I have received a second set to put on another board (I do not like to screw/unscrew too much the FCS1 system for reliability issues). My minigun 7'11" pulled-in ends that I use in chop or complex or bigger conditions. They work nice, it is surprising how you quickly take their added speed and smoothness as granted. I wonder what going back to regular fins will feel like.

Baddog, I tested the Tom Carroll "SUP" FCSII quad set. They are quite small, especially their depth, they get their area by more chord. I liked a lot the looseness this shallow depth brought to the board, without sliding out. So maybe the added benefit of coming up with an efficient fin design is that you can undersize them to add looseness by the reduction in size while having the efficiency still provide enough lift...

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colas said..
I have received a second set to put on another board (I do not like to screw/unscrew too much the FCS1 system for reliability issues). My minigun 7'11" pulled-in ends that I use in chop or complex or bigger conditions. They work nice, it is surprising how you quickly take their added speed and smoothness as granted. I wonder what going back to regular fins will feel like.

Baddog, I tested the Tom Carroll "SUP" FCSII quad set. They are quite small, especially their depth, they get their area by more chord. I liked a lot the looseness this shallow depth brought to the board, without sliding out. So maybe the added benefit of coming up with an efficient fin design is that you can undersize them to add looseness by the reduction in size while having the efficiency still provide enough lift...

Really Colas you like the fins that much, what about using a quad set up maybe - Quobba fins on the front with small regular fins on the rear? I mainly ride quads these days (more drive and speed, I am interested in what you think?:-)

I do not ride quads a lot - Gong boards tend to have fast rockers -, but I may try it. Quobba fronts + small rears may be fun.

Or I could try Quobba fronts + the two central Quobbas. Could be interesting in wide tailed boards, such as my small wave board. Will have a go when we have small waves.

I got my Quobba fins last week and finally got some decent waves to try them out the last couple of days. I think the best way to describe the difference is that the board felt more reactive, more alive. It did feel like I was getting more speed out of them but that is hard to gauge.
I have to say that I will be ordering some for my short board as well because there is a defined difference for me and I do feel it has improved the handling of the board. I certainly don't have the technical understanding that colas has, for me it is purely about what I can get out of a board.
I do like the suggestion that Johndesu makes about trying standard fins as the rears for a quad set up. Will try that as well as I do prefer the quad set up on my board (Starboard 8'0 x 28) in larger waves.

Cool!

A warning though, I had to sand a bit the leading and trailing edge, out of the box they can easily cut the leash (I found out the hard way)

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MikeN said..
I got my Quobba fins last week and finally got some decent waves to try them out the last couple of days. I think the best way to describe the difference is that the board felt more reactive, more alive. It did feel like I was getting more speed out of them but that is hard to gauge.
I have to say that I will be ordering some for my short board as well because there is a defined difference for me and I do feel it has improved the handling of the board. I certainly don't have the technical understanding that colas has, for me it is purely about what I can get out of a board.
I do like the suggestion that Johndesu makes about trying standard fins as the rears for a quad set up. Will try that as well as I do prefer the quad set up on my board (Starboard 8'0 x 28) in larger waves.

Great MikeN
Please let us all know how you go, I do want to get some Quobba fins but have no time available at the moment (family commitments:-)

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Johndesu said..
Really Colas you like the fins that much, what about using a quad set up maybe - Quobba fins on the front with small regular fins on the rear? I mainly ride quads these days (more drive and speed, I am interested in what you think?:-)

Thinking more of it, maybe you will not feel the need for quads anymore with the added speed and hold of the Quobba. I suspect a Quobba thruster set may give you the speed of a quad with the looseness of the thruster set up. A quad setup may be better if you are a powerful rear foot surfer using big rear quads however (which I am not), as the Quobba do not provide this kind of positive, strong grip.

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colas said..

Johndesu said..
Really Colas you like the fins that much, what about using a quad set up maybe - Quobba fins on the front with small regular fins on the rear? I mainly ride quads these days (more drive and speed, I am interested in what you think?:-)

Thinking more of it, maybe you will not feel the need for quads anymore with the added speed and hold of the Quobba. I suspect a Quobba thruster set may give you the speed of a quad with the looseness of the thruster set up. A quad setup may be better if you are a powerful rear foot surfer using big rear quads however (which I am not), as the Quobba do not provide this kind of positive, strong grip.

