Hey,
Has anyone ridden a round-pin quad? I’m looking for a board for overhead and bigger days, mainly point waves. I’m looking for something interesting, for big turns, but not your standard thruster.
gracias.
It’s just me.
Get yourself a round pin single fin about 7’10" and go anywhere.
It’s just me.
it’s one of my favorite boards for bigger waves right now. I’ll try to get pics in
a day or two…
Hey Trucker,
I’ve been digging my round pin quad lately–holds a high line really well, but doesn’t track or resist breaking from its trajectory. If that makes sense. On a tail with a lot of curve, I suggest moving the rear fins closer to the rail. It will still be plenty loose, but the drive will be insane.
Mine’s in the resources:
http://www.swaylocks.com/resources/detail_page.cgi?ID=1712
Keep us posted!
Jamie
Hey Trucker,
I got those pictures of my quad fin pintail. Just used it this evening. Still some macking sets
here…
6’5" x 18-1/2 x 2-5/16 nose: 10-7/8 tail: 13-3/8
I cut down two SOAR hexlites for the rear. All four fins are flat inside foils.
This is the 5th board in rapid succession and I am now quite confident of the fin position.
Problems in the past with quad (for me, anyways) was that they did not release well off
the top. I checked out several designs and copied fin set-ups to get a head start. First
board went really well, but I am VERY picky. With this 5th board I feel this combo has a
lot to offer: speed to cover ground (water), and great looseness to snap in thicker, bowly
sections. This board hits vert and returns with no stick or extra effort needed. Pretty
stoked on it at the moment…
George
wow, really nice board plusone. dims and outline are very similar to what I ride in bigger surf. I’ve never ridden a quad though. do you cant your back fins, or keep them straight up?
Do you mind going more specific with the fin positioning? how far up are the first side fins, normal thruster position? and whats the toe-in and cant for the back fins? Just trying to get any idea how others are getting used to the quads…
Hey StinkBug and TurboJets,
Respecting the original poster’s intent with this thread, I hope this is not hijacking his question.
The front fins are canted at 6.5 degrees from vertical, the bottom has a deep concave so this
can throw the angle off- assume a flat bottom for this measurement. The rear fins are canted
3 degrees from vertical.
The front fins are located 11-1/2 inches up and are 1-3/16 inches in from the rail outline, they
are pointed about 3-1/2 inches off the nose. The rear fins are 4-7/8 inches up, 1-7/8 in from
the rail and pointed about 3-1/2 inches off the nose.
Note two things:
The rear fins have no curved rake, just a little straight rake. Since this keeps them from twisting
at the tip, the rear fins maintain a more constant Angle-of-Attack, and release when pushed at
lower speeds in disturbed flow (as with a lip hit). This fixed the releasing problem and made
the board quite loose in this kind of situation. During sustained turns the four fins hold really
well, I almost think the rears hold better than the fronts (at higher speeds and less direction change).
The rear fins are moved in from the rail quite a bit compared to the fronts. On the earlier versions
I had them all the same distance in from the rail. A wierd thing was happenning as the waves got
bigger. During those long, sustained turns, both shore-side fins would emerge from the water at
nearly the same time causing a very noticible wobble. At times I had to check my turn and re-set.
With the rears further off the rail, the fins release more sequentially, like a thruster but the quad
fins seem to fight one-another a lot less.
Overall, there is definitely more speed and sprinting acceleration which is great to cover distances.
The looseness off-the-top is much better, which in the past kept me away from the concept.
I even think it paddles with a little less resistance.
Hope this helps,
George
Quote:
Hey Trucker,
I got those pictures of my quad fin pintail. Just used it this evening. Still some macking sets
here…
6’5" x 18-1/2 x 2-5/16 nose: 10-7/8 tail: 13-3/8
hi George ! …was THIS the same board ?! [ If yes , how did it go ?] And , is this photo of you from the recent swell ? if so …R-E-S-P-E-C-T , mate !! are those waves close to where you live ? cheers ben
Hey Ben,
No, that pic is my 8’2" thruster. This was from last season a few days after the big day
that we tow-surfed off the sewer plant, someone might have pics of that, I can check…
…the 6’5" is the longest I’ve used this year (could have used more length a couple of times!)
but we are due for another pulse. We finally got our storm train and the first pulse has
passed, the second looks good for this weekend (poss. weather) and the third could be
coming as well.
