Enjoying my new 11 4 Nalu - good to have a totally different board to surf from my 8ft 8 JP.....keeps things interesting.

Starting to play with fin set ups. It is a GT version so comes with 9inch fin and two big sidebites. I think the sidebites are too big for most uses but tried it with just the 9 inch stock single and not that taken really.

Maybe try it with smaller side bites or a 10 inch single fin.

Wondering if others have played around with their Nalu fin set ups and if so what you using?

I'm not that taken with the stock 9 inch fin as on a first glance the foil looks way thicker than it needs to be...any views there?

Thanks

I used to like a big 10'' dolphin fin in mine.. and without the side fins.

Yup DJ.....I have a 10 inch ordered to try it out but not sure if it will be fine on a pintail.....surfed longboards with square tails and a big SUP with a square tail and 10 inch fin. Only one way to find out!

I haven't had chance to really spend time on the board as it is my second go to board but it has a big mal feel to it which is what I was after.....solid feel. Did you ever use your 11 4 in decent sized surf?

I have the Surftech Pearson Laird 10'6" PIN TAIL which is a somewhat similar shape.
I've tried a variety of fins (no side bites) trying to hang ten.

What I've found is that as far as stability when the waves are big and steep, is that
a swept fin is better than a pivot style fin.
I found this to be because when the waves are large and steep, you sometimes
have to step way back on the tail to keep the nose up and
for some reason with the pivot style fins and the pin-tail, the board is much more
unstable in that situation (nose swinging wildly back and forth) than it is with the swept fin.

I've used about ten fins from 9" to 11.75" (single fins) and they've all worked fairly well
(except the pivot on large steep waves). Some of the swept fins seem to add more drag
when surfing, which is what I was trying for for hanging ten, but some of those (the larger one) also
added more drag when paddling. I think it is the interplay of the swept tip and the
bottom of the board creating a suction of sorts. The more swept the fin, the more drag; the larger the fin,
the more drag. Probably, the thicker the foil, the more drag, but I'm not sure of that.

Anyway, I'd think a somewhat swept fin works best for a Pin Tail in most conditions,
including most noseriding. (If you are trying to hang ten, you'll probably want a bigger
more swept fin.) I also have a 8.5" D-fin which works pretty well - I was surprised that it
wasn't difficult to turn the board at all, probably because its a pin-tail.

Select to expand quote

subber said..

I have the Surftech Pearson Laird 10'6" PIN TAIL which is a somewhat similar shape.
I've tried a variety of fins (no side bites) trying to hang ten.

What I've found is that as far as stability when the waves are big and steep, is that
a swept fin is better than a pivot style fin.
I found this to be because when the waves are large and steep, you sometimes
have to step way back on the tail to keep the nose up and
for some reason with the pivot style fins and the pin-tail, the board is much more
unstable in that situation (nose swinging wildly back and forth) than it is with the swept fin.

I've used about ten fins from 9" to 11.75" (single fins) and they've all worked fairly well
(except the pivot on large steep waves). Some of the swept fins seem to add more drag
when surfing, which is what I was trying for for hanging ten, but some of those (the larger one) also
added more drag when paddling. I think it is the interplay of the swept tip and the
bottom of the board creating a suction of sorts. The more swept the fin, the more drag; the larger the fin,
the more drag. Probably, the thicker the foil, the more drag, but I'm not sure of that.

Anyway, I'd think a somewhat swept fin works best for a Pin Tail in most conditions,
including most noseriding. (If you are trying to hang ten, you'll probably want a bigger
more swept fin.) I also have a 8.5" D-fin which works pretty well - I was surprised that it
wasn't difficult to turn the board at all, probably because its a pin-tail.

Yup......I think that is probably what I am finding. I was surfing it on junk waves but when I pivoted it round it wobbled a bit .......a lot of that will be the slack waves and me getting used to a new board but it didn't feel right. The stock fin 9 inch is wrong as a single anyway but I was surprised at getting a wobble and putnthatndown to the pintail. I have ordered a Rainbow MD 3 10 inch fin which I have used really well before but with a smaller tip it might not work that well now that I think about it a bit more. It might be that the pintail works better with wee sidebites and a standard raked dolphin fin.

Some say a single fin is looser than with sidebites but the side fins do help initiate a turn.....depends on the size of waves of course.

So which fins have you tried?

I think the side bites do help it turn but aren't so good for nose riding as they can limit
the ability to turn the board from the nose. If you don't plan to nose ride, the side bites
might make a lot of sense.

