www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=seabreeze%20longbpoard%3A%20fin www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=seabreeze.com.au+longboard:+what++fin The first few are interesting.
And this has been posted before but pretty much nails it.
A simple beginners guide to longboard fins. (as you get more involved with your fin choice you will begin to agree/disagree with a lot of the following? it's meant as a 'primer' see how you get on, and remember there are no rules!) So, the question will arise sooner or later, 'what fin shall i get' More often than not the question is prompted by the realisation that the cheap plastic wonder the board shop 'gave' you isn't really what the aspiring Joel Tudor should have on his board. First off let's ask the question what does a Fin actually 'do'? Might be easier to answer that by trying to ride your board without a fin in the box, good luck with that!. Failing that watch the likes of 'The Present' and carefully study what happens when you ride an Alaia (one of those fashionable wooden finless retro jobbies). What you should immediately notice is how the board will slide around the face of the wave, almost at times falling out back'ass'wards, fine if you have infinite control like Mr Machado, but for mere mortals like you and I, not so awesome. A fin, much like the tail on a plane, provides some lateral stability, just like a keel on a yacht it stops you slipping sideways. Unlike the Alaia, your back end won't break away and slide out behind you. Unlike a keel on a yacht, which is placed in the middle of the hull, a surfboard fin is placed at the rear of the board. That way you are able to control the front of your board to turn. The fin acts much like a pivot in this sense as well as a keel. As a general rule, move a fin forward to loosen things up and backwards to gain more stability. So a fin will help keep you on the straight and narrow, but that is a very simplistic explanation obviously. Your fin works in conjunction with the board it is bolted to, obvious really, but a fin that works on one board may not work quite so well on another. The complex relationship between the boards rails, bottom contours and the riders weight and style, the waves height, speed and profile will all affect the way a fin helps or hinders your riding. To complicate matters further the position of the fin in the fin box will also change the way your fin works, there is often a 'sweet spot' like a cricket bat when the fin works well for your board. A good rule of thumb is to measure about 8 and a half inches from the tail edge to trailing edge of the fin as a good start when positioning your fin, box and fin allowing. Start with that and then try moving the fin around and see how that affects the ride. You might even find a better position and not even need that new fin you think you want. A fin is after all the cheapest way to improve or destroy the performance of your board. An adjustable fin bolt is a God send when fiddling with fin position, we might even sell these, I can't remember? So a few observations? (pinch of salt and all that)
1. A fin of around the same length in inches as your board is a good starting point. i.e. a 9 inch fin for a 9 foot board. For tri fin boards you can go that bit smaller, it's a balancing act between the relative sizes of your side bites and main fin.
2. Fin colour and fancy graphics make all the difference to performance? really, they do.
3. The bigger, or weirder shape of fin makes you not a better surfer, but however may attract more of the opposite sex, this is also true.
4. Flex, the big fin buzz word, get used to the feeling of your fin, try flexing the tip, some won't budge, others will be pretty springy, a flexible fin will be easier to turn, but you may prefer it stiffer when you get better, decide if you can tell the difference and what you prefer.
5. Make a point of looking at what the best surfers at your break are riding board wise, see what fins they have, you can learn a lot like this, try to look at the whole package, height, weight, board, fin, don't stare too hard now.
6. Just like a sanded/matt bottom on a board a sanded fin will offer less water resistance, if you notice this difference, kudos. Seriously though all part of fine tuning.
7. One of the biggest fins you will see is on the back of a 747, check them out next time your jetting off to Indo, aero dynamics are very similar to fluid ones. Big fins for big guys, smaller ones for lighter folks, as a general rule.
8. Cavitation, a great word to bandy about when your discussing fins with your mates, look it up before you spout forth though, let me know what it's about though won't you.
9. The 8 and a half inch rule, position your fin in the box with it's trailing edge 8 and a half inches from tail edge as a good starting point for position, no sniggering.
10. Best to have a spare fin in your board bag, just in case you loose one, maybe forgetting to tighten up that adjustable bolt, **** DOES happen. In fact have two, order them now.
11. A rub of candle wax will let you slide a tight fitting fin in the box more easily? see how all your favourite pasttimes are related?
So, what fin to buy?
You'll have to click the link for the rest.
http://www.finshack.com/finsbuyersguide.html
surfbroker
> 9 months ago, 16 Feb 2015
