If you wanted to loosen up a modern ninefooter with a 13,5" tail and relatively typical 7" center 4" sides setup, which would you prefer: moving the center fin up in the box or putting a smaller center fin and keeping it somewhere in the middle of the box? Why? When?
Smaller centre, bigger sides, with the smaller centre fin moved up. Been surfing my 7'10'' as a thruster, and i cant go back to 2+1, just way more manouverable.
Thanks Beerfan and sorry everyone, there was another 2+1 thread where this should’ve been. I’m just trying to generalize this “smaller or further up in the box” dilemma. I’ve been thinking that thruster-like setup with a small center further back would give bigger sweet spot whereas 7" center up in the box would turn more like pivot. Am I right? My experience is that if the center is too much forward in the box it kills the drive but I’ve seen Phil Rajzmans board with the center way up and he seems to have no problems with speed…
Damn, I know I should try things more systematically, but when the waves are good I just surf and forget to try diffrent fin setups;)
The box has a slot specifically for that reason… moving it fore and aft. Move your existing fin forward and try it before you buy a smaller fin. I think your fin sizes are fin(e).
I’ve had good results with a cutaway center fin, in the 2+1 hp longboard. Doesn’t have to be a shorter fin to loosen it up.
I always start with 2+1 and usually end up with a thruster set-up using an adapter to fit FCS's center
to the finbox.
I tried moving the Fin fwr/aft but the best results are when the set up is as close to a thruster as possible.
it seems that 3 fins vs. 2+1 work better .
I get more drive, more grab - never lose the tail on bottom turns, the board goes vertical easily, even hanging 5 is easier... go figure that one.
I go Single fin only on clasic/retro boards and Thruster / quad when I'm in search of a more modern feel.
2+1 doesn't work for me.
hope it helps,
Lee
I’m a big fan of the cutaways, too, on 2+1 setups. Some people hate 'em. Not me.
I have two Hi-Po longboards (9’0", 9’6") with 13.5" tails and use 3.5" sidebites with 7" cutaway center fins up 12" from the (diamond) tails. Loose and never a spinout, even in hollow, overhead surf.
Move your fin all the way up and if that does not work go to a six inch fin about an inch from the front of the box
I agree with dropknee. I shape a fair amount of 9’0 to 9’3"s
and always use SB1’s. (3.5"). I downsize the centerfin to a 7" or
7.5" performance fin. I like Larry’s centers the best, Future centers
when I can’t get Larrys. (Probox/FiberglassFinCo). If a customer says
it is too stiff, I move the center fin up a half inch from my mark (I always
mark the spot of the screw when I hand the board over). I keep moving it
up by half inch increments until they are satisfied. If the fins end up too
close together then I recommend a cutaway as most likely they are trying
to turn the board from the middle. If you are stuck on a 4" side bite, go down
to a 6"/6.5" center, but you wil loose drive. This is ok if you can drive the board
off the rail and the bottom is flat/concave. This setup has worked for me and
my customers in all types of surf up to XXX OH when you should be surfing a
real gun anyway! Just my 2C.
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If you wanted to loosen up a modern ninefooter with a 13,5" tail and relatively typical 7" center 4" sides setup, which would you prefer: moving the center fin up in the box or putting a smaller center fin and keeping it somewhere in the middle of the box? Why? When?
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If you want to "loosen up" your surfboard take off the training wheels.