Well, since it is raining,
Fins I've used:

The original surftech 9" wood-ash swept fin (actually measures 9.5") - worked great but I figured I could get further up on the nose with
something else - turned well with the side bites.
Next, I tried a Cheyne Horan Starfin - worked awesome, especially for turning but is a kelp catcher - lots of kelp where I often surf.
a great overall fin if no kelp.

9" Hawaiian Pro Designs (Donald Takayama) carbon fiber somewhat swept fin, rear pin - nothing special for me.
Velsey V-Fin Noserider (butterfly fin) - tried this early on - too much drag when paddling to catch waves -
I need try it again now that I'm much stronger (when there's no kelp)

9.5" Sparky by Fibre Glas In Co. - Worked very well but still couldn't hang ten - very good fin.
this was kind of a breakthrough fin for me, the board just seemed to turn right into the pocket.

9.75" Sparky style fin but not as swept - has a rear pin so I could try it deeper in the fin box - better for noseriding.
11" Pearson Arrow Pivot - wow, great hold I think from the huge surface area but problem in steeper surf
probably better for a square tail than a pin-tail

10.5" Kevin Connely Nose Rider (Fibre Glas Fin Co), rear pin - rear of fin is sharper than other fins - didn't provide enough drag for noseriding
I will say, the board is extra fast with this fin, maybe because the rear edge is sharper - I may dumb down the rear edge.

9.5" Jacobs Sparky, has pin in the back (I think it is by Fibre Glas Fin Co) - I like this one a lot.
11" Sparky (measures 10.75") by Fibre Glas Fin Co - this is one that provides drag for nose riding but, unfortunately, also for paddling
as I write this, I'm anxious to try this one all the way back in the box (see below).

8.5" D-Fin by RFC Rainbow Fin Co, felt a bit like the Pearson Arrow Pivot but worked better in steeper surf - I like it
10" Riddler Fin (Tyler) probably made by Fibre Glas Fin Co, swept, nice wide curvy base, rear pin
I like this one a lot...lots of surface at the base, swept, rear pin - overall very good performance

9.25" True Ames Noserider - so far the best for getting near the tip of the nose - provides drag when surfing but not paddling,
steers very well from the nose and also from the rear when on steep waves - my current favorite. Sometimes on mushier waves
I really have to be on the nose to keep the board moving with this fin.

Fin Box -- The D-Fin was too large to fit in the box with the leash loop knot, so I got two surfco stick-ons -
now I've got a dual leash holders on top of the board and it let me use the entire box.
Also, now I can try all the fins 1/2" or so more towards the tail!.....to be fair, I've only used the last three fins
like that - so I need to go back and try all the other fins all the way back in the box. I've read, and I do
believe just a half an inch this way or that way can make a difference. Also, now that I think about it,
I only used the Star Fin at the front of the box - that was when I was starting out a few years ago and
was more concerned with turning than trying to hang ten.

Its been fun experimenting.

Great, thanks for all that.....seems like you will have a fin shop soon! Doubt I am a full on nose rider but like to try it when the waves are better. The star fin looks interesting.....is that a pure nose rider or a bit of everything.

For me, the Star Fin is awesome for everything, especially turning
(but it is a kelp catcher).

It is like a pivot with winglets.
So, it can turn like a pivot fin,
but the winglets help it perform great even on the bigger steeper waves.
I think it has more drive than a normal pivot. I do more of a bottom turn.

It worked very well in a steep beach break I was frequenting back then, which often would close out.
This is when I was just starting out and I couldn't believe how well I could
go down a steep face and then kick it around and pull out and still be standing up -
I'd really lay the board over on its side -- really turns well. Shoot I want to go try it right now.

I really liked it but it is a total kelp catcher which is not good for where I surf most often.

I will say I only used it forward in the fin box and at that time, I
wasn't really noseriding. Now, I'm wanting to try it again way back in the box and see how it does,
but it will have to wait till I'm at a different location, cause of the kelp.

I'll probably try a few fins knowing me and will even give it a go with two big sidebites in only just for a whizz!

Fin arrived so hope it works as well as it did on the longboard.

I'm guessing that's going to work really well on the pin-tail.

It is swept nicely, has a large base, big enough (10 inches I think) and looks great.

Let us know how it works.

It worked really well on my 9 6 semi pig longboard.......plenty drive but also very loose.....but then the board was something amazing. I'll give you a report after a few surfs. It is a 10 inch fin......huge base!