Surfing Waves

Hi guys,

Finally I moved from my soft foam board and got a 7’4 mini mal, I got some unknown/branded black fins(it’s a thruster)

As a beginner will I notice a difference?
Should I care about what fins are there?
And if so, what do you guys recommend?

Thanks

Depends on your weight. Fins can be very complex, but for a beginner i suggest getting the right size and not worrying too much about the rest. I suspect you have been given standard fibreglass fins like these

https://www.surffcs.eu/products/fcs-g5-tri-fins

And they are perfectly fine for you.

Surf the board for a while; it requires a bit of expertise to know when the fins are a problem or when you are the problem. So after a month or so think about whether the board is hard to turn or squirrelly etc and then you can perhaps consider fins. To be honest I find eBay or alibaba fins to be just as good as the 4X cost fins from the big companies, at least for thruster fins.

Some surf shops have ‘fin trees’ that allow you to borrow fins to experiment and that can be fun.

Instead of a photo of the deck, could you post a photo of the bottom and of the fins you got ?

By the way, did you pick up a fiberglass surfboard repair kit when you got the board and fins ?

One of the theories in surfing is to never get new fins and a new board at the same time (if you can help it).. because you won't know if it's the fins or the board that is causing the ride to be better or worse.
Most new boards come with plastic, neutral fin template, like the G5. It might help to get used to the board with the fins that came with it and then make adjustments with alternate fins when you have a better idea of the expectations for the board.

When you decide you're ready for new fins, there's usually a "shapers dot" behind the fin box. The end of the fin should touch the shapers dot, if the fins have the correct amount of length in the base of the fin.

Later you might find that other fins still work well for you, even if they dont hit the shapers dot, but that's basically the type of fin the shaper would've had in mind (at least for fin base/drive) when they made the board.

Yes,

It looks like the basic fins you told me about

And yes it sits right at the reference dot.

I’ll use it for a while, it might be perfect for me...

Thanks

Btw for future reference what other brands supply good fins with fcs2 plug? Or it is patented and only fcs fins are available to me?

FCS2 is the way the fins connect to the fin box (plug). So you need to buy fins that are FCS 2 style, or you can't use them with your fin box. The other main fin type is Futures, which uses a completely different fin box - they are sort of like the Apple and Android of the fin world. Both do the same job but you can't use one fin type in another fin box.

FCS 2 is patented, but its licensed to many different manufacturers, so you dont need to buy specifically from the FCS company. Plenty of options around, from ebay fins to helium infused hyper carbon (or something like that)

The fins you have will last you a long time; indeed 'my shaper' recommends these fins (basic G5, or G3/G7 depending on weight) for his boards because he thinks they do the best job for 90% of surfers 90% of the time, so why spend money on expensive fins that add nothing. Although of course I've swapped them out because they don't match my board colour...

The plugs in the photo look to be FCS I with two Allen head grub screws. FCS II is tool-less and snap right in. ( although you can add those older grub screws and run the older FCS I fins in the newer FCS II plugs. )

Surfboard fins are a crucial part of your surfboard setup. Choosing fins that will work best for you and your surfboard depends on your size, riding style, and your surfboard's fin box. Before talking about fin size or different fin configurations, it is important to distinguish between glassed-in and swappable fins.

Glassed-In vs Swappable (Removable) Fins
Glassed-in fins are laminated into the surfboard. As you might imagine, a glassed-in fin might be smoother and sounder than a removable fin. However, glassed-in fins are difficult to repair and do not offer you the versatility of removable fins.

Surfboards with removable fins have “boxes” that fins are screwed into. Removable fins can be added or removed using a fin key and adjusting the small (typically stainless steel) inset screws. Don’t force your fins into the box as that may damage your board or the fin; instead, make sure the screws are loose enough and that your fin is facing in the right direction. Center and outside fins have different shapes, so make sure you are using the right fin for the right box. Once your fins are in place, tighten your screws with the key, making sure the fins are secure but not TOO tight.

Box Types & Compatibility
Although longboard fin boxes are generally cross-compatible across all boards, the rest of the fin boxes out there are almost certainly equipped with one of these three box types:

Dual Tab (FCS & FCS II) Fin Boxes
FCS stands for Fin Control System. Originally designed in the early 1990s, FCS is the most successful, widely used surfboard fin system in the world. The fins have two tabs or plugs that are secured to the board using set screws. FCS recently launched the FCS II keyless Fin Standard, meaning fins can be installed or removed without a key or grub screws. FCS II is also backwards compatible, meaning you can use your old dual tab FCS fins with the new FCS II system. A compatibility kit is required.
reference
https://www.evo.com/guides/how-to-choose-surf-fins

Once you get surfing the new board reasonably well, you can then consider other fins, read the fin primer and look to understand what different set ups offer. You can then see what suits your style of riding! One size does not suit all!

On thing with the centre fin plugs instead of a box you are limited in what your centre fin can be!