What could you guys suggest for the fin size and placement on a small single fin? Here are the demensions 5’1, 16 inches wide, and about 2 to 2 1/2 inches thick. I’ve looked in the archives but haven’t found much on a board this small.
OK, no one answered so I will.
About a 7" tall fin, located on the stringer, and trailing edge about 7" from the tip of the tail.
Really depends on tail width, and kind of waves you are riding, your size.
…if you ride a single fin in a thruster shape, you should put an stabilizer behind the large fin…and youll ride a very good set up…
Lee and reverb, thank you very much for resonding. Can you tell me what you mean by a stabilizer behind the fin? Do you mean two smaller fins to the side or a smaller fine directly behind it? If so, how far behind it and what size, if I give it a 7" fin like LeeDD suggested? Oh and Lee, I am about 130 lbs, 5’8, our waves are anywhere from mushy thigh high to clean head high or a little over head, but I doubt I’ll be riding this board in a wave that big, if the board even works at all. The tail width is about a foot, 7 inches from the end, and its about 6 inches from the very tail. It’s a squash tail. What can this tell me?
12" squash tails get held in fine with a 7" fin if you are not heavy, which you aren’t.
If the tail is particularly thick, you might need 7.5".
Fore or aft fins just increase holding power, something you might, or might not need.
Since the overall width is 16", you don’t need nearly as much fin as if it was 19" wide.
Thank you Lee. I have just finished making the fin. Let me just say that I now have a new found respect for you guys who foil your own fins! I’d post pictures if I could but my sisters digital camera is broken. This fin is 7 1/4 high and 6 inches wide. Is this too wide?
“too wide?”
Well, you gotta try it first. If it makes the board waaay stiff, it’s too wide.
Probably be fine.
Some of the fastest fins in the world are just as widebased as it’s height.
Wide based fins are only harder to foil, so take your time, nice smooth curve, max thickness 1/3rd back, smooth, thin trailing edge to a sanded, flat finish.
On my twin fin, I use 6" x 5.75", one on each tail rail.
Well I gave it a thin trailing edge, but I’m afraid I didnt taper it down enough. It has a pretty thin edge and I figured i can just do a little more when i glass it. Oh well whatever, well see what happens. I’ve already put half of the glass on the fin and im low on cloth and resin so I guess this will be a learning experience, haha. Thanks for your info.
Update: Oh man… I just looked closely at the glass while I was admiring the grain in the pine wood I used, and it turns out I have like twenty tiny little bubbles! Oh well, at least this board isn’t that big of a deal to me, it’s just an experiment.
…hey modestmouse, now you do the work but the stabilizer is that, and is situated behind the front fin (1")…the size is like the side bites for a 7" front fin…i ride this configuration for 3 years in a thruster oriented shape with better results than a 3 tri config.