Haven’t had much luck with the quads I’ve tired, so keep going back to thrusters. Pretty much a front foot, pump it down the line surfer, and just don’t seem to get as much speed with the quads (which seems to be the exception to what most experience).
With thrusters, I ride single to doubles, forward V, and move up the fin set for best results. Would like to order a five box convertible so i can also try it as a quad, and looking for some fin placement help from those who have dialed in their own quad’s.
Board will be a 7’8 x 21.25, 13N 14.25T roundtail, that will be ridden in mostly steep and punchy beachbreak into the well overhead range. Thoughts were to order the thruster boxes at my usual 4"/12", looking for reccomendations on rear quad fin box placement. My son is a dedicated quadster, and he flip flops between the McKee set-up and ones closer to the rail.
4" and 12" sounds like a McKee set-up. We were discussing this stuff in another thread that Robin Mair contributed to. He and I use similar dimensions. I use 7 1/2" or 7" and 11 1/2" or 11" for an on the rail Quad. I've done a few with the center box and have varied that dimension off the tail from 3 1/2" to 4 1/2 to 5" depending on the length of the board and whether or not I was shooting for a true thruster option or a 2 + 1 sidebite option. On the Quad set-up I try to trail the water off the leading fin onto the trailer.
hmm, based on that info, may try and retrofit a 7’10 mid ranger diamond tail thruster set up at 4/11.5, and have the rear boxes set in at 7.5" based on Mcding feedback…board is currently Futures, so probalby will use Fusion plugs in the back to get some adjustability, and already have a number of FCS fins…
I've done a few quads lately for friends and they like them so far. I have put the front fins where the front fins on a thruster would go. then I go half the distancefrom the front fins to the tail. Take the number of where the back fin would be if it was a thruster and go in between the back fin thruster setup and the half distance of the front fin. that is where I put my back fin. front fins are normally about 1 1/8" from rail and rear fins are + or- 2" from rail for mine depending on tail width. I tow them in to the same point off the nose tip so that means that the front fins are towed in more than the back. Cant also depends on the bottom contours and type of board that I am building but I go with 2 less degrees in the rear. Good luck and I hope I didn't confuse you with my odd descriptions. Oh yeah, I have been using regular thruster sets for the front rail fins and a small longboard sidebite for the rears such as the FCS gx
Actually on a retro-fit I would use regular FCS plugs, purly for the ease of install on a board that is already glassed. If you are careful you can do a set of plugs without damageing the gloss or sanded hotcoat. Which if you did damage the existing finish would mean re hotcoating. sanding, gloss and polish. Asteven is right about using sidebites for two of your four fins on a Quad. Although Quad sets usually come with a double-foiled trailer; It's my opinion that the double-foiled trailer is more effective on a McKee set-up. I have also seen guys play with putting the small fin in front and the larger fin in the rear. Never done that myself so haveno opinion on how that would work.
Hey ICC. Good luck on the quad.I don’t have any advice on placement but I just made a 6’8" egg with robins placement. I think for a gun for punchy waves would call for Mcckee from what I’ve read??
I know Art does Lokbox. They seem to be more precise for adjustability and are made in the U.S.A. Just a thought!
Art’s an excellent shaper, last 6 boards have been ordered from him…thinking of putting a different "mojo"under my feet on the next one, however. So plan on ordering a board from one of the quadcentric shapers, so open to suggestions…
I have also heard that double foiled rears are the way to go. Specifically 80/20 foiled. GX's are the best FCS fin I can get my hands on at moment so I might have to foil some up myself when I get a chance and have buddies give 'em a test run.