Really Colas that sounds interesting as I only really use Quads for the added drive and speed, I do use c drives as a thruster set up sometimes on a board (&.4 JB) that has only x3 sets of fin boxes but it is a bit stiff ish and not quite the same,. I do use a thruster setup using H2 fins (actually with x2 small cut down H2 trailer fins in the rear sides also / a 5 fin set up so to speak) on an old 6.2 semi fish short board and it is really good (but only on that board?:-)

I would say that the C-Drives give you instant power even at low speed. A bit like a car/bike with tons of torque. A Trial bike. I can push hard on the board even if I am not moving fast.

With the Quobba, I find myself trying to "stay in the revs", like on a cross bike with all the power in high revs: the faster you go the better they work, so I tend to change my surfing to always keep more speed.

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colas said..
I would say that the C-Drives give you instant power even at low speed. A bit like a car/bike with tons of torque. A Trial bike. I can push hard on the board even if I am not moving fast.

With the Quobba, I find myself trying to "stay in the revs", like on a cross bike with all the power in high revs: the faster you go the better they work, so I tend to change my surfing to always keep more speed.

Great sounds good Colas. What about drag do you think they have any (like the c drives) or are they pretty good / slippery / aerodynamic ?:-)

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Johndesu said..
Great sounds good Colas. What about drag do you think they have any (like the c drives) or are they pretty good / slippery / aerodynamic ?:-)

I definitively think they have much less drag than other fins, that a big part of their appeal.

Hi Colas

when you put your quoba finscin the fcs2 boxes do you do anything about the small gaps for and aft or just leave them?

Bob

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FRP said..
when you put your quoba finscin the fcs2 boxes do you do anything about the small gaps for and aft or just leave them?

I use the FCSII kit. You can make them yourself with some foam/wood easily I guess.

www.amazon.com/FCS-II-Compatibility-Kit-Infill/dp/B00FW1CT8I

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colas said..

Johndesu said..
Great sounds good Colas. What about drag do you think they have any (like the c drives) or are they pretty good / slippery / aerodynamic ?:-)

I definitively think they have much less drag than other fins, that a big part of their appeal.

Really Colas less drag well that is a big bonus I think then:-)

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MikeN said..
I got my Quobba fins last week and finally got some decent waves to try them out the last couple of days. I think the best way to describe the difference is that the board felt more reactive, more alive. It did feel like I was getting more speed out of them but that is hard to gauge.
I have to say that I will be ordering some for my short board as well because there is a defined difference for me and I do feel it has improved the handling of the board. I certainly don't have the technical understanding that colas has, for me it is purely about what I can get out of a board.
I do like the suggestion that Johndesu makes about trying standard fins as the rears for a quad set up. Will try that as well as I do prefer the quad set up on my board (Starboard 8'0 x 28) in larger waves.

Hi MikeN just wondering if you have tried the quad set up yet?:-)

I just received my Quobba Fins and they look really really good, perfect actually, I will hopefully try them out soon but for now I am impressed and will report on their performance in the near future :-)

Hi Johndesu, what board are you planning on putting them in?

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Johndesu said..
I just received my Quobba Fins and they look really really good, perfect actually,

Just check the edges (even the leading ones), and sand them a bit. Otherwise they can cut a leash easily... and I guess some body parts.

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colas said..

Johndesu said..
I just received my Quobba Fins and they look really really good, perfect actually,

Just check the edges (even the leading ones), and sand them a bit. Otherwise they can cut a leash easily... and I guess some body parts.

Yes I checked the edges and they are not sharp but still very pointy. I will try them on my short board 1st I think (a Simon Anderson 6'2":-)

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Johndesu said..

colas said..

Johndesu said..
I just received my Quobba Fins and they look really really good, perfect actually,

Just check the edges (even the leading ones), and sand them a bit. Otherwise they can cut a leash easily... and I guess some body parts.

