I'm new to sup and have a second hand 2012 glide with dagger fin. What is a good replacement fin for this board. Any help from experienced sup's would be appreciated.

The 12' Glide is a great board.. The stock dagger fin is not so great.

I ued one of these in my old 12' Glide.. [the red fin] .. It's a 9 1/2'' dolphin fin.

Most surf shops should have something like this.

http://www.trueames.com/products/squirrel-cutaway

If you downwind in confused rippy short-period conditions, don't knock this option until you've tried it. You may be glad you did. I'm a fin fanatic, and this is the one that made me realise that I'd be thinking all wrong about the dynamics of downwind fins. Try this back to back with eg. a Futures Cali DW fin, or a Black Project Maliko fin (another expensive specialist downwind fin) and then tell me I'm wrong.

Select to expand quote

Area10 said..
http://www.trueames.com/products/squirrel-cutaway

If you downwind in confused rippy short-period conditions, don't knock this option until you've tried it. You may be glad you did. I'm a fin fanatic, and this is the one that made me realise that I'd be thinking all wrong about the dynamics of downwind fins. Try this back to back with eg. a Futures Cali DW fin, or a Black Project Maliko fin (another expensive specialist downwind fin) and then tell me I'm wrong.

A10, what size are you using for DW (and in which board)?

I use a 10". I have tried the 9" but found it slipped a little in the surf. But I'm a bit leaden-footed. I use it in my Naish 17, Switchblade Race 12-6, SIC Bullet 14v1, Angulo Shaka, Naish Glide 12, and even my X14 when in choppy ocean waters or for surfing (the X14 surfs strangely well, considering). I haven't yet found a board the squirrel didn't work in. In some ways it's a kinda bummer: I've got over 100 fins and enjoy changing them around and trying new things. But since I started using squirrel-type fins (the Fat Boy is a simulacrum) I've pretty much just ignored all the others. I could have saved myself a lot of money if I'd tried one a long time ago but it seemed at the time so unlikely to me that a fin designed around longboard nose riding would work for DW. But now it seems obvious. The bulb gives you stability and hold, and the small fin base and cutaway type design gives you sharp turns and lack of drag. It's perhaps less surprising that they are a great design if you like to surf your raceboard.

But I realise it's a leap of faith to try such a design when everyone else is telling you that you should use a fin that looks like X. Especially when they have a vested interest. And I wouldn't want you to buy one and be disappointed. But if you get to try one for free, or are willing to take a punt on something new, then by all means give it a shot. Just make sure you remember where you heard it first, OK?

Oh yeah, it works pretty good in my full carbon Coreban Dart too. And in my mate's Naish Glide 14 v2...

Hi Area 10,
just wondering if you've tried this Greenough fin from the True Ames range?
Looks similar to your Squirrel cutaway fin

www.trueames.com/collections/all/products/george-greenough-stage-6-single-fin

It comes in a 9.75", so would possibly be suitable as a downwind fin for a 14x26 Javelin?
After my latest downwinder with DJ last weekend I'm thinking that part of my problems are fin related (nothing wrong with my skill level of course...!!!), in using a longer base Candice Appleby fin.

So I'm contemplating the leap of faith as you suggest and buying direct from TA (maybe one of each), or alternatively I can buy a Naish fin like DJ is holding in the photo above.

Thoughts?

Yes I have tried that fin. CJB make one that is very similar. It gives a bit more stability than the squirrel, but it felt stiffer and is less forgiving.

It is very hard to recommend fins for someone else. People want different things. But I wouldn't think that the Candice Appleby fin (which I also have) is particularly likely to solve your issues.

One of the issues with past Naish distance boards is the way they can get wrong-footed in certain confused waters. It doesn't happen often but it can hinder progress when it does. In those particular situations, and if that is the issue you are trying to solve, you may find that a very large area fin helps you best - the lower down the area the better. A couple of my friends with 14ft Glide Mk2s like a large hatchet fin. But probably as you get more advanced in your skills you will find stability in a more manoeuverable fin. This is I think because you learn to anticipate the way a board moves, and where you need to position it, and so a fin that is too stiff interferes with this and actually makes the board harder to balance - ie. because it responds in an unexpected way. So it's quite normal for the same person to prefer different fins in the same board at different times of their paddling "career".

So I think that in general it is easiest to find the right fin by analysing what you want to happen that isn't currently happening, and then go from there. What exactly is the issue you are trying to solve?

Thanks Area 10.

Great info as always, and thanks for making me analyse what I'm looking for.

I'm looking to solve the following issues :

Downwinding what is essentially a less-than-perfect-downwind, but perfect flatwater board.
Getting it to paddle across the waves more (our downwinders are usually in a slightly offshore breeze)
Giving it a bit more stability - my skills are ok without being great, 2-3 falls a run, but it's usually an uncomfortable ride

Issue No.1 probably rates as a "Darwinian observation", but that's the 14' board that I have...

Other issues I'm trying to solve involve money to buy an SIC or two, but I guess you'll be unable to help me there!

Hmm...you are asking for two things here (added stability and wave/wind quartering ability) that stand largely in opposition to each other as far as fin designs go. I think in your position I'd be thinking about the Rainbow fins Pivot Grande 10.75" in bamboo. It's a light fin so it doesn't weigh the end of your board down when you are carrying it, which most large area fibreglass ones tend to do. It is a big area fin with a larger tip which lends stability and control in confused waters, but the base isn't too big that quartering is impossible. See if someone you know has this fin or one similar to it (the True Ames Heritage fin is along the same lines; the TA Purchase fin is also worth trying) so that you can try before you buy. The larger squirrel fins would probably work better than your current fin in terms of turning ability and hold when DWing forward but it won't offer much of an improvement over your current CA fin in terms of stability.