What are your thoughts / theories on the positioning of the fin cluster on a quad (Specifically a canard or a speed dialler setup) with relation to the performance of the board?
I’m not looking for specific measurements on fin placements, I’m after opinions on performance of a board when:
Distance between leading and trailing fin is varied
Increasing / decreasing cant of leading and training fins (effect of having different cant)
Moving the cluster further forward / further to the tail
Although this is a bit off-topic in the sense that it does not directly address the questions asked and it doesn’t relate specifically to canard quads, I just returned from a surf trip to Nicaragua where I had the pleasure of putting a quad shaped by Cole Simler through the paces.
I have been surfing about 7 years and I am a bigger guy (6’1", 210 lbs). I spent a little time riding thrusters but went through a period of about 3 years when I was focused on twins and twinzers because I seem to be able to make them work better frontside. I am more of a “down the line” surfer and I live to go as fast as I can. The thing I didn’t like about the twins and twinzers is that I have a tough time making them work backside - I realize that better surfers can adjust their line and make them work but I seem to spin out backside more often than not. This is probably because I surf really heavy off my back foot backside but much more off my front foot frontside.
So, front side I would mainly surf my twinzers and twins and backside I would surf a thruster.
After surfing the Cole quad (he calls it the “Firefly” model) on mostly lefts in Nicaragua (backside for me), I have officially signed on to the design. I can’t say enough about it - it is loose frontside and as fast as a bat outta hell but backside it holds in like a thruster. Cole has it dialed - from the first wave, I knew that I had lucked into the proverbial “magic board” for me.
I don’t know how his fin setup would translate to a wider nosed “fishier” type of board (my board is 6’10" with a nose around 12.25" and a tail around 15"). The front fins are the Future vectors and the rear fins are smaller double foils (Future is making custom fins for him).
Again, sorry if this is a bit off topic but it does relate to quads and I can’t say enough about the board that Cole shaped for me. By the way - I am not on his payroll and I don’t know him personally - I just know that I contacted him out of the blue based on is reputation, he called me back and spent 45 minutes talking with me to get the dimensions, etc. and he then delivered a magic board on time all the way across the country. What more could I ask for?!
I can’t say enough about the board. Cole is really on to something and he is really cool to work with.
I will post some pics on the site but it will take me a while. In fact, I still owe Chipfish some pics of some “marble” looking fins that I made a year or so ago. I haven’t forgotten about you Chip if you are reading this.
Right now the board is in CA getting a big hole patched up (elbow? heel?) and I am in the process of moving my family back to CA after only 10 months on the east coast (CT).
I will eventually post pics of the Cole and the fins for Chip. It may be sometime in 2050, but I promise to post them!!!
What are your thoughts / theories on the positioning of the fin cluster on a quad (Specifically a canard or a speed dialler setup) with relation to the performance of the board?
I’m not looking for specific measurements on fin placements, I’m after opinions on performance of a board when:
Distance between leading and trailing fin is varied Just like on a thruster increasing the distance will produce more drive and less pivoty
Increasing / decreasing cant of leading and training fins (effect of having different cant) The only time I’ve increased cant is when I went from the 7 degrees on my Next Generation X-4 front NG X-2 rear setup to Speed Dialer Turbos. I’ve only ridden that set up once so far. But, it’s definitely more pivoty. I’m sure template difference has a lot to do with that.
Moving the cluster further forward / further to the tail As you move your fin cluster forward, you need to surf the rail alot more agressively. Moving you fins forward in the boxes moves the leading edge further inboard from the rail. So, the rider should focus on driving off the rail and the setup will enhance that effort.