Yes I checked the edges and they are not sharp but still very pointy. I will try them on my short board 1st I think (a Simon Anderson 6'2":-)

I went for a surf the other day (4-6ft and juicy) and my short board was super smooth and so easy to surf in the pocket, I think the fins actually lift the tail as you turn, I was really pushing it hard, also I lost one of the side fins - I hit the reef (it was my last wave as I was about to go in), anyway I will try again soon:-)

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Johndesu said..
I went for a surf the other day (4-6ft and juicy) and my short board was super smooth and so easy to surf in the pocket, I think the fins actually lift the tail as you turn, I was really pushing it hard, also I lost one of the side fins - I hit the reef (it was my last wave as I was about to go in), anyway I will try again soon:-)

Too bad for the lost fin!
My impression with them is more as if I was dragging some kind of weed with normal fins, and the quobba removed it :-)

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colas said..

Johndesu said..
I went for a surf the other day (4-6ft and juicy) and my short board was super smooth and so easy to surf in the pocket, I think the fins actually lift the tail as you turn, I was really pushing it hard, also I lost one of the side fins - I hit the reef (it was my last wave as I was about to go in), anyway I will try again soon:-)

Too bad for the lost fin!
My impression with them is more as if I was dragging some kind of weed with normal fins, and the quobba removed it :-)

Interesting colas "dragging a bit of weed" you say, I think there is less water resistance perhaps, and I intend to find out as I will still keep using / surfing the two remaining fins with a normal fin substitute (for now). I intend to try the quobba fins on my sup/s as well as my short boards also :-)

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colas said..

Johndesu said..
I went for a surf the other day (4-6ft and juicy) and my short board was super smooth and so easy to surf in the pocket, I think the fins actually lift the tail as you turn, I was really pushing it hard, also I lost one of the side fins - I hit the reef (it was my last wave as I was about to go in), anyway I will try again soon:-)

Too bad for the lost fin!
My impression with them is more as if I was dragging some kind of weed with normal fins, and the quobba removed it :-)

I went for my second surf on the Quobba fins today (after I received a new set) and they again performed really well Colas, I was on my short board again and they are really loose and fast in the tube (but not twitchy). I will try them as a quad set-up tomorrow on my 7.8 Naish and see how they go :-)

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Johndesu said..

colas said..

Johndesu said..
I went for a surf the other day (4-6ft and juicy) and my short board was super smooth and so easy to surf in the pocket, I think the fins actually lift the tail as you turn, I was really pushing it hard, also I lost one of the side fins - I hit the reef (it was my last wave as I was about to go in), anyway I will try again soon:-)

Too bad for the lost fin!
My impression with them is more as if I was dragging some kind of weed with normal fins, and the quobba removed it :-)

I went for my second surf on the Quobba fins today (after I received a new set) and they again performed really well Colas, I was on my short board again and they are really loose and fast in the tube (but not twitchy). I will try them as a quad set-up tomorrow on my 7.8 Naish and see how they go :-)

I have now had a few surfs on the Quobbas as a quad set-up on my 7.8 Naish & 7.4 Airborn (x2 qoubbas up front & x2 regular small rears) and have found that they do still perform well (better then a regular quad) and I think on any surfing sup they are better then a regular quad set-up but on a short board I think the thruster set-up is the go for now (at least until new quobbas are developed in the future maybe:-)

Here are some Quobba testimonials from pro users:
I must say they confirm what I am experiencing with them:

quobbafins.com/testimonials/

And a video: (click on "watch on Vimeo")

They have designed a way to be able to adjust tool-less the center fin longitudinally on the water by 1" through 4 positions: the "shifter"

A Titanium stub is fixed in the FCS or future box, and the Quobba fin slides on it.


More info on this video:



You could also catch a glimpse of this system at the start of this video:

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colas said..
They have designed a way to be able to adjust tool-less the center fin longitudinally on the water by 1" through 4 positions: the "shifter"

You could also catch a glimpse of this system at the start of this video:

Jano loves to get airborne

FYI, quobba fins are now on sale (I guess before the availability of the sliding center fin)

165 AUD, 101 euros, 115 US$, shipping included.

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colas said..
FYI, quobba fins are now on sale (I guess before the availability of the sliding center fin)

165 AUD, 101 euros, 115 US$, shipping included.

I'm addicted to my C-Drives Colas... are you saying that I should try the Quobbas....

I also love my C Drives, have three sets, and Troy is an awesome guy. But saying that...just ordered the $165 set of Quobba fins to try out!