A friend of mine,DavO bought a ,“Al Merrick Flyer”,after riding it a few times,he c/o of the board lacking speed,being sluggish thru turns,and having no foward drive,(among other things).He asked if I could convert it to a supercharger by dropping FCS plugs in it ,and add some of the newer tipped foward chargers.I agreed to the work,and it was done it a very short time…Net results…DavO is VERY,VERY,STOKED!!!..in his words,“it doesn’t lag anymore thru turns,it’s much faster,and has alot of forward drive,I could never go back to regular thruster again…I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!!!”…THANKS,DavO for your feedback.Herb.
Aloha Herb, I keep hearing about your Supercharger and I’d really like to give it a try! I have no idea how to install FCS plugs. I was thinking of taking my board down to a shop to have it done professionally. Do you know how much it would cost to install 2 single FCS plugs into a finished board? And finally, do you have a set position for your Superchargers or should I let the shop place them according to the dimensions of my board? Mahalo!
Aloha Ajl,let’s see,you need to tell me what you’re supercharging,a thruster?2+1 long or mid board with smaller sidefins,or larger twinfins.If so what are the dimentions of your side fins only, (height&base length)or if there are FCS fins which type(s)are they? This is critical for proper placement of the chargers,and FCS plugs…FCS PLUG PLACEMENT: First you will be recieving my charger fins in the mail soon (about a week,hopefully).The chargers should be 1" away from the outside of the main side fins(1" between fins)(closer to the rail line),and they(charger fins)should be half it’s base length in front of the leading base edge(bottom front of fin),half behind.IF YOU ARE USING A 2+1 SET-UP OR THRUSTER.It’s not a problem to set the plugs,because the chargers for these type of set-ups are just the length of the slot in the FCS PLUGS/BOX.Now it can very alittle ,but not to much!!!..TOE,AND TILT:…A safe setting is to keep them the same as your main fins…PROGRESSIVE SETTINGS: TOE alittle straighter(more parallel to the stringer ) and a degree less camber(tilt) than your main outboard fins(side fins).This will increase your speed even more! if you have any Qs…ask away.Herb…p.s.check the board page for examples,look at the deck as well for FCS stickers ,this will also show plug settings.
Wuddup Herbie? I will never ever ride a “Stock” thruster again. The 6’9" you let me ride this morning was F-ing killer! SPEED, SPEED, SPEED! All SPEED! All DRIVE! WAY BETTER PADDLING! WAY MORE POSITIVE. No lags and being stuck in the fakie(backward) position during big gouges! Just turns around and keeps on going! I’m stoked and feel very lucky to have the only Merrick in the whole world with the SUPERCHARGER fin enhancement. HERB IS DA MAN! Thanks Brudda! DavO P.S. Don’t tell Slater.
Now don’t get me wrong I’ve seen a lot of great posts by Herb…and I even would love to try the superchargers experimentally some day myself but being the cynic I am I am forced to say “way better paddling”??? you sound stoked in your feedback but come on ‘way better paddling’ that’s just too over the top…>>> Wuddup Herbie?>>> I will never ever ride a “Stock” thruster again. The 6’9" > you let me ride this morning was F-ing killer! SPEED, SPEED, SPEED! All > SPEED! All DRIVE! WAY BETTER PADDLING! WAY MORE POSITIVE. No lags and > being stuck in the fakie(backward) position during big gouges! Just turns > around and keeps on going! I’m stoked and feel very lucky to have the only > Merrick in the whole world with the SUPERCHARGER fin enhancement. HERB IS > DA MAN! Thanks Brudda!>>> DavO>>> P.S. Don’t tell Slater.
Now don’t get me wrong I’ve seen a lot of great posts by Herb…and I even > would love to try the superchargers experimentally some day myself but > being the cynic I am I am forced to say “way better > paddling”??? you sound stoked in your feedback but come on ‘way > better paddling’ that’s just too over the top…g30,what DavO has to say about paddling is very accurate! The supercharged boards with the chargers in place paddle approx. 30% better(on the low est.)this also means easier/earlier wave entry,and a much quicker response time.THEY ALSO TURN MUCH QUICKER leading to even more speed,and drive,they don’t spinout uncontrollable,because the fins has more positive area,there looser because they lack the fin turbulence,the chargers in them self are nothing,but coupled with a outboard fin that has toein&camber to it make for a superior riding board////////4 or 5 years ago I started developing The Supercharger,and I haven’t rode anything else since.I’ve been surfing for 38 years and probably have ridden literally thousands different boards in my life time.I’m not the best surfer out there,but The supercharger has made me a superior one,just because it is the next best thing…Be glad to show you if you dare?..THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE LIKE YOU that have said the same things,before riding one…care to step-up to the plate?It’s an easy test even if you don’t like the boards I have, or there’s no waves you can ride,you can still feel the difference,but why not give it a full test!Herb.
Hey Herb, Thanks for all the great info! I’m planning to Supercharge a 6’6" thruster. I use the FCS TC Redline fins with this board. http://devsurf.com/
Hey Herb, Thanks for all the great info! I’m planning to Supercharge a > 6’6" thruster. I use the FCS TC Redline fins with this board…go bro!put them in just as I have described…fins are on there way,guys,Herb…any problems? ask away.
Hey Herb, I am so stoked to be getting some of your superchargers! I’ll be putting them on a 6’ 10" swallow tail with a 15 1/2" nose 22 1/4" mid and a 15" tail. It will have 2+1 fins. I’m not sure what side fins to use, either FCS GLs which are like 3 5/8" tall with a 3 3/8" or so base, or some glass-ons I have that are 3" tall with a 3 3/4" base and a little more rake than the GLs. What do you think? Thanks a TON!!! Scott W.
hey herb, how much for a set of your SC cannards? also, what do you make these little fins out of? i’d like to try them out on my next board…
hey herb,>>> how much for a set of your SC cannards? also, what do you make these > little fins out of? i’d like to try them out on my next board…Bruce,you/I can make them out of any thing that will work eg. sheet fiberglass or polyprop.,but foiling the little things really suck (need to hire some elfs)because there so small.So I made some crude molds(4 templates) of the templates that proved there worth.So I cast them using fiber glass and resin,then hand finish them.The process is still slow ,but i’m learning alot.Soon, I plan to up-date my molds,and start using plastics(zytel)…e-mail me your address,and tell me what it is you plan on using them on,eg. thruster,2+1,etc.Plus A FIN BASE LENGTH AND FIN HEIGHT,AND/OR FCS TYPE FIN… IF YOU USE THEM…I’ll put you on the list with the others no charge.Herb.
Hey Herb, I am so stoked to be getting some of your superchargers! I’ll be > putting them on a 6’ 10" swallow tail with a 15 1/2" nose 22 > 1/4" mid and a 15" tail. It will have 2+1 fins. I’m not sure > what side fins to use, either FCS GLs which are like 3 5/8" tall with > a 3 3/8" or so base, or some glass-ons I have that are 3" tall > with a 3 3/4" base and a little more rake than the GLs. What do you > think? Thanks a TON!!! Scott W…Thanks Scott that helps alot…either will work ,but the FCS system is easier to deal with if you don’t know how to install the FCS plug next to a glass on fin.Herb.
Howzit- Take the supercharger fin enhancement test and you’ll see how and why they paddle “way” better than a stock/conventional thruster. -DavO>>> Now don’t get me wrong I’ve seen a lot of great posts by Herb…and I even > would love to try the superchargers experimentally some day myself but > being the cynic I am I am forced to say “way better > paddling”??? you sound stoked in your feedback but come on ‘way > better paddling’ that’s just too over the top…