Hi folks
Need some advice re getting right fins pls.
I have a 115L Tabou Rocket, sail mostly on a 5.5 sail and a freeride 34cm MFC liquid pro fin. Pretty happy with the setup, except I find that the board often feels a little too lively and hard to keep on a course. Just wondering whether getting more straight slalom-ish fin would help? And also I need to get a weed fin for shallow waters, what would be the right size for my setup?

Your weight and skill level.

Weed fin discussion

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Wave-sailing/Weed-Fin-for-WA

73 kilos, intermediate level. So I can plane reasonably fast in a harness and footstraps, can waterstart. Still working on my gybing. Sail mostly in Elwood and Inverloch, but I like Inverloch more for it's flat waters. The Rocket is my only board, my sails are 5.5 and 6.5 Sailworks retros. Two freeride fins 34 and 36 cm

I should probably add, that I was generally happy with my setup until a couple of months ago, when I was holidaying in New Caledonia and tried a few different rental boards 95-120l and sails 4.7-6.5. One of them was a Severne Fox 120l with a straight 38cm Select fin + Severne Convert 6.5. I was blown away by how stable it felt. It was like on rails and still easier to gybe. Just thinking the straight fin might be the key, but I'm not sure

115 is too big for 73 kg as an all around board.
Same weight, maybe 75kg, plus always a 4/3 wetsuit in 55 degree air and water, but 71 years old, 100 liters is my light to mid wind board, 85 liters for wind from 16-35 mph, but foil in sub 16 mph breezes.
Can still uphaul any of my 85 liter boards with a 6 meter sail. Waterstart in 10+ mph breeze.

That is a lot of board and fin for a 5.5

Even with 12kg on you I'd be looking for something smaller once it's 5.5 weather.

Thanks guys. My question is really about whether straight fins make much difference in terms of stability vs curved freeride fins

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Tasdoc said..
Thanks guys. My question is really about whether straight fins make much difference in terms of stability vs curved freeride fins

it's a yes and know answer.

in broad terms.
straight fins go upwind better and raking fins turn better.
raking fins will provide more control off the wind

however stiffness will also effect control and so will tip area and foil and chord.

the thing that effects stability the most is fin area. too much area as the guys have mentioned will trigger instability at speed.

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Tasdoc said..
Thanks guys. My question is really about whether straight fins make much difference in terms of stability vs curved freeride fins

A 45 degree weedy can settle a board down in chop..
It's probably the big board for the wind strength etc..Do you put the mast foot forward and boom down when it gets a handful?

hey tasdoc .i also owed a 115 .it does have a pretty flat rocker ,but a awesome board to say the least ,
on my west oz trips i used it with a 7,0 .ok with a 6,0 ,but it was lively ,but fast ,i use my 105 most of the time .
a pointer will lift you more out of the water ,depending on size ,so a swept back fin will be a little better ,maybe look for
a smaller second board ,you will sit lower in the water and settle down better ,more control .

Your board is just too big. Smaller board and fin should be your next purchase, to coexist with your big board.

Thanks for your comments guys

I don't really have any major control issues, whether I'm on the 5.5 or 6.5. There's no tail walking and I can manage wind gusts well. The problem is that my sailing rarely feels smooth and relaxed. Even in 6.5 weather. I have tried trimming my sails and different mast foot positions. Some trims give a bit more comfortable feel, but I have never felt as comfortable as when I tried the 120l Fox on a 38cm straight fin + 6.5 sail, which is not far off my 115l Rocket+36cm curved fin+6.5 sail. The difference was huge, the Fox felt waaaay more comfortable. So I was just thinking whether it was the fin that made the whole difference. Maybe it wasn't the shape of the fin, but lower stiffness, so it dumps the extra power, I don't know.

Tardy, thanks for posting your videos from Shark Bay on Youtube! What a place! It is def on my bucket list now