Surfboard Fins

[mariovass]

Hi I have a noob question but I bought a second hand board, now finally got myself a brand new one iv taken off the fins from the old board as they arn't too bad and have noticed the two outer fins are different sizes.. Is this right? surely this right?

The one outer fin is FCS M-5 and the other is a FCS M-7...

Id love to find out if this is alright and why

[oldmansurfer]

They make assymetrical boards so different fins would make sense. The idea is that backside and frontside riding has different requirements, however it may be some simple reason like the guy couldn't afford to replace a fin with one of the same size so just used the closest he had. I would say if the board surfs well then what more do you want?

[dtc]

Other that assymetrical boards - which are really more of a novelty for good surfers - your outside fins should be the same size. Also, outside fins are 'left' and 'right' (rounded surface on the outside, flat surface on the inside); with the middle fin being the same on both sides.

an M-7 is a big fin for an outside fin as well, unless you are particularly heavy or surfing particularly large/steep waves.

As a general comment - subject to your individual circumstancces - I would go either 3 x M5 (if surfing a thruster - and this might be overly finned if you are small or on a small board) or if you are surfing a 2+1 (bigger middle fin) then the middle fin could be an M7 and the outside fins M3s

i agree with oldman, probably the guy just put on whatever fins he had around. If you can afford a new set, then I would get one, if only to go smaller. A smaller fin has less drive (tracking along the wave/speed) but much easier to turn.

[waikikikichan]

x 3. Yeah the guy or shop threw on a fin to make a set. Most novices wouldn't notice or "feel" the difference even if we rotated the left, right and center fins to different spots. You didn't notice it before on your old used board until you took them off.

[waikikikichan]

5'7right.JPG (49.81 KiB) Viewed 428 times

This is my 3 fin set-up. 3 tabbed FCS Keel fin that they don't make anymore.

[dtc]

so is that a '3 fin quad'? Or is the photo confusing me?

I'm never quite sure what you do if you are surfing an asymetrical board but want to go 'the other way' - obviously you still can but is it just all strange feeling (I've never done asymetrical stuff)