Test Driving Fins
Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 7:48 pmI have been thinking about surfboard fin placement and fins in general lately and I came across this info over at Surf Science.
Has anybody tried experimenting with their fins by renting or borrowing fins from a shop? Any recommendations for experimenting with fins on a 9'6" longboard? I took the side bites off my 9'6" board and I've been riding it as a single fin. That actually seemed to make my board looser, but I'm not sure if that's my imagination or not. I do know that my paddle speed improved without the drag of the side bites. Maybe that's why I feel the board is looser. The side bites should improve maneuverability, right? I felt like the side bites might be locking my board into its takeoff direction so I took them off after two sessions. I'm not sure if that was the case though. I know I was trying to trim the board instead of carving when I first started surfing with it so that may have been my initial problem. I'm going to try putting them back on just to get a better sense of what difference that makes. As far as fin experimentation goes, if anybody wants to recommend a direction to go (e.g. big single fin versus small single), feel free to make suggestions. Basically I want to get a better sense of how fin types influence the riding characteristics of a surfboard.
Test Drive Center
Both FCS and Futures have installed “test drive centers” at various dealers around the country to encourage fin experimentation. For a small deposit you can take any set on the display stand out in the water to explore their capabilities. Will it match your style? Do they perform well in typical local conditions? Do they work well with your favorite surfboard? Do the work well with your back-up surfboard? Both FCS and Futures websites show you where to find dealers with test centers.
Rent a set
The Surfboard Warehouse has the perfect solution for anyone concerned over the cost of new fins. Rent them for as long as you like! The folks there created a Netflix inspired program that allows surfers to select three different fins sets they wish to try. You receive one set at a time, surf it all you want for as long as you want and then return it in the pre-paid envelope provided for you. There is no limit to the number of fins you can try and you can change your list of three fin sets at any time. The service cost recently dropped to $9.99 per month, making this a truly revolutionary program. http://www.surfscience.com/topics/surfb ... your-ride/
Has anybody tried experimenting with their fins by renting or borrowing fins from a shop? Any recommendations for experimenting with fins on a 9'6" longboard? I took the side bites off my 9'6" board and I've been riding it as a single fin. That actually seemed to make my board looser, but I'm not sure if that's my imagination or not. I do know that my paddle speed improved without the drag of the side bites. Maybe that's why I feel the board is looser. The side bites should improve maneuverability, right? I felt like the side bites might be locking my board into its takeoff direction so I took them off after two sessions. I'm not sure if that was the case though. I know I was trying to trim the board instead of carving when I first started surfing with it so that may have been my initial problem. I'm going to try putting them back on just to get a better sense of what difference that makes. As far as fin experimentation goes, if anybody wants to recommend a direction to go (e.g. big single fin versus small single), feel free to make suggestions. Basically I want to get a better sense of how fin types influence the riding characteristics of a surfboard.