Is my tail too thin for this fin???

General Discussion
1

I got this fin from Gene Cooper and love it, but I’m just worried that my tail is too thin for it, and that the forces on it might cause it too lift off or break the glass, but as usual, I would like the pros on here to chime in…The entire deck is glassed with 10oz. volan with a 10oz. tail patch. The deck is glassed with 10oz. volan with just another 10oz. deck patch. The fin is massive, and I like my tails THIIIIIIIIIIN…The thickness of the tail (at the middle stinger, where the very back part of the base of the fin would go) is right around 3/4"…Thoughts? I have the option of waiting to get a different fin on Tuesday, but I DO like this fin and am just worried…Thanks for any tips/advice/suggesstions…

2

this fin is a commitment

to noseride existentialism.

too thin? ha! I say and again

HA HA !

the fin and tail the same thickness glassed well

will act as a unit deriving consequences positive to the nose ride

fixatiion of the period when the surfboard Hawaii noserider was king

Ralph Young would start sweet talking you out of that board

the moment he saw it and proceed to do the hangus tennus

with impunity accross the flatrock section to the entertainment

of all the bowl sitters.

the serious factor is to integrate the structural engineering of the fin and board in such a way that it dont lift th glass away from the foam and stringer

I routed a fin into a board last batch to achieve such a bond…

the goal being that when the tail flexes with the fin

it is as a unit.

now the fine g-4D type fin will allow for a little less

tail stoomping assuredness

of the monster fin approach

monster fin=straight ahead

G 4-d = radial tire steering

Hy-fin template =rack an pinion masuratti cornering on alpine roads at speeds exceeding the speed of light,sorry this board is gonna be faster

than a gps can read.

so, in a ten minute Knut shell,

you have the annal-ass -sis

with out the teck-nickel charts

and self serving hog slop

that is likely to attatch itself

to this fine question

this board needs to be in the water

my psychic mind hears it calling outloud

for help -help me …help me…hep me!

that fin is so close ,so close

yet …so far away…

…ambrose…

glass it tonite ride it tomorrow…

BOM BOM- DIP DA DIP- da dip

BOM BOM- DIP DA DIP-da dip da dip

3

LOL…

Thanks ambrose. So you’re saying that I would be better off with a different fin if I’m looking for a little more manueverability, though you want to see this board in the water ASAP…Ok then…I’m still wondering. I’m fine with the straight-ahead characteristic of this fin, I just don’t want to rip up glass when I lay a bottom turn…Though I will only be riding this thing in mushy San Diego surf, so…???..???..???

4

Does anyone in San Diego have the ability to print WHITE on rice paper? I would love to put some little “swaylocks” logos (just the word “swaylocks”, all lower case, in the “impact” font - same as my logo- on the actual black fin)…Let me know…

5

do it! do it!

…was looking at the cooperfish site last night…noticed hes putting that same fin on the tail of some boards, so i think youll be fine placement wise for some turning…but i dont think youll rip the fin out from turning, that would depend on the quality of the glass/glassing, not so much the thickness of the tail, i dont think…i say if you like the fin, you like the placement, just use more roving :slight_smile: and glass it on with multiple layers of 10oz…youll be set :wink:

6

Use 10oz. football patches??? GEEEZZ…that seems like waaaay overkill, no? I was gonna use 6oz., especially since if I use 10oz, the glass will show up darker on the board…

7

weeeeeeeeeeell if you dont want it to fly off… :slight_smile:

6oz should be fine, i was semi kidding about the 10. Use alot of roving though, that’ll help out alot, and it’ll look killer.

8

Won’t work with an inkjet. You can have it silk screened on rice paper but that might not be cost effective for one or two copies. One thing I’ve done before which will run you about $10 is to have sign shop that cuts vinyl signs cut you a paint mask (an adhesive vinyl stencil) that you can stick to the fin, spray it white and peel it off to reveal your lettering.

9

Like white on rice…paper.

10

I have a load of sways mylar stickers in small and medium sizes.White lettering on clear.

Contact Mike Paler…he’s the best person to talk to.

11

Where the fin is placed in the photo is that where you’ll glass it on? I notice that Gene places his pivot fins closer to the tail block.

12

Glass it on! Of course! Just sand the surrounding tail area and lay down a tail patch. Then glass the fin on with 6 oz. and rope. Put a small bead on it if you want. It won’t go anywhere.

13

Ok, so what…5 pieces of rope on each side to build up a ramp/support and then three patches on each side of the fin…Small one first, then larger, then the largest one which should completely overlap the fin all the way around?? 6oz. cloth ok? I don’t want to see any dark patches from the patches on the board…