Hi All,
Here's a question - different locations, or different conditions etc, do you change fins, boards or both?
Whenever I add a board to the quiver, I run a few different fin set ups through it, to find the set up I like, somewhat regardless of conditions. It's somewhat a case of 'that just feels right'.
Once I've settled on a fin set up for a particular board, it rarely, if ever, gets changed. Indeed, can't even think of the last time I changed a fin set up that I'd settled on.
From there, it's a very lazy choice of board for location or conditions. My current go-to board is my 10' Tak DT-2/Noserider/whatever-it-is. If it's really small, or particularly fat, I'll pull out something longer. If I go to Noosa, the first choice is always the 11' Prince.
How do you handle different locations/conditions?
Do you have a board and fin set up for particular conditions?
Do you actively change fins/fin placement to suit the conditions?
Or do you just surf what you've got and call it 'done'?
FYI - I know I'm very lucky to have a quiver that exceeds justification for my skill level or surfing opportunities (even if most are Surftechs!). Same with fins that aren't currently in boards. For a number of years, my only board was a 10'2" NSP with a choice of two fins. And I left in the fin I liked (10.25" Shapers Gatto), regardless of conditions. It was much simpler then.
This is my go too. 9.6 10.0 singles I use a 10 inch fin. 9.6 two plus one I use 7 inch centre small side bites. 9.8 two plus one I use 8 inch centre small side bites. 10.0 two plus one I use 8 inch centre small side bites.
With the singles - do you move it forwards/backwards in the fin box to suit conditions, or do you 'set and forget'?
Macaha knows his stuff.
I used to sometimes put the fin right at the front of the box on small, mushy days. But I'm a beachbreak scrounger.
I think Skip Frye makes an interesting point (especially when it comes to fins in big, big boards) in this old article from 2015: www.surfer.com/news/wisdom-skip-frye ...
"Ninety percent of the surfing public uses too much fin. Big fins just increase a board's drag. If you get rid of that extra fin area, you're going to trim so much faster and blast through sections. Over the years my fins have gotten smaller and smaller."
And that's as good an excuse as any to post this for the 20th time ... 
Select to expand quoteGreeney said..
Where's the Green Room's ultimate fin guru -- Laceys Lane -- when you need him? 
I talk to him daily he's slowed down a tab nowadays he's off the sup's into prone paddle boarding still lives his SB ing rare rides him LB still alive and kicking
Select to expand quoteMacaha said..Greeney said..
Where's the Green Room's ultimate fin guru -- Laceys Lane -- when you need him?
I talk to him daily he's slowed down a tab nowadays he's off the sup's into prone paddle boarding still lives his SB ing rare rides him LB still alive and kicking
Good on him. This thread got me searching other older fin threads and he's the star in most of them. There was also a good thread of Nozza's fins, back before he was inaugurated for his second term as president. 
I do like 2+1 set ups, but do like smaller centres.
Greeney - this may have come from your posting of the Skip Frye quote?
My 11' and 12' Munoz's run 7.5-8" centres. They'd both have the same 7.5" centre, if I could be bothered sourcing another.
In fact, I dont think I have a 2+1 set up with anything larger than a 8" centre?
Obviously, it also comes down to the sides. If the sides are large, then it can still be over-finned with a 7.5" centre.
And it was Lacey that convinced me to put a shapers S9 (6.5"?) in a 10' board that I had - he had the same board. That fin set up now resides in my 9'3" Munoz.... which, coincidentally, was the same set up to what the previous owner was running.
Select to expand quotedamned67 said..
I do like 2+1 set ups, but do like smaller centres.
Greeney - this may have come from your posting of the Skip Frye quote?
My 11' and 12' Munoz's run 7.5-8" centres. They'd both have the same 7.5" centre, if I could be bothered sourcing another.
In fact, I dont think I have a 2+1 set up with anything larger than a 8" centre?
Obviously, it also comes down to the sides. If the sides are large, then it can still be over-finned with a 7.5" centre.
And it was Lacey that convinced me to put a shapers S9 (6.5"?) in a 10' board that I had - he had the same board. That fin set up now resides in my 9'3" Munoz.... which, coincidentally, was the same set up to what the previous owner was running.
Yes to all this. 
Sounds good. I have a 12'0 Laird Pearson Arrow SUP gathering dust under the house and the stock centre fin for its 2+1 set-up is 6.5inches. But then, I'm not putting it on the rail . Years ago I saw a gold coast compilation vid, mainly shortboarders, but there was brief cameo from Macaha, cranking out a vertical re-entry on one of his McTavish longboards. So I guess it's horses for courses.
My contribution for a remake design of a George Rice 1967 pig. Saw a 1965 Bennett with original glass fin similar to Fin#2. Had Fin#1 in the board. Found an 11inch Eveley fin called California Dreamer. This fin is the bees knees for a nose rider. Turns on a dime and gives heaps of hold for nose time.
Discuss
Select to expand quoteMacaha said..
No mate bang in the centre of the box
That's what she said.
6 inches up, from the tail to the centre of the fin is where I always stared. No Drive move back, not loose enough move it forward.
LL told me that
Select to expand quoteSP said..Macaha said..
No mate bang in the centre of the box
That's what she said.
6 inches up, from the tail to the centre of the fin is where I always stared. No Drive move back, not loose enough move it forward.
LL told me that
Your not gonna find anything 6 inches up from the tail mate 
Select to expand quotebeachandbush said..
My contribution for a remake design of a George Rice 1967 pig. Saw a 1965 Bennett with original glass fin similar to Fin#2. Had Fin#1 in the board. Found an 11inch Eveley fin called California Dreamer. This fin is the bees knees for a nose rider. Turns on a dime and gives heaps of hold for nose time.
Discuss
Very interesting, beachandbush. I thought the classic noserider fins had a bit more surface area, relative to length (like that Dion fin), while the raked fins were better for turning. But hey, it's whatever works and maybe the extra length of the Eveley fin compensates for less surface area nearer the base. If it's good for noseriding AND it turns on a dime, you have cracked the code.
Ok a couple of old photos of a very old quiver. Zoom in if you can but this was and still is my fin set ups.
Select to expand quoteGreeney said..beachandbush said..
My contribution for a remake design of a George Rice 1967 pig. Saw a 1965 Bennett with original glass fin similar to Fin#2. Had Fin#1 in the board. Found an 11inch Eveley fin called California Dreamer. This fin is the bees knees for a nose rider. Turns on a dime and gives heaps of hold for nose time.
Discuss
Very interesting, beachandbush. I thought the classic noserider fins had a bit more surface area, relative to length (like that Dion fin), while the raked fins were better for turning. But hey, it's whatever works and maybe the extra length of the Eveley fin compensates for less surface area nearer the base. If it's good for noseriding AND it turns on a dime, you have cracked the code.
Thanks
But it probably helps that I'm also 70kg wet ??
