Surfing Waves

can someone tell me what the difference in performace would be if i have my 9' all arounder as a

single fin

2 fins on the edge(small fins)

and 3 fins

I have found with my 8'6" that using a single fin and two thrusters generally means that I have to put more weight on the tail for the bottom turn...whereas using a tri-fin setup is much like a shortboard where you need to lean and carve more.

i believe...

It will get progressively looser.
More preformance oriented style.

Single fin; more stable, longer/smoother turns, noseriding
tri fin; least stable, quicker/snappier turns
2+1; in betweener

Some things to remember are the kind of center box fin you have.

If you're going single fin, you don't want to use the 7" fin that typically comes with the 2 + 1 setup (where the 2 are 2-3" side skegs).

If you try to put a 'standard' shortboard 3-fin set in a longboard, I doubt you'll get any (side) movement. They're meant for performance boards.

That being said, for single and 2 + 1 setups, there are a whole host of center fins to work with. I changed up to a wingnut cut-out. I've got a lot more side-to side movement, and the fat tail of the skeg sticks in the water and pivots my turns.

Losing the two side fins just makes the board looser (and therefore you'll probably need a larger center box fin). Also - it demonstrates why going with something bigger than 2"-3" for those side fins would kill your manueverability.

I hear a lot of people like the wingnut longrake, but I don't know much about them...

[quote="rich r"]

If you're going single fin, you don't want to use the 7" fin that typically comes with the 2 + 1 setup (where the 2 are 2-3" side skegs).

[quote]

well im lucky im good m8s with the shop owner from where i got my board so insted of the reglar fin you should get he gave me an 8" cutaway fin for free because he knew i came from a shortboarding background so the longboard was mare menuverable