to the top of the class,well done happy for ya

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CMC said...

I run 4 x M3 all side fins in my shortboard quad. It's also a bit more drivey than using 2 x center fins in the rear positions.

The advantage is that it feels more balanced than using bigger fronts with smaller sides. Feels more like a thruster but with the instant speed feeling and hold in the face of a quad.

This thread makes me want to get my quad out again.

singlefin said...

CMC said...

No rule says that the smaller fins need to be at the back on a quad.

It's just what is most accepted. Some people also believe you can only use what is packaged as a quad set by a fin company.

On the Godfather of the modern quads website he talks about bigger back fins. http://www.mckeesurf.com/brucemckee/multisystem.htm

Smaller back fins make a board more pivotal, bigger back more directional. If you are in the wash still, you might be better off with the big fins in the back, just as you have them. I think I will try your set up in the next couple of surfs.


The general rule with fins, there are no rules........

Don't think I could do it, crew I surf with would be taken the piss out of me

Hey CMC with the quad set up with M3s does it feel funny if you straight?

Hi Kadil, my opinion only is once you improve your surfing, get rid of those plastic fins! and buy either some fiberglass or carbon fibre fins. Plastic fins whilst ok to learn on are crapola and give you no drive or performance once you improve. You will notice the difference big time once your getting amongst some more solid stuff.

Enjoy, Spiro

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sepirott said...

Hi Kadil, my opinion only is once you improve your surfing, get rid of those plastic fins! and buy either some fiberglass or carbon fibre fins. Plastic fins whilst ok to learn on are crapola and give you no drive or performance once you improve. You will notice the difference big time once your getting amongst some more solid stuff.

Enjoy, Spiro

Agree on that point for sure! In saying that tho, the glass flex as they called are not as bad as the old black fins, they were far too flexi and soft.

Stay with what you have at the moment dont confuse yourself, big front small rear.

Doggie, what are you asking??

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CMC said...

Doggie, what are you asking??

Well, I tried the same thing except with PC5 front and PC3 rear. It went well if you were trimming along but felt like crap taking off straight and bottom turning.

I tried it on an old DHD quad that I had.

This is a pic of the tail -

I would say on that board this would have been problem for 2 reasons. One is that the fins are back into the more McKee type position just up from where the back fin normally is. 2 I reckon that using 3's in the back of 5's with this configuration is just too much fin.

I came across the 4 x m3 set up as the surface area of 4 x M3 is equal to my normal size of M7. I tried pretty much all configs and found this to have the same kind of hold as the 7's. I like using big fins but I think with 5's or 7's as front fins you need to basically divide the center fin area by 2 and put fins in relative to this area. I'd reckon the m2's or GX would be about right. For me though, I prefer a more balanced feel.

Fins much smaller than the fronts feel to twitchy and pivotal for me, I like the drive from the tail so I looked at using bigger backs and smaller fronts. That's just me though.

I look forward to getting to a skill level where I can critique a fin set up and feel the difference between plastic and fiberglass. It seems like this board turns pretty good for trimming anyhow and I think it will be fast enough, but I guess it may be too big for anything exciting when I do get more advanced. Won't I need a smaller board in future for cutbacks, etc? Am I getting the concept right?

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CMC said...

I would say on that board this would have been problem for 2 reasons. One is that the fins are back into the more McKee type position just up from where the back fin normally is. 2 I reckon that using 3's in the back of 5's with this configuration is just too much fin.

I came across the 4 x m3 set up as the surface area of 4 x M3 is equal to my normal size of M7. I tried pretty much all configs and found this to have the same kind of hold as the 7's. I like using big fins but I think with 5's or 7's as front fins you need to basically divide the center fin area by 2 and put fins in relative to this area. I'd reckon the m2's or GX would be about right. For me though, I prefer a more balanced feel.

Fins much smaller than the fronts feel to twitchy and pivotal for me, I like the drive from the tail so I looked at using bigger backs and smaller fronts. That's just me though.

Yep, the rear fins are too close together to set them up that way, I think they had a negative affect on the straight line performance.

^^^
D'oh! - reply to one post up...

yes, generally the shorter the board the more manoeuvrable it will be - but you will still be able to do a cutback (and re-entries etc) on a 8ft board - especially the 7S S/F XL - it will just be a more 'drawn out' process and you will have to work harder to 'snap it' around quickly...

Don't be in too much of a hurry - it all comes together with practice, practice and more practice. Remember - every wave is different and provides its own unique opportunities for you to get a move or two in...

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GPA said...

^^^
D'oh! - reply to one post up...

yes, generally the shorter the board the more manoeuvrable it will be - but you will still be able to do a cutback (and re-entries etc) on a 8ft board - especially the 7S S/F XL - it will just be a more 'drawn out' process and you will have to work harder to 'snap it' around quickly...

Don't be in too much of a hurry - it all comes together with practice, practice and more practice. Remember - every wave is different and provides its own unique opportunities for you to get a move or two in...

I hear you, every wave is different. I was lazy on Sunday, managed to figure out which waves were easy to get on, even while sitting back quite a bit. That way I had a good reliable takeoff, but did not risk a nosedive (small rocker on this board I think). My son was yelling "you're too far back, nose is way up high", but it worked for me.

Even more important to starting and learning to turn a bigger board is the creation of good foundations for your surfing. Watch a Japanese or Brazilian surfer to see how they flap about and tick tack rather than carve from learning on small boards.

You should never change boards because you can't turn it, if you can't turn a bigger board you're not ready for a smaller one. Stay stoked and surfing as much as you can Kadil.

If ya saw the way GPA thows that 7s fish around you wouldn't think big boards are hard to turn. He makes it look like a 603

Considering my noobness I actually think this thing turns very well. I was steering around human obstacles on the noosa foreshore with relative ease....while trimming. I am just guessing that for a carving turn you gotta dig the back in and rip the front around.With this big board you would have to really get the weight back to slow it down. But then again I am just guessing.


I think I have a good board to learn on, and no rush to chop and change.

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kadil said...

Considering my noobness I actually think this thing turns very well. I was steering around human obstacles on the noosa foreshore with relative ease....while trimming. I am just guessing that for a carving turn you gotta dig the back in and rip the front around.With this big board you would have to really get the weight back to slow it down. But then again I am just guessing.


I think I have a good board to learn on, and no rush to chop and change.

your on the money

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CMC said...

Even more important to starting and learning to turn a bigger board is the creation of good foundations for your surfing. Watch a Japanese or Brazilian surfer to see how they flap about and tick tack rather than carve from learning on small boards.

You should never change boards because you can't turn it, if you can't turn a bigger board you're not ready for a smaller one. Stay stoked and surfing as much as you can Kadil.

Good foundations... here's my plan for the next fortnight.

(1) Surf as much as possible, but especially try to be there for low tide coming in when there is no wind, looking for small green waves that are standing up.

(2) Try to do a bottom turn and ride along the wave instead of directly towards the beach.

(3) Keep those arms up, and look at the beach instead of my feet.

(4) Try to surf the beach more than the forum