why should shapes be limited by fin set ups?
why not install 5 boxes.
run as a single
2+1
quad
Twin fin
and keel
that way you (or those riding your board) can figure out the best one for that shape and which fits you best.
i ride single on my longboard, but recently a shop couldnt believe i didnt put in sidebites. weird
I’ve loved the feel of various single fins over the years - from a big 70’s Jacobs to some Sunlines to a couple of Christenson single fins, a McCallum single fin, etc.
But still the exact behavior of single vs. thruster has me curious enough to do a little experiment. I have a 6’4 Christenson expoxy thruster that works really well but is a little tired. I’ve been thinking about cutting out the rear Futures box and then routing out the area to sink a Fins Unlimited box in there and give it a go. Thruster -> Single conversion.
Not sure if the tail is thick enough to support the box, and I can’t give this a try until next week, but I’ll report back.
Leave the rear box in. Put the big box in front of it, maybe 10" from the tail to allow adjustment forward.
Try in-line, way better than single alone.
Those who have already know.
So no to retro!
So Greg / Wildy - So I did it - I dropped a fin box in a thruster (forward of the existing rear futures box, something like from 8 - 9 inches from the tail). I rode this Frankenstein in some pretty fun waves the past few nights - definitely liked it in down-the-line waves, whereas backside top turns were no bueno por nada. Cruisey top turns frontside were working out pretty well too.
I was overpowering the 6 3/4 inch fin yesterday (ran a small trailer fin), so today I put a 7 1/2 fin in there with a lot more overall area. Found that I pretty much needed the big fin all the way back else it would cavitate when I put a lot of pressure on the rail / fin / tail when doing a bigger turn.
That said, the more stuff I try the more I really appreciate the good old thruster set up. In the water today I was thinking about how, with a shortboard thruster, you almost surf the fins as much as you surf the board.
I have watched people surf almost entirely off the fins. it looks weird
That's probably true about riding off the fins, and probably the reason so many people like them, a certain easy balance between rails, bottom and fins letting most people surf better.
But there's a certain freedom of a clean rail, without rail fins stuck on there interupting the smooth flow from bottom and rail.
It's a different sensation, with it's advantages and disadvantages, like everything. Design plays a big part, which is why taking rail fins off a board designed for rail fins doesn't always work as well as expected.
I just find it difficult to be satisfied with rail finned boards. Personal opinion I know, but I'm the only one I'm worried about when I'm actually catching and riding a wave.
I hear ya Greg - and I did have moments / sensations that felt pretty damn good (despite Frankenstein’ing a single fin into a board meant to be a thruster). Since I grew up riding thrusters, I’m definitely biased, although I do dig the single fin feel enough to mess around more with it.
Probably the biggest factor in this little experiment for me were the waves - they were much better, more powerful, and speedy than I’d imagined testing this board out in. I’m going to put it aside and try it again later in more typical waves. I’ll try some other fin combos in there too.
Thanks for the nudge / suggestion - was fun to try something different.
JJ, give it some time and you’ll probably learn a lot from the experience. Just getting comfortable turning a board without rail fins takes some adjustment, getting out of the toe and heel fin connection thing.
It defintely takes a while to sort out the design changes necessary for no rail fins, especially if you want it to perform exactly the way you want. I mean the general modern outline planshape will work, but rocker, rails, edges, bottom shape, etc, need to be designed more specifically to suit centrally positioned fins.
Same can be said for all fin configurations really. Guys who design around their preference usually make better boards configured that way.
…fella
go ahead and check the board that I posted in previous comment
you ll see that the fin doesn t go in the same distance than a thruster back fin…
the single fins in contemporary shapes (WP backwards or middle in mid boards) and modern bonzers are very similar and are really loose boards
don t have the stall effect that the thrusters have after a re entry or floater
the recovery is more “rapid”
are faster without pumping
no lack in backhands
so seems that you don t have the right set up
I used and use and shaped extensively these set ups, etc so I don t blah bling here
polferhull.com
the board is as functional as the surfer who rides it, for
the most part.some people only see surfing one way, when you
ride a thruster you stand in the same position generaly, but
older boards had actual design concepts. as years went by
boards changed rapidly with design to create certin functions, you
had to find the most functional position on the board as well
as change your position on the board for different sections in
the wave to make it do what you want. i personaly like moving
around on the board and having the ability to flow with the
wave, and not pump my guts out to make a thruster get ahead of
the wave enough, just to do a cutback and start all over again.
just my opinion
[quote="$1"]
Foamdust's board is insane.
[/quote]
I'll second that!
Although, ironically, I'd like to build one as a bonzer, thruster, or single with sidebites - anything but a single! Of course, you have to consider that I quit surfing for 23 years - I grew up on singles, had 15 years of 'em. And now that I'm back in the lineup, I am interested in trying other options. I have yet to surf a thruster, but when I quit I was riding fishes, and I have a single with sides longboard and a 7'6" bonzer, and I love the drive off the fins!
this from a longboarder with 2 2+1 fin config set ups wanting to go to a smaller single fin board for faster, hollower, steep waves here on OBX/NC: i recently took the outside fins off my longboards (9-0 performance & 9-6 nose rider) & immediately felt the difference in my bottom turns. i had become accustommed to the grab & projection the outside small fins provide & without them in place, it bothered me at first. i had taught my mind that i needed to have that quick grab & back into the face & lip instead of flowing thru the wave with the board. I am looking forward to RElearning my own surfing style with going to a smaller (6-6 to 7-0) single fin board that I will have shaped for me shortly. The only real question i now have is what tail to have on it: rounded pin, pin, squash, thumb, or the extra wide flat tail that i’ve seen quite a few times here on Sway’s).
just my penny thrown into the pool here…'hope I get my wish!!!
Hey OBX’,
I’m with You and Huck on the side bight fins (2+1 set up), they definitely give you more thrust in turns, I just popped a big single in my 9’er and as you said I noticed the difference imediately.
Not bad,just cruisey but it was definitely harder to make some sections at first. You really need to think about wave position to get the most speed when you want/need it. That’s exactly what I want to learn 
I will soon be building a similar sized single for a daily driver and
after riding a few different types of tail my favourite is a
round->rounded pin style. Kepping in mind I have small feet I find it
easier to bury the tail in turns a bit better, a more modern rail
rocker may make this easier though and allow more width.
Another option, see if you can get a ride on a Tak’ scorpion and try out the pin tail, the wide outline into the pin works really well, it made the 7’ board I rode feel like a 6’er and turned really well.
Cheers,
Mick.
..... I still want to put a fin box on this , 'Lazarus' , and ride it as a singley !
I want to be able to compare its performance and feel with the 7' 'Tunnel Vision' I had for ten years. [That was a copy of a 1970s singley]. After getting that made , I wished I'd had more rocker , and less thickness .... whereas the 'bullett ' feels to me like it will go well as a singley ...still got some volume in it ...
and , here is my [6'1 x 20" x 2 1/2" ] 'Orange Stub' again , that a fellow Perth 'Swaylockian' made me a few years ago , now . It was actually a strip and reshape job , shown step by step , here, if anyone's interested ?! ]....
cheers !
ben [ formerly "chipfish61" , on this thread]
