I'm riding one board only now. A 10" 1' deep long board style. Love this board. I surf it with a single fin only in about the centre of the fin box. I'm not getting a lot of surfing done, so when I do I just go out with it in the same set up. I'm getting closer to the nose. Never quite hung the toes over. So here's my questions to those that might be able to help.
I can understand that if I take the fin further forward, the board will become loser. But how does this affect time up front. And visa versa. If I take it all the way back, how will the board perform on the nose. Also, if I put the 3 smaller fins in how does that affect nose riding. I will try what you may suggest . Just a heads up to how it might be would be good to know. Cheers

A bigger fin, set back in the box will hold/lock the tail into the wave and in theory make it easier to noseride.

This is especially true with fatboy or pivot style fins.

Usually in regards to prone mal surfing, the general set up rules are:

1" of fin per 1' of board.
the rear tip of the fin to be equal to the rear of the board.

This translates quite easily to SUP.

if you think about it, as you use a smaller fin or move one forward, it looses grip in the wave and lessens hold...so on the nose you slide...

2+1 set ups are mostly for surfing on the back foot, as is a thruster set up - these are designed to help turn the board.

Board rocker / tail flip also plays a big part in a nose rider board.

Generally a flatter tail rocker will give you more speed - pushing in front of the curl and a tail flip will hold you into the curl.

i've tried to keep this simple and brief - cos this topic could get to 100 pages!

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/Nose-riding-fins-how-does-it-work

Got some great advice when I asked a similar question last year. This may help, it sure helped me.

I agree with hoppo.
I have been riding the same board. I have been using the 10 inch flow fcs2 fin right at the back of the box and I can get to the front with 5 over from shin high up to waist high waves. you also get some nice long drawn out turns. As for moving it forward I'm not to sure. The other benefit from the fcs 2 longboard fin is you can move it out in the surf without using tools
Recently I have gone back to 2+1 using my Jackson close fins from shapers I can still get to the nose but it not as easy as it was with the big single.
Id say give a big 10 inch single a go right at the back of the box if you want to mainly nose ride.
Or you can watch the man himself shred with his 2+1

Makes it look so easy. Thanks for your input. Much appreciated. My board is 30" wide. If you came down to a say 28" wide in the same board with a single fin, other than being less stable what are the changes in the boards performance.

I'd have thought going narrower will make the board a lot more responsive and go rail to rail more easily, but it should also make it hold a line better, as there is less planing surface withi less volume which should allow the rail to bite more. Of course this will all be affected by your bottom curves and rails, etc too.

It would improve rail to rail transition. By how much im not sure you could aways demo one and see im not sure what benefiet it would have on noseriding. Im no expert.
Mine is 26.5 wide and my wife has a 28 wide nose rider mine does transition rail to rail easier but they are different boards so i dont know if the slight differences in shape does it.

Id experiment with fins and see what works best for noseriding and what you prefer cause at the end of the day its different strokes for different blokes.

I had a FCS Single snap in fin and lost it on my first day out! Now only screws for me!

Narrower board will help lots with glide. All other things being equal it will go rail to rail quicker (obviously).

me, i'd rather have a slightly wider board with performance rails, than a narrower board with boxy rails...

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JasonR said..

Man he surfs that well, mighty impressive. And how early is he into that first wave!