Fin set up

[jaffa1949]

Put the side bites aside centre forward as far as it can go and surf until you find your true ames.

[Big H]

Yessirr!!

...wanted to go out today, but tide was wrong (low) and swell small which ruled out all the spots I have for consideration...almost went out anyway at Balangan, just went and watched the water wistfully....you know if there is no one in the water at balangan there is a good reason (lots of reef with a veneer of water over it)....one more day before vacation....hopefully can get a surf in tomorrow.....

Hahahahaha....opposite of most....I have to squeeze in my surfing BEFORE I leave for my holidays.....

[Big H]

So last surf before I get on the plane tonight....3 weeks out of the water....uuugh!!

Went with the bonzers that are more like two tab knubsters with no cant built into the fin design (as opposed to the 18* I'd been toying with). Left the 7.5 center fin and was pleasantly surprised. Aside from the drag I had temporarily from catching a fin on a fishing net, the board paddled like a single fin and was faster once on the wave....I was able to make a section that I normally don't so that's a good sign....plenty of hold on the bottom turn as well as a stable feeling going along the face with easier turning than I'd been feeling this week with the other setups...5-7ft faces today and no wind, was walling up nicely so it was ideal testing and enjoyment conditions out at Batu bolong this AM. Good times; will try these sidebites with the cutaway fin once back.

[Jester]

I want to be at that beach

[Big H]

Me too.

[IB_Surfer]

I want to be at that beach

I want to be with the chick that has the surfboard

[Big H]

Just back from my trip to the states....tried this set up (7.5 center and FCS gl bites) today in earl fat surf that at best got to 6' faces but for the most part was shoulder height. Did not do much in those conditions, felt heavy to paddle but that was in part to a 3 hr Sesh after being dry for three weeks. Rides were short and mainly spent trying to outrun the whitewater to the shoulder so didn't get much feel other than it top turned well. Will try with the non angled bonzer bites next; board seems to like those.

[jaffa1949]

IMO with side bites that size there is too much fin base which really inhibits turning. You have to put a lot of rear foot pressure to drive that assembly around!
Nice to see a TruAmes cut away ( Think about it. A cut away is an attempt to remove a large portion of base). Why add more base with big side bites.
The fin is a great single BTW

[Big H]

It is hard to tell with the waves as soft as they were....anyhow I'm going to try the true Ames with the black non angled bonzer bites the next time it is at least head high....until then I'm going to try the 7.5 center as a sungle and see what happens...going to balangan tomorrow so the experiment will have to wait since I don't ride the longboard there.......good times!

[jaffa1949]

high....until then I'm going to try the 7.5 center as a sungle and see what happens.......good times!

I know it's a typo, but I couldn't resist , use the "sungle" in the jungle

[Big H]

Just saw that.....
sungle in the jungle........
well that's alright, by meeeeee....

[Big H]

Shoulder to just overhead on some sets today....tried this and liked it....if anything I'm going to slide the fin back an inch and try it but it felt like a winner all around; easy turning (really easy compared to earlier setups), good hold on strong bottom turns, good speed in paddling and when riding. Good times!

[jaffa1949]

It will be interesting to see how much it stiffens up when you do that!

When I am trying new centre fin positions I put pencil marks beside the box! Exacta mondo!

[Big H]

Good idea; at the moment the fin is dead center of the box. Ground zero; started there purposely to give structure to +/- adjustments. Pencil.....must have one of those around somewhere!

[jaffa1949]

You can buy a pencil outside the motorbike licence office Tidak apa apa

[Big H]

Hahahaha......someone is actually reading my drivel.....

[Big H]

Just slid the fin back one inch....forgot yesterday and had a great sesh, board felt really good.....we'll see how much this tightens up or makes a difference that I can feel.

[Big H]

Moving back on inch didn't make much of a difference EXECEPT that yesterday was the best sesh I've ever had. I'm not changing a thing!

Compared to the day before, the board was a touch more stable at speed; I made drops that I've never made before and the board did not have the usual wiggles when I'm attempting to drop in in steeper OH waves which I always get bucked off.... Maybe it was me but the board did not get in the way.....perfect! Now I can focus in the monkey in charge!

[Big H]

Still running the same setup....been surfing better than I ever have.....can't give the fin set up all the credit but they do their job and don't really interfere....had a couple of "a-ha moments" lately and have improved noticeably......board paddles and surfs fast, has hold, turns easy, stable on big steep drops and handles the bottom turn coming out of them.....I've been connecting sections that I used to not make....again I think I'm just improving and carrying more speed as well as using the wave to build speed and staying closer to the pocket (stalls and cutbacks), but the board feels great, really love this board now. I keep meaning to take out a shortboard, but the longboard keeps calling me..... ....took a shortboard out for the second half of my sesh on Sunday and instantly missed the glide....I bought a second hand single fin that I'm having the shop go over....should be ready now; it's 6'8" x 20 x 2 7/8" ....it will lack the glide but I'm looking forward to taking it out. This is the photo from the ad; I've since taken off the traction pad and am getting small dings and things polished out. It looks like at some point it took some water on; two big dings repaired, one on each rail around the rip curl logo....repairs look ok, but the shop is going over it again to make sure it is watertight and done right.....that notwithstanding, the board is still quite light.

Anyway....now I've got the next board to dial in.....this one is only a single fin; no 2+1 option, so the fin and position in the box.....good times!

[Big H]

So I finally picked up the board from the shop; they sanded off old paint and repainted here and there, fixed a cubicle of dings and it's now ready. Took it out for the last two sessions. Tried a carbon and honeycomb FCS 7.5 in it first. Was surprised because I felt like the fin was small, lacked drive and slid out of turns...the fin was 2/3 of the way forward, must be partly to blame....put a plastic FCS 8" fin which is not just longer but bigger overall. Moved that so it was just back of center and had a decent sesh today and built ion the headway Im making with the late angled drops that have been the thing I've been on lately. Felt like a much better board, but I feel still could be tweaked....maybe I'll try the cutaway or the 7.5 in the position I had the 8" in today. Anyhow, it's witking better than yesterday and feels better.

Something that I learned and I'm still trying to wrap my brain around "why" is that I need a bigger fin in the board I used today (6'8"x20") vs the 7'8" I have (7'8"x21). That is not the tail width however; someone have any idea why this is true? Tried this same 8" fin in the 7'8" and it felt like it paddled slower, was hard to turn and generally made the board that I feel a touch of magic with the 7.5 cutaway with the no cant bonzer bites feel very much unmagical.

Pictures if the successful 9'6", 7'8" and 6'8" set ups.