I’m pretty lucky to have this seasonal spot close-by. Heaps of fun. It’s about 5 blocks down
the hill. I can hear it breaking as I type this tonight…
Quote:
…like a thruster but the quad
fins seem to fight one-another a lot less.
So in a nutshell, is that the main benefit of a proper Q setup? Is the overall feel simply less resistance? Particularly on rail?
Been reading your thoughts here and looking at Griff’s stuff and wondering for myself what the main benefits are over a thruster. Couldnt quite pull the pieces together, but maybe Im getting it now. The Q fins are simply better aligned with the flow, right?
Its that shore fin that still bugs me.
(epic pic! only wish that was me)
George,
Have you tried the quad set up on a larger board, say 7’6’'? Great board. Thanks for the pics.
Quote:
I’m pretty lucky to have this seasonal spot close-by. Heaps of fun. It’s about 5 blocks down
the hill. I can hear it breaking as I type this tonight…
I’m down in OB and its tough heading to work in the morning when I can hear them breaking.
Here’s a quad set up on a much larger board by Jeff Clark.
Hey Craftee and ChaddyB,
I am definitely making more sections, esp. with the almost close-out west component in the
swell. Makes for more rideable waves. But not just speed, that can be done with a more
disky-type board; the board can also “hang back” in the bowly parts and go vert-surfing.
So def more horizontal and more vertical coverage in med/bigger waves and no ‘hanging-up’
as I experienced with my quad attempts in the past (where I used all 4 fins looking the same).
Small waves- rarely had the problems
I completed an 8’6" four-finner recently, designed with tiny surf and horrible conditions in mind.
Only rode it twice, then it picked up and stayed up. I can post a pic if you would like (still
in the spirit of this thread?)…
Hope this helps,
George
Quote:
I completed an 8’6" four-finner recently, designed with tiny surf and horrible conditions in mind.
Only rode it twice, then it picked up and stayed up. I can post a pic if you would like (still
in the spirit of this thread?)…
Sounds right up my alley! Yeah got a 7’10 in mind for an early '07 project…I’d like a looksee at your 8’6.
…George,
what s your opinion if you put the fins all the same except with equal tilt all …
In the proper spirit of this thread I have pictures of a very different 4 fin:
This board is deceptively big. It’s HUGE! I can knee-paddle it.
8’6" x 21-5/8 x 3 Ultra Light foam and 4oz S-glass, very VERY light for the size, not much more than
a 6’6" step-up board…
My intention with this board was a “post-injury” rehab vessel. Or when the waves are super
gutless, or when I haven’t surfed for a loooong time. I wanted to do “shortboardish” turns
to stay in shape rather than just paddle and cruise on the wave. I’ve only had a couple
sessions on it but this newest version is very fast and quite loose. I can do little airs with it
and it really likes long dedicated cutbacks and rebounds.
It runs a single concave nose-to-tail maxing just at the front fins, pretty deep like 3/8"
The board is not a “Big wave stick” although I’ve had earlier versions in well-overhead
slop in years past. Overall, you can come away from a session “sore” having done a good
workout even in waves that are tough to longboard! I find even on the smallest days I
will be surfing along and an “opportunity” will come up to bash a closeout or do a hard cutty
and rebound.
To answer the question about the fin size and angle. I’ve tried it and the problem is,
it works.
It’s a feel thing for me. The above set-up does hold in the lip a little bit but I hardly notice
this problem since the waves were so minimal. I’ve been too busy lately to make some
vert rear fins, but I think this will allow the tail to “let go” during low-speed snaps.
Muy Interesante.
Looks like you made a short rocket fish, cut it in the middle and added 2 feet…a true hybrid.