BigHugg - the eagle has landed mate!!!

How's it goin there mate!
Well, I'm happy to report I finally had an opportunity to take the C-Drives for a run yesterday in clean 2 foot peelers down at Rapid Creek. We've had a couple of weeks of strong and ugly Nor'westerlies so it's been blown out onshore horror.
However yeterday, the wind swung to the East and cleaned it right up.
I set up the 10'6 Style and it went like the proverbial clappers!
I got a swag of waves - one in particular from out the back and rode it into the mouth of the river.
Needless to say , I was grinning like a Panda in a bamboo plantation. Spaghetti arms and legs.
C- Drives are super-fast - even in small stuff I noticed the extra speed, like, "Houston, we have lift off" sort of speed.
I'm waiting patiently now for a bit of swell to push through so I can give the 9'2 Flow a run with them on.




Cheers again cob - hope your staying cool!!!

Bighugg said..
Feeling your big smiles way down here.
Loving the FCS2 center
Hiding in the shade now. Been cleaning up from past days dust storms,
41 degree, 13 % humidity
Bring on the Flow

Yeah, I reckon you'd be pretty warm at the moment - and it sounds like a bit more heat to come over the next few days or so.
Keep up the fluids and stay cool old mate!
Bring on those Easterlies!

How do you get a set of Cdrives ?

Thank you

Great stuff BigH!
Glad they made it back safe n sound - massive thanks.
Yep - stay tuned for the Flow old mate!
The wind's turned a tad southerly (WSW) here so it's cleaned up - tomorrow could be a goer if the swell hangs about.
After what seems like weeks of onshore dog's guts I'm just about half mad without any decent waves.
Hope all is well cob!!!

YEEW!!!!

Pacific Vibrations has (unfortunately) copied the design and calls them - J Drives....

Hi there

After several years of unsuccessfully trying to get a set of C-drives in Canada I ordered a couple of sets of J-drives from Pacific Vibrations. They seem like reasonable quality fibreglass fins. The FCS tabs fit well in my boxes on the 8'10" Speeed. I sanded the goofy logo off. They are not an exact copy of a C-Drive and the trailing fin is smaller than the side fins. Looking forward to testing them out on Monday.

Cheers

Bob

bomberdave said..
FRP I put some CDrives on my creek and found in big surf they ripped. Gave great drive and grip. Have been running the smaller (orange) Quobba fins since and found in smaller week fat waves they are much better. Actually faster and looser I found in smaller waves the Cdrives felt a bit 'slow" and harder to turn.

Have the green Quobbas in my Style with a 7" main fin this combo seems perfect so havent tried the CDrives yet.

Thanks Dave

Good information. When I first started looking at C-drives a local surf shop here in Tofino carried them (out of stock) but described them on their website as a big wave fin with good speed and stability. I have been using the small Quobba orange fins in my Speeed as side fins and a stock '94" Sunova fin in back. This has seemed to be a good setup in the small waist high waves I have been out in the last couple of mornings. When I ran the 3 fin thruster set of Quobba fins in small waves it didn't work for me and they seemed slow at takeoff. I am wondering if the smaller J-Drive fin in the back will lossen it up a bit in smaller waves. I will put the second set of J-drives in my Creek also and give that a go. Endless fun heading down the fin "rabbit hole".

Cheers

Bob

Follow up on the J-Drive fins on my 8'10" Speeed. Out today in waist high glass at Cox Bay Tofino. Initial impressions compared to my previous setup with Small Quobba side fins and Sunova 94 center fin. The Drives were much more loose but still enough drive for good bottom turns and speed down the line. I suspect this looseness is due to the much smaller center fin. They did feal a bit skittish in white water but overall I think they improved my surfing. A youngish standup paddler I was talking to asked if I didn't mind telling him how old I was and he guessed that I was fifty (ancient to someone in their 20s). When I told him 64 he laughed and replied he hoped that he was still surfing In his sixties. Tomorrow I will try the Drives on my 8'7" Creek. Life is good and to be surfing........extraordinary.

Cheers

Bob

Thanks Dave

I measured the bases of the fins and I think they equate to medium side fins (base 125 mm) and small center fin (base 106 mm). I have not given up on getting Cdrives from Troy. I have a few in-laws in Australia and perhaps I can get them sent to one of their addresses. Just need to figure out how to get funds to Troy and get lucky with fins being available. I think I would order a large set? Not sure. Looking forward to getting out surfing tomorrow morning. I got to the beach this morning at 7am and there were already ten surfers in the water catching a few waves before heading off to work. Very mellow aloha vibe.

Cheers

Bob

DHUPEDNORTH1 said..

bomberdave said..
FRP I put some CDrives on my creek and found in big surf they ripped. Gave great drive and grip. Have been running the smaller (orange) Quobba fins since and found in smaller week fat waves they are much better. Actually faster and looser I found in smaller waves the Cdrives felt a bit 'slow" and harder to turn.

Have the green Quobbas in my Style with a 7" main fin this combo seems perfect so havent tried the CDrives yet.

Hey BDave. Can u (or anyone else) let me know if they have tried the Quobba greens as the twin sides on a SMIK hipster twin (or longboard version) and give me any feedback. Cheers

Sorry DHUPEDNORTH1 Iam a sunova fan boy....however would love to try a smik hipster... 8'6 would do if anyone has a spare lying around!!!

DHUPEDNORTH1 said..

bomberdave said..
FRP I put some CDrives on my creek and found in big surf they ripped. Gave great drive and grip. Have been running the smaller (orange) Quobba fins since and found in smaller week fat waves they are much better. Actually faster and looser I found in smaller waves the Cdrives felt a bit 'slow" and harder to turn.

Have the green Quobbas in my Style with a 7" main fin this combo seems perfect so havent tried the CDrives yet.

Hey BDave. Can u (or anyone else) let me know if they have tried the Quobba greens as the twin sides on a SMIK hipster twin (or longboard version) and give me any feedback. Cheers

Is the green the largest size.
If so will be trying that combo in few days...

Got out this morning to Cox Bay at 7:30 am. Three hours in the water and waist to head high glass. On the 8'7" Creek with the J Drive fins(C Drive copies). My surfing has taken a step forward. Better tighter turns, more confidence on the wave face and some top to bottom surfing. Getting use to the unstable feeling in the foam pile. So far a positive change for me. I will try to shoot some video and hopefully my impression of improved surfing holds true to the unforgiving Soloshot Eye.

Cheers

Bob

bomberdave said..
Sorry DHUPEDNORTH1 Iam a sunova fan boy....however would love to try a smik hipster... 8'6 would do if anyone has a spare lying around!!!

ha. no probs

Bighugg said..
Is the green the largest size.
If so will be trying that combo in few days...

great! let me know how you find it.

colas said..
Yes.
For now the combo green in front + orange in rear is my favorite for small boards. I use a full orange set for longer boards as I use more the rail than the fins, and the speed & looseness gain of the smaller fins is great, as they have ton of hold anyways at speed.
I guess that when their rear adjustable fins (slider) will be available, a full green set with a slider will be quite interesting: just slide the fin forward for smaller waves, you can do it apparently in the water tool-less with no risk of losing the fin.

Yes, the adjustables are very cool. The degree they go to get the machining perfect is just crazy (but necessary - nobody wants a wobbly fin).