I’m making a 8’0", 2 5/8", 17.75" N, 21.5" W, 14.5" T mini LB. The board is a round pin tail. I have a 10.5" fin box with a 7" cutaway fin. I also have FCS GL side bites. I know how to install everyting now thanks to Halcyon, but I don’t know where to place the side bites. I’m going to install the fin box 4.5 inches from the tail. I went to the local surf shop and there were no boards with side bites that I could look at. I also need to know which end of the box goes in the front/back. I would appreciate some input. Thanks. By the way, is there a web site that discusses fin placement?
hi sylvia…side bites are up 15" from tail, 1 1/8" in from rail, go up 3 1/4" to toe-in 1/8". People that surf ‘forward’ like them up more (like even 17") but not common…kapeesh?
Thanks surfhungry!!
Quick question, is the back end 15" from the tail or the front end of the fins?
back end…pencil dot is 1 1/8" in from rail. That box in the middle should go up to at least 6" also…a ripping 2+1 setup has the center fin in line with the sidebite back tips…for looser feel!!!
Something to consider, if the board is for you… …don’t put the side bites in yet. You can go back and put them on any time. You might be suprised, try a couple different fins, and give it a couple days in some decent surf. FCS (?) are easy to put in, if that’s what your using, you can always pop them in in 20 minutes. I designed my last longboard as a 2+1, but thought I’d try it as a single first. It took some time to get used to (being a ‘pumpin monkey’ and all) but now I love it.
Thanks Rook, I was going to put them in just to see how it rides and then try it without also. I’ve never ridden a single fin before or a board with side bites. I also put in a single concave in the front, a double concave, and then a vee through the fins.
thanks again!!
Hey Silvia, Generally speaking with a 10" center fin box you have enough length to put the box fairly well back in the board and still get the fin far enough forward to accomodate any kind of fin set-up you may want to use. If you’re surfing the board in waves of any size single getting it far enough back is more important than getting far enough forward. When you’re surfing with three fins as you close the cluster together you loosen the board up and make it stiffer as you separate the cluster. So just put the center box where ever you think will server you purposes the best. The reason I gave you the measurement that I did for placing the center fin box was because that’s where the box is on my 8"0’ x 21.25" Platter and I have a good range of center fin placement with it located there. You can put you side fin boxes in anytime. Good luck with your project. Do what you think is right and you’ll be fine. Mahalo, Rich
I have found when setting fins is that what looks pleasing to the eye is a good starting point or place to put it. When I wanted to see where I should set the center box for a single fin longboard, I put a fin on the raw blank, set marks where the back of the fin would go then made the marks for where the fin box would go. When I wanted to have some FCS sidebites installed on an egg, I held some side bites on the bottom of the board where I thought look appropriate, then measured it from that point. Measuring other boards and having others give you dimensions are also very helpful too.