Loosening up my board

[Young blood]

Hey everyone.
Ive been surfing for like 8 months or so and im getting preety decent at it im getting to the point where im trying to make tight carves while doing cutbacks or quick snapes but im not getting the board around, at first i thought it was my skill but i recently noticed it felt really stiff during my manuever anyone have any suddgestions to loosen up my board .. i currently ride
6,1" rusty pro ject with a rounded tail with alot of rocker and 2' 1/8 thick rails Using FEA 450 Future fins...i find them quiet big could it be the fins I use?
I am 6'1" and i weigh 165 lbs

[drowningbitbybit]

Fin choice will loosen up a board, but a 6'1 should be loose enough already.
Ive got 450s on some of my boards and they're plenty loose enough.

Chances are its technique Im afraid.

[gedwards]

maybe you could use a trailer fin to loosen it up a bit like a fcs g3000.

[Young blood]

Ahh thanks for the advice everyone ill try out some stuff

[themathteacher]

450 is the standard Future setup, so for sure you have a bunch of different options.

However, this goes back to my dislike of future fins and a big argument I get into with my surfing buddies between FCS and Futures. If you feel the inside of the FEA's, they have a deep pocket inside foil, it's there for two reasons: 1) to grab into the wave, making turning sharper and 2) directing the water torwards the trailer, causing additional thrust. However, for me, the deeper foil means the board slows down, significally. I'm a heavy surfer so it also means that I would stall slightly on turns, loosing speed.

So, all that to suggest that you go out and buy a template that is flatter on the inside. In futures I liked are the good old F4 or F5, no inside foil, or just feel the inside and get one that has less of a pocket, it will release and move faster throught the turn. If you want it REALLY loose, try the YU, they have a small trailer as part of the design. Not sure if Slaters come in Futures, but I have the k3's and dig them on my smallboard.

[Young blood]

450 is the standard Future setup, so for sure you have a bunch of different options.

However, this goes back to my dislike of future fins and a big argument I get into with my surfing buddies between FCS and Futures. If you feel the inside of the FEA's, they have a deep pocket inside foil, it's there for two reasons: 1) to grab into the wave, making turning sharper and 2) directing the water torwards the trailer, causing additional thrust. However, for me, the deeper foil means the board slows down, significally. I'm a heavy surfer so it also means that I would stall slightly on turns, loosing speed.

So, all that to suggest that you go out and buy a template that is flatter on the inside. In futures I liked are the good old F4 or F5, no inside foil, or just feel the inside and get one that has less of a pocket, it will release and move faster throught the turn. If you want it REALLY loose, try the YU, they have a small trailer as part of the design. Not sure if Slaters come in Futures, but I have the k3's and dig them on my smallboard.

Ah thanks for the advice bro, ill try out new fins. down here they dont sell future fins only fcs i live on a small island in the caribbean so i need to find some lol

[themathteacher]

I usually get mine through Ebay, generics are only about $30

[Young blood]

I usually get mine through Ebay, generics are only about $30

Oh cool, I've never bought anything off e-bay due to...just not trusting it lol i would expect to get the wrong item and or broken.
has that ever happened to you?

[TReMoR]

no

[jon.biarritz]

I don't find my K-3 fins to be that loose, they feel better for drive and carving down the line. Among the FCS fins I've been using, K2.1's and FG's (FG3's and FG5's) are more loose.

[Young blood]

Alright well thanks guys for all your replies, im lookin at a website now for a new set of fins . can you give me some feedback on these?

http://beckersurf.com/browse/productDetails.aspx?skuid=32947
http://beckersurf.com/browse/productDetails.aspx?skuid=14910
http://beckersurf.com/browse/productDetails.aspx?skuid=32949

Im keen on trying the black stix

[themathteacher]

I don't find my K-3 fins to be that loose, they feel better for drive and carving down the line. Among the FCS fins I've been using, K2.1's and FG's (FG3's and FG5's) are more loose.

Really? "I ended up replacing the center fin on my k3's because it seemed a little too loose, but also I'm a heavy surfer so it might be that I need more fin surface. I do think the k2.1's are looser, and I have the FG5's on my fish and dig them.

[themathteacher]

A buddy and I just traded boards, I had a mall that I wasn't using and he had a shortboard that he wasn't using. It didn't come with fins so I ended up ordering the F4's and I totally dig them, so just based on my experience of em they are a hit.

The JC1's are my second choice, another bud has those and swears by them.

I don't like AM fins, only use them in big barreling surf

[Young blood]

Aaahh thanks for replying yet again lol ooook my last question
I think i'll either go with the F4 or the JC1
as i find them looking similar too the FCS FG3 i have on my 6'2 squash

But can anyone give me some feedback on the Black stix (RTM) or just the regular (RTM)? or should i stick with the normal fiberglass?

[themathteacher]

The stiffer the fin the more responsive. The normal ones have a lot of flex on the tip, makes them more forgiving and, thus, easier on turns. The stiff fins cut in more, you get snappier turns but you will have to get used to controlling it.

I want to try the JC1's myself, for FCS they come in black carbon which I dig.

[Young blood]

Thanks so much for all the info , time to buy some fins ^.^

[trifish]

i have a set of the rtm f4 fins headed my way right now. I have a rib injury at the moment but can drop you some feedback on them once I get back into the water hopefully in a week.

[Young blood]

i have a set of the rtm f4 fins headed my way right now. I have a rib injury at the moment but can drop you some feedback on them once I get back into the water hopefully in a week.

I would apreciate that alot , although i think i might order a set of the same technology as that...it seems preety good with the traditional foil inside i think ill get a set that resemble the k2.1 pc

[rcd]

First off the inside foil on the Futures Vectors creates lift, which creates less drag, thus more speed. Smaller fins might help BUT it will meean less drive. You have to find the perfect balance.

Another reason you would find the board not coming around quickly is because of the rail going into the tail. Round tails are know for more drawn out turns because the rail going into the tail is straighter.

[Young blood]

First off the inside foil on the Futures Vectors creates lift, which creates less drag, thus more speed. Smaller fins might help BUT it will meean less drive. You have to find the perfect balance.

Another reason you would find the board not coming around quickly is because of the rail going into the tail. Round tails are know for more drawn out turns because the rail going into the tail is straighter.

Yeah ive started trying different things and its mostly been my footing(i wasn't getting my back foot far back enough and i had it angled weird :S) and i wasnt getting into the flats before a bottom turn...im just starting to do better bottom turns ....Thanks everyone for all the info ^.^ i appreciate it