Uncle Jaffa's Fin Primer

[jaffa1949]

I just noticed across the page an advertisement for Flux fins! They feature a swivelling lever that they changes the flex of the fin!
Interesting , so now there are fin systems that you can adjust the toe in and cant and now the flex. Lots of experimentation for the surfer, lots of questions I would ask about durability and impact strength!

It really becomes what works for you.

[12ockSteady]

FINS
Making sense of fins.
These thoughts can help choose fins for your board and the wave type.
Board feeling too stiff, try smaller fins, softer more flexy fins or choose fins with less sweep.
Board feeling too loose, lacks drive, do the reverse of above.

You can also experiment with changing the combinations of your centre fin and the side fins

Recently bought me a 9' w/ a 2+1 setup and rode it as a single fin. First time ever and had a blast. Had the fin at it's "midpoint" area and I could feel the drive but I'm gonna play w/ it a bit more to see what I like. The "sidebite" slots are Futures, and was wondering how the ride is if I used my med sized fins in those slots? Should those go in there or are those reserved for the smaller side bite fins?

[jaffa1949]

Jaffa here, if you having a blast on any fin set up = a good set up for you
Try small to medium small in my preference side bite small the bigger the side bites get the more you get thruster performance.
Since you have Futures slots investigate their vector range side fins

[12ockSteady]

If I only use the side-bites of a 2+1 setup, is that considered a "twin"?

[jaffa1949]

There’s a bit more to a twin than just two fins,profile rocker and fins toe in and cant play a big part, a Simmons usually has two fins but. is different in performance. You can call it a two bites!

[12ockSteady]

Two Bites it is... almost sounds like a street dealers name.

[312T4]

Hi everyone and Jaffa, looking for some of your thoughts on this.

I'm a later in life beginner and I've been surfing for 10 years now. Longboard. I surf once a week or less, as I have to commute for it.

I started with a 2+1 set up and kept it for years while learning to drive my board.
3 years ago I went to Urbnsurf and I used the occasion to go single fin for the first time, for a fast, immediate comparison.
I loved the single fin set up immediately. It felt more natural and in tune with the longboard.

At the moment I'm surfing a 9ft "agile" long with a single fin that we can loosely call "dolphin" style, and a 9.2ft noserider with a fin that is more similar to the "hatchet" style.

I always felt the 2 boards as quite different.

Now, last week we had cyclone Gabrielle in Australia and I managed 3 sessions in 4 days. This time I used the consistent swell to try another thing.
I used the "dolphin" single fin on the 9.2 instead of the hatchet.
And I had a revelation! The 9.2 came alive and felt so much more fun than before.

So much so that now I ask you: isn't it perhaps the case that rather than a different board, one should save money and just consider different fins?

I still can't believe the difference.
And yet, the general narrative for the weekend surfer seems to be about surfboards rather than fins.

Any thoughts? Thanks

[Geezer]

LOL….saving money is relative. Buying fins can be as addictive as buying boards.

[Naeco78]

LOL….saving money is relative. Buying fins can be as addictive as buying boards.

So true.. I think I have at least a few boards worth of fins at this point. But definitely much better on storage

[Naeco78]

So much so that now I ask you: isn't it perhaps the case that rather than a different board, one should save money and just consider different fins?

I still can't believe the difference.
And yet, the general narrative for the weekend surfer seems to be about surfboards rather than fins.

Any thoughts? Thanks

I think with shortboards I wind up with a pretty crazy amount of fin and board combinations. Some fins seem perfect on a specific board in certain types of waves, but then the conditions change and the same fins/board combo doesnt seem to work out as well. Sometimes the paddle power or drive or maneuverability of the board becomes more important.

I think it's fun to mess around with the fins and try to fine tune things or get a different feel from the board in sub optimal waves. But I still like to have a set board and fin combo when the waves are good.

[Geezer]

And yet, the general narrative for the weekend surfer seems to be about surfboards rather than fins.

Any thoughts? Thanks

I buy secondhand. Takes the sting out of board and fin purchases. Also narrows things down; if something becomes available I consider itt, maybe buy, try and either keep or sell it on. Only fins bought new are the range of greenough 4-a’s I have from 7” to 9.75”.

[312T4]

Thanks guys