Hello, I almost exclusively ride longboards, but Id like to shape a singlefin shortboard, just to add some variety to my quiver.I dont really like the feel of thrusters, that is why im choosing to go with a singlefin. My question to anyone that could help is when shaping a singlefin, is there anything special to keep in mind when drawing the outline or placement of the fin box? Any input is appreciated. Thank you Mike Rannie
Mike, Since you are a longboarder you may want to keep some of the same qualities in your shortboard. When I shape for customers like yourself, who ride longboards most of the time I tend to shape something that isn’t terribly loose to keep the transition from long to short and back to long a lot easier. Design wise, use a long box so you have a lot of flexibility with your fin placement.If you have a bit of a forward stance, you can place the fin up a bit in the box. Rocker wise, you’ll want to try something that lends itself to a fairly large sweet spot, so you need to keep a nice flow without the standard thruster curve, flat, curve. As far as bottom shape, try a little roll in the nose if you’re using a nose over 14 inches, fairly flat through the middle. A little V at the fin and finished off with a very shallow V off the tail, or flat at the end if you want to increase the drive a little. Concave (spiral) V in that V area if you want to get some extra speed through turns. Rails can stay neutral with a hint of edge tucked way under almost to the nose. Keep the rails at the tail a little more pinched than a thruster as you’ll need some extra bite to make up for the fact that you don’t have any fin out on the rail. Good luck! aloha
Amateur here! Yeah, you want to install the fin box straight. I have used only O’fishl boxes as they are to be glassed in… better strength. With low volume, I haven’t been compelled to use a router and template. I mark the box on the blank and tape around the mark. Then I cut the box open and install a fin in it. Then I tape all the parts where the glue shouldn’t go. I use a dremel tool and carefully freehand cut the box opening. I create little voids up and back on either side of the stringer for the glue to grab the stringer. For cutting the stringer, next time I plan to drill it with a bit as wide as the stringer. I’ll put a tape mark on a bit to stop at 1" deep. I’ll drill every 1/2" or so, then break out the remaining stringer pieces. Then I’ll clean it up with the dremel tool. For glue, I mix resin with Diatomaceous Earth from the pool store. DE is tiny glass shards. I coat box and hole with glue. I pour plenty of glue in the bottom of the hole, then set the box in it. I sight in the box to the stringer for direction straightness. I sight in the fin with the blank entry area for squareness. I check back periodically while the glue dries. For squareness, I believe the eye is more accurate than any tool I can can use. Besides, if I can’t see an error then there isn’t one… Right? My method works, although I’m sure it’s too labor intensive for production work.>>> Hello,>>> I almost exclusively ride longboards, but Id like to shape a singlefin > shortboard, just to add some variety to my quiver.I dont really like the > feel of thrusters, that is why im choosing to go with a singlefin. My > question to anyone that could help is when shaping a singlefin, is there > anything special to keep in mind when drawing the outline or placement of > the fin box? Any input is appreciated. Thank you Mike Rannie
I posted a 6’4" single-fin in the Boards section. I don’t know if it matches what you have in mind for your shape? If I could go back and shape it again, I’d probably foil nose and tail a bit more and go with a rounded pin. Good luck. I’m sure it would be a fun alternative to your longboard. http://216.15.61.234/swaylocks/boards/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&Validated=Yes&Category=funshape&view_records=1&nh=7&mh=1
I also like the feel of the single fin and am trying to make a good shortboard out of one. I have made a series of four. My favorite one is a 7’8 egg. This is longer than I wanted to go, because I was looking for quick manouvers in smaller waves. The other 3 were between 6’8 and 6’10. Of these 3, The 6’10 with 13n 20m and 14 tail worked best. The tail has hard edges like a thruster. The rocker is medium. The first one i made had a little too much. It has a round pin but I am tempted to cut off the last inch or two, Im hoping this would make some more release. The boards works great when the waves are hallow and juicy. It has the single fin smooth and can do quick pocket turns. If the waves were great all the time I would ride this board. Unfortunately the South Bay is plauged with small mushy surf, the antagonist of the single fin shortboard. My next single will be 7’0 roundy squash. Flat under my front foot to a sligt v under my back 13 and a half, 20, 14 and a quarter 25/8 thick. The rails will have the edges of a thruster. The rocker will be low but I can not forget I will only be riding this when it is hallow and at least shoulder high. The glassing 6-4 deck 4 bottom. I think I want it light. What do you guys think? http://wegenersurfboards.com
