Hi Fellow Swaylockians, Robin has the new site www.ProBoxfinsystems.com running with new stuff still coming. I think you will find the new sight refreshing.Thanks for your support and any suggestions on the new sight are welcome. Mahalo, Larry
Hi Larry. The site looks very professional.
Im getting ready to install some of your boxes (sorry for the long delay - new daughter is a time gobbler) and I have a question about fins on your website. On P5 youre offering the thumb style rail fins in two different sizes. My curiosity is peaked with those and Im considering purchasing them. They will be used in a 7’9 version of a hiperf midboard (similar to a R.Harbour Habanero in shape) in a versaplane config.
What can you say about the thumb fins in comparison to more conventional templates?
What are the pros and cons?
How do the thumbs compare performance/feel wise to the HFQuadESC on P4?
FWIW, Im basically trying to create a trippy flexpop feel on bottom turns with this “extra long” new board. My everyday boards are usually 6’4 hiperf composite.
Congrats on the updated site and Mahalo in advance.
the new site looks great!
and i love the fin catalog.
robin’s new quads look wild!!!
Aloha Craftee:
I think the main thing to know about the thumb fins is that are very pivoty and because of the shape have a lot of flex. This flex gives them a lot of pop out of the turns, as they load up and then release. By taking the area out of the base and putting it in the tip they still have plenty of drive. Also because of the rake they can typically be placed a lot further forward on a board which further enhances the pivotiness [is that even a word?].
The other thing about this template is that they are very fast, mostly this is due to the fact that they have so much less wetted surface than a typical fin of an equivalent height.
I have been working on this template since for over 30 years slowly refining it and improving on it. It is a remarkably forgiving yet great performing fin. I also make a whole series of these as center fins for use as either singles or 2+1 fin setups.
NOTE: the website only shows the two sizes but the reality is that I actually have these in a wide range of sizes starting at 3.50" going up to 5.00" and then the centers starting at 4.50" going all the way to 10" in 1/2" increments.
You mentioned that you are trying to get a flexpop type of feel, I can guarantee you that is exactly what this template will give you.
As far as cons go I have not found any, if there is one it is the fact that due to the amount of flex there can be a slight hesitation when you power into a bottom turn before the flex releases and propels you out of the turn. Some people find this a little disconcerting but very quickly adapt to it. I personally don’t even notice it!
Comparing these to the ESC quad setup I would say the ESC setup is more drivey and direct, while the thumbs are more smooth and flexy, they are both equally fast.
Anyway hope that helps and thanks for the interest!
-Robin
Aloha Soustice:
Those new fins are a little on the wild side but I can tell you they work great!
I had them out on Saturday in my longboard quad, what a fun ride that was very fast and still nice and loose. With the large fin in the back the turns are a little more drawn out but it is still plenty pivoty.
The main thing about them is that they are incredibly fast and it almost feels like there are no fins in the board. I was able to get right on the tip without the fins feeling like they wanted to slide. Also I tried as hard as I could to slide them in a bottom turn, but it seemed the harder I pushed the more they responded. I’m really happy with this new design.
Now I just have to try them with the larger fin in the front and then a smaller version of the large fin in the back. Next time!
-Robin
Mahalo Robin.
That was an excellent explanation.
Im glassing the board this week and should be done fairly soon.
Hope to pick up this conversation again.
Btw, Im really trippin on your fin selection.
Im seeing many interesting variations in my head…
Robin knows his stuff… I’ve never met a fin guy who’s been more helpful & informative. And to match that with Larry’s execution of products…I’m sold - putting it in everything…I guess Randy Rarick knows a thing or two. 
PS: Did you know Softops have staples in them? 8)
Aloha Benny1:
Thanks!
You’ve really got me curious as to just where these staples are, and what they are doing in a surfboard?
-Robin
Aloha Craftee:
I’m looking forward to continuing the conversation when you are ready, I’m also looking forward to seeing the board when it is done, mahalo!
-Robin
Quote:
Aloha Benny1:
Thanks!
You’ve really got me curious as to just where these staples are, and what they are doing in a surfboard?
-Robin
I dunno, either, Robin… but I got a photo of one of them. and there were enough in every single one of my router cuts to pull the metal into the router bit & scorch the foam with burning chips of metal.
I had even worse burnt EPS cores in 2 of the other spots - but one was perfectly clean. This Softop is probably 6 years old, so the production methods might be better by now…but I was damn glad I was wearing safety glasses!
The worst burn:
Whoa, that is scary!
I bet you are glad you had safety glass on. I can’t believe how that fried the foam!
Sure would like to know what the role of those staples might be, maybe they were used to hold sheets of foam together or something, yikes!
Hope they did not ruin your router bit!
-Robin
Hey Robin!
This is Ken from H.B.
the site’s lookin good
will the gallery get more pics of us regular folks’s boards
I sure hope mine makes the cut.
it was great meeting you and the mrs’s and thanks for showing me your “Master shaper” shaping room and beutifull home
your boards are beutiful
Probox is my choice for fin system’s soooo easy to install
Aloha
congrats on the new site guys. look forward to trying the system on my next board.
brasco
Aloha Ken:
Yes! Eventually the gallery will have many more photos of both production boards and the smaller artisan. As I get the time and photos I will be posting them on the website.
This will not happen for awhile as I need a break and I have too many boards to shape
Thanks for the comments and it was good meeting you as well, hope you had a good stay on Kauai!
-Robin
Robin
Yes I had a great time (as allways) on Kauai
Although the surf was maybe smallish to you north shore guy’s
I had a blast at Kalapaki and Waiohi (especialy Waiohi)
did a couple of go outs at Centers but I wasnt up to it and it let me know it, but no injuries.
That board I showed you realy slides into waves effortlessly (I cant believe “I” made it)
And the fin system (GT with Proboxes) works almost too good for a longboard
when I got back home my friends and I went to San O and I caught over 20 waves in 3 hr sesion
My buds were amazed some of the waves never broke.
hey what are you doin on the computer?..get to work!!! LOL!
Oh heres the latest board I made 8’ 6" retro
Aloha
Benny -----Wait until you do a nose repair on a soft-top. Then you will really see staples.
Woah, thanks McDing - I’ll watch out for that.
It was my guess that they use them to hold the d-cell & glass straight & wrinkle-free on the core as they pop them into the heat molds. Is that about right?
Larry, nice site!, and nice fins!
On the next “site improvement” i suggest writing how each fin set-up rides on it’s description. I always like when they give me an idea on how the fins ride.
Being the fin whore i am (sorry, i don’t know how to say this in english with more polite words), i’ll need to try your fin system just to give a try the alternative fin set ups you have: hammer, HF, etc…
Good job!
Browsing the cat, Im fairly certain that some of those unique designs have to due with fin flex characteristics. But how those flex characs affect the ride is still a bit of a mystery to me. Interesting stuff indeed.
That is the only reason that I have been able to come up with. There are usually several around the nose and tail. Never seen them in the mid section of the board, but I generally am doing repairs either nose, tail or bottom damage. I seldom grind off the fabric on the top except at nose and tail areas.