Is there a ‘better’ match to a quad fin? I’ve always been a thruster kinda guy but a buddy asked me to make him a quad. What aspects need to be changed? Do differences in tail design function the same as for thrusters? (round pins for tubes and fish tails for whippy turns, etc…) I’ve noticed with swallow tails people sometimes add a vee out the tail. Is the same true when shaping a round pin quad, and do the other concaves of the board need to be adjusted? Do the rail contours change at all? (are you engaging a different spot on the rail either further forward or backward, carry the hard rail further forward, etc). Thank you for feedback
That’s a lot of variables to examine. And, I’m no expert. But, I will say I ride Lis type fishes mostly and like them with the Pavel quads with a neutral (flat) bottom. They seem to be a bit more user friendly in a variety of surf. I’ve built one round tailed quad using the McKee placement and like how the board surfed. It had a single concave between the fins. I carry the hard edge a couple of inches in front of the leading fins on all my boards, regardless, because it never occured to me to do it any other way. I’m not one to discuss all the theories of this curve or that curve because I find the whole surfing thing so subjective. I think you and your friend should start building your boards in question and report back your findings. I wonder if each of you will find contradictions in the “theory” postulated. Does that make sense? Sounds like great fun, anyway. Mike
You go quad to get snappier, jerkier, more sudden turns with a small burst of acceleration coming out, so you place fins on the rails to get the pivot boost effect.
Why would you go roundpin to smooth that out?
Wouldn’t you want to enhance the advantage…if there’s one…by going DIAMOND tail, or mute it a bit with rounded squash.
Just where would you consider a double pin tail to double draw out your turn, making it smoother in the process.
You might consider a star tail, 3 points, but why a double point? Especially a fish like double point.
Just me, I didn’t build my Pipe 7’8"ers with twin fins just for fashion.