Hello,>>> I almost exclusively ride longboards, but Id like to shape a singlefin > shortboard, just to add some variety to my quiver.I dont really like the > feel of thrusters, that is why im choosing to go with a singlefin. My > question to anyone that could help is when shaping a singlefin, is there > anything special to keep in mind when drawing the outline or placement of > the fin box? Any input is appreciated. Thank you Mike Rannie Mike: What type of surf do you ride on a regular basis?iepoint,beachbreak,etc? as this will dictate to some degree your overall template,rocker,foil,bottom bottom curves and fin placement.eg, if point I would rcomend a round tail since it will allow you to draw longer turns.Rather than type a bunch of stuff I think I’ll try to post some pictures of a few of my boards with measurements, descriptions and explanations.(all are sinlge fin, wide point forward egg type boards.)
Rather than type a bunch of stuff I think I’ll try to post some > pictures of a few of my boards with measurements, descriptions and > explanations.(all are sinlge fin, wide point forward egg type boards.) Matt, Looking forward to your board pics. Magoo
Yeah, I am on the single fin kick also. After watching Morning of the Earth I figured, I won’t ever surf that good, so why do I need the extra fins, those guys ripped on 1. A board I really like is the Albers Bro single that belongs I think to swaylock. Nice shape that one. I have not been quite able to get my curves right to match its look though.
Yeah, I am also working towards a single fin short board. My desire is highly influenced by the classic 70’s films like Morning of the Earth, Free Ride etc. Fortunately I found an old G & S 7’ a couple of weeks ago. Its in rough shape but one of my neighbours was throwing it away, so I got it for free! An old school friend of mine reckons it dates to the early 70’s, and might have been marketed as “the Modern Machine”. Its kinda round in the nose, fairly flat, pretty wide (21 +) and has no leash plug. I believe it has a Fin’s Unlimited fin box. I’ll throw some pictures of it up, and see if someone here knows anything about it. So far I’ve encountered about 25 dings that need fixing, but I’m slowly getting it back in shape and am looking foward to getting it back out in the water. I anticipate a fast, easy paddling board with a lot of history.
I recently had John Mel at Freeline Design in Santa Cruz build a retro 70’s single fin short board (7’2"). We conspired on the design (always one of the most fun parts about getting a new board) and I took possesion of it about a month ago. The board is primarily designed for larger Winter waves but in order to get used to it I’ve surfed it in smaller (shoulder/head-high) waves. It has a longer drawn out line, a “pointy” rounded pin tail, medium rocker and goes pretty fast. I had John install some FCS plugs to fool around a little with the “2+1” concept, but the single fin box is a 10" rainbow fins box. I topped it off with one of Paul Jensen’s wooden layered fins (see the Board forum) and the board, I think, is built to do what I want it to do. Go fast in larger, faster waves. The Jensen fin has made it much more maneuverable that I thought it would be. I’m looking forward to riding it in bigger surf this Winter. It’s only matter of time before I get my weighted arse off the couch, take some pictures and post here at Sways. I also took inspiration from Morning of the Earth and that era of surfing. Since I am an older surfer we built a bit more thickness into the board for floatation and ease of paddling without sacrificing much in the way of speed and maneuverability. I don’t surf like the youngsters do (nor do I have the energy to continuously pump a thruster) so the need for a very light, extremely acrobatic type board doesn’t exist for me. John got a real kick out of building the board and remembers the days he used to build many of these types of boards that provided a lot of fun and good surfing for a lot of folks. And that’s really what it’s all about yeah, fun! SUR4evr