Single Fin Size

General Discussion
1

I’m looking for some suggestions/help on selecting a fin for my next board.   I’m making a  stubby single fin 6’2"x22x 2 3/4, rounded pin tail.  It will be a hair under 22 wide since I slipped with the saw at exactly the wrong spot when I was cutting out the blank.  The tail a foot up is 15".  I will use the larger box and put it about 6" from the tail. 

I’m leaning towards a 6.5" cutaway fin.  I like the Smith/Parrish cutaway from True Ames, but I am looking for suggestions on size and/or any other fins out there.  Thanks.

On another topic this is my first EPS board to shape.  I did a lot of reading and I was a little retisent about it.  But so far I have enjoyed it.  I had to take the cover off my planer to keep the beads from melting on the belt, but I like the way it shapes with the surform.  I’ll I’ve done so far is cut it out and get the thickness right, so I have a ways to go.  Thanks for any help.fin-red

2

Personally, I think that particular fin would work better as part of a 2+1 combo due to the narrow base.     

3

I agree, don’t think you’d get enough drive out of that fin as a single fin. 

4

Standard Smith/Parrish fin is a great fin. Greenough stage 4a or 4c are good fins too. I was using a 9" cutaway on a 8’ single and I noticed an obvious lack of drive. Sidebites fixed that problem.

5

Wut he said^^^^   

 

 

6

6’ 2" x 22" wide is pretty wide. Not sure if this will be OK as a single fin. I think 6.5" fin may be an inch too short. Back in the 70’s MP and others were riding boards with 12" long single fins. I rode an asssortment of 9" fins for a long time, but have since added 7.5" Greenough 4A, and 7" Smith/Parrish style.

I just made this board. It is 6’ 2" x 21" x 2.5", don’t have dims at 12" but the tail is pretty wide. I was going to make this a quad but I made this a NPJr duo with twin long boxes 6" apart. The fins are cheap FCS 7" dolphins that are way too flexy.

I rode it for the first time today in really small surf and I think this has a lot of potential for being a great board. I don’t think it would be that good as a single. The flexy fins gave it a little jump out of turns. I’m not sure how that will feel in bigger better surf because I’m used to stiffer fins.

2448×3264 1.99 MB

2448×3264 1.96 MB

2448×3264 2.26 MB

7

My 2 cents: consider putting that single box as far back as you can reasonably fit it. (I mean, I probably wouldn’t go further back than 4" from the tail, even if the blank had the thickness to accomodate it).

I’ve just found that every single-fin I’ve ridden felt best with the fin pushed all the way back.

8

Harry,

Did you make the blank for that board?

9

Yes, It was made with rocker slices cut from 3" thick XPS. I’ve since added side boxes and used it as a quad, but recently I went back to the duo using thick 6" single foiled fins I made. Wanted to keep it true to what it was supposed to be. This board needs a bit more juice to come alive because it has more rocker.

 

10

Once you have it in the water, you’ll know for sure but I’m thinking that 6.5" is not enough fin for a board with that wide of a tail.  I honestly think I’d be more inclined to go with something like a 9" fin.  A mid-face kick out attempt as a hollow head high+ wave is closing out is always a good test.

11

considering the fact that we, as a  species,

can ride anything.

do a fin box and start out doing somthing wrong.

as wrong as yoou can  posibly imagine.

so wrong that the other critical guys

will call you out.

once yoou are used ta paddling the board put on an 8 1/2’’ fin with rake

that will be wrong if the base is too big

if the base is too small the board will do real cool drifting turns

that will be great until you cavatate infront of a big closeout set.

put on the 9’’ fin and even with a smallish base it  will be  too big’

ride it anyway at least 20 good waves.then put on the first of three or four

diffrent 7 1/2’’ fins one of those will be the  best.

go back to the 8 1/2’’ fin in between each 7’‘1/2 fin for about ten waves’

this will make you appreciate the loose response of the 7 1/2 fin

by this time you will have about 40 hours surfing this board

and your opinion will be enlightened.

at this point any opinion will be

as good as another>

basicly good compost.

this could just be the best surfboard

in the history of the known universe.

…ambrose…

remember to strap it down…

on the car when you leave the beach.

12

Hi J3. It’s already been said, but 6” back for the box is too much. I have made a single fin in almost those exact dims and put the box at 5” & wish I’d gone with 4”. The best fin I found for it was a 7.5” fluid foils, the cutaway will have almost no drive. I tried 6 or 7 different fins. Mine was really low rocker and flat, a blast in small clean surf. Good luck.

13

"remember to strap it down…

on the car when you leave the beach."

 

14

surf it…

you Can be batman !

this time Ill be alfred in the cave.

…ambrose…

15

The Parrish Cutaway is fine if used with side bites.  Yes place the box further back on a board that size unless you are attempting a sort of “Morning of the Earth” chopped tail V-Bottom type design.  In that case you would wind up with the box 11 or 12 “ from the tail and a ten or twelve inch Greenough style fin.  Like Fowler’s stuff.  I use a Cutaway that Pat Flecky foiled and gave to me with Sidebites in a 9’0” Longboard.  The combination works great.