mid-length hull question for kirk putnam, matt miller and john mellor

are you guys using side-bites or side runners as mr. liddle calls them on your round-tail hull designs? if so could you share some information such as placement, fin size,etc ? thanks for your time; g.c.

no-atleast not on the round tails(15" and under).side bitters better served on the arc tails 15" and up.generally, 9" flex single fin.If using side bitters, think 8.5 or even 8" flex fin.

Learn how to ride 'em like they’re supposed to be ridden!

I want to know how the hell anybody gets in charge of deciding how a board is supposed to be finned or ridden without shaping 10,000 boards or so. Supposed to this and supposed to that – I hear these kind of condescending comments from people who insist on riding single fins, or thrusters or whatever as though rail fins are or a large center fin single is a hindrance to board performance. Some fin set-ups don’t suit the board they’re on. It’s a common place occurance. There are a lot of clunker shapes in the water too but with that said many boards, depending on their configuration of course, take on new life with a well conceived center / rail-fin set-up that they don’t otherwise have ridden with only a single fin and some may be ridden quite effectively as a twin to the amazement of the uneducated. Surf conditions and surfing styles have much to do with what one chooses for directional stability but the idea that there’s a right way and a wrong way is absolutely ludicrous and as far as I’m concerned until one have a few decades of designing surf-craft under your belt setting one’s self up as an authority is a exercise in _____. I’ll let you fill in the blank. Gone Surfin’, Rich

While I’m not Kirk, John or Matt, I have ridden a few of Greg’s boards both with and without the runners. If you are new to the whole hull thing I’d get a board with the runners but start it out as a single. Get the fin dialed in and then add the runners. Like Greg recommends, line 'em up with the leading edge of the middle fin and see how it goes. I think you’ll find that the runners really don’t enhance the rail turning ability that much, if at all. (They make pivot turning from the tail accessible, but that’s not why you get one of these sticks in the first place) They will help hold the tail in on really steep waves (like in Hawaii) and may make cutting back a liddle easier. On the whole I left mine off and sealed up the boxes with packing tape. On the other hand, if you are surfing backside a lot, the runners really do help (unless you are KP).

http://www.liddlesurfboards.com/shapes.html

Only one 1978 single fin Liddle in my quiver so I don’t know. If Matt says it, I believe it.

Lee gives good explanations about the use of the siderunners.we tried various multi-fin setups on these boards and found the current 2+1 utilized by Greg to be the best set-up for the way we ride.most of us ended up with side biters that were very, very small-just a nub really.they do have advantages in certain situations, but overall, it seems most of us have gone back to single fins.(For me, it’s been 10 years since I had a Liddle with a 2+1 system, although I have ridden some of KP’s). In my post above surely don’t take it as gospel, but as a general guide.you can put siderunners on anything, but over time for a few of us anyway, we found they weren’t necessary on a hull with tail dimensions 15" or less, especially the round tails…

thanks guys for all your positive feedback. mr. putnam care to add on this subject?

Speaking for myself,I have a few of Gregs boards with side fins that I use but as of late I use just singles.It just depends .I have found that by using side fins that you can use a smaller flexer center fin.Any way on MY roundtails I just use one fin 9’L flex.Lee and Matt comments I agree with also.In the long run everybody will find there combo this site can hopefully cut your learning curve.

KP Got my ‘tweener back. Long weird story (Merry Christmas Mark, I really do appreciate what you did). Roper did a pretty nice job. I’m tryin’ to take the next couple of weeks off. I’m up for a little day trip somewhere if it fits. I’ll call you this weekend. Is alex coming down?

Lee- what’s your time frame???

Matt; Pick a day between 26th and 29, or maybe 21, 22. North LA or Ventura? SB too far north to hastle with crowds. I’m pretty much open.

thanks kirk for your input. gc