over 20 years and I am 35. I surfed NSSA. I don’t think I am an expert by those stats, but I can tell you that I have ridden many boards and multi-fin boards are over rated. The tri is a good mlti because it is intended to climb and go from top to bottomreally quickly ect. Even the thruster theory relly isn’t as stron of a design theory. A single fin is quicker and trims and can handle weight shifts better. Tris on short boards are good for a certain surfing style. Single fins are like standard transmission vs automatics. Standards respond as you tell them to. Even tri’s track. Even Rusty would admit it. It ain’t rocket science man. Have you ever sailed with one rutter vs a catamaran that has two rutters? Why do you think on double concaves you need to make sure to leave some flat area along the edge of the rail. To make sure it tracks(not as fins but similar glide tracking). Bonsers, c-5 …just more fiblerglass or plastic to fill the land fill. Any shapers here in San Diego that would like to dispute? Rusty…Bessel…MB Aloha, Skip Frye… Ps: channel bottoms track also as they direct water flow, but people like them because they want the effect. If you don’t want tracking, then get a single fin flat bottom with slight vee in the tail.

I don’t want to be nasty, but it is hard to tell that longer boards track > or not because they aren’t very sensitive as turning is done more by lots > and lots of weight on the tail and lifting the nose to turn.>>> A short board is more sensitive and you can definately tell they track > with more fins. The single fin is the most neutral board you can have. I > don’t understand why anyone you ride eggs, hybrids or those type of boards > with more than one fin. especially older guys like yourself. I saw Rusty > out at wind and Sea with a hybrid three fin. I swear, he looked so > unstable on the thing. And not to critique his abilities, because he never > has been a great surfer. Good shaper, but not a great designer(good but > not great). Steve- My everyday Bonzer 5 fin is 6’10", I also ride a 6’4" Lis style fish w/ a twinzer fin set up, I also ride a new 7’ single fin w/ nice panel vee. Just like the boards you described. So where does that place me in your stereotyping?>>> I have shaped for over 20 years and I am 35. I surfed NSSA. I don’t think > I am an expert by those stats, but I can tell you that I have ridden many > boards and multi-fin boards are over rated. The tri is a good mlti because > it is intended to climb and go from top to bottomreally quickly ect. Even > the thruster theory relly isn’t as stron of a design theory. A single fin > is quicker and trims and can handle weight shifts better. Tris on short > boards are good for a certain surfing style.>>> Single fins are like standard transmission vs automatics. Standards > respond as you tell them to.>>> Even tri’s track. Even Rusty would admit it. It ain’t rocket science man. > Have you ever sailed with one rutter vs a catamaran that has two rutters? > Why do you think on double concaves you need to make sure to leave some > flat area along the edge of the rail. To make sure it tracks(not as fins > but similar glide tracking).>>> Bonsers, c-5 …just more fiblerglass or plastic to fill the land > fill.>>> Any shapers here in San Diego that would like to dispute? > Rusty…Bessel…MB Aloha, Skip Frye…>>> Ps: channel bottoms track also as they direct water flow, but people like > them because they want the effect.>>> If you don’t want tracking, then get a single fin flat bottom with slight > vee in the tail.

We could go round and round with one! I have my results on video and comp.and I cut the tracking on a thruster by 90%,nuff said.Herb.

Assisted Tri it is then , thanks herb.

Assisted Tri it is then , thanks herb. …I’m willing to bet you could get the same effect,(as the mini fins), with a plastic/steel/brass, rod positioned correctly.The acceptability factor would be most likely laughable. I’m trying to incorporate the abilities of “mini fins” into the board structure or the main fins to get even further away from the stereotype Rusty C-5 thing.And to reduce the work load on the builder"me". How those two little fins can eat up your time is amazing.Herb.

You can’t go wrong with a single fin and there is less work and positioning is simple–slide the fin back and forth until you like it. You should know the basics about fin area and rake to choose the fin, but after that it is a matter of sliding it back and forth. Straight quotes from my girlfriend…>SHHHAAKKKAAAAH!

I like single fins.THERE A GOOD PLACE to go to when you get lost in all those multi-finned ,anorexic,wafe boards.A well made twinfin fish helps on those smaller slow days…hell there all good! stay stoked! Herb.

Fins track peroid.the duke drug his foot to turn his 100.lb. stick ,his foot tracked,fins depend on disign of da shape an what you want da stick to do.Da owl was usin a 3 fin set up at sunset in the 60’s halk was ridin a 6.6" campbell bro.at sunset in 1972…it all depends on where you surf an what you want out of a stick…have a quiver of fins an boards it’s like a lays potato chip…you can’t eat just one… ’

Fins track peroid.the duke drug his foot to turn his 100.lb. stick ,his > foot tracked,fins depend on disign of da shape an what you want da stick > to do.Da owl was usin a 3 fin set up at sunset in the 60’s halk was ridin > a 6.6" campbell bro.at sunset in 1972…it all depends on where you > surf an what you want out of a stick…have a quiver of fins an boards it’s > like a lays potato chip…you can’t eat just one… ’ Thank you!!!Fins do track!!!It is all about how much is too much that make you say,“Thisa board tracks” rather than , “This boards turns smoothly.”

My new five fin Bonzer is 6’4", it doesn’t track. It gets up on a high plane and cooks down the line. Ya scooch up a schoosh and man, it’s surfing! I’m always happy to trade in the lineup. Kowabunga.

My new five fin Bonzer is 6’4", it doesn’t track. It gets up on a > high plane and cooks down the line. Ya scooch up a schoosh and man, it’s > surfing! I’m always happy to trade in the lineup. Kowabunga. Talkin track and trading smack.

Yeah Wetsander, Boo Tim!!

Yeah Wetsander, Boo Tim!! That’s pretty darn close to a negative statement, watch out for the positive police.