HP longboard single fin size?

[miketheLogger]

Hey Hey! i have a 9'6" walden magic model (my only high performance longboard) and ive recently taken the sidebites out and put in a 9" fluid foil fin (http://www.ronjonsurfshop.com/store/item.aspx?ItemId=151869)<--- link to fin

ive never personally ridden a "HP" longboard with a single fin setup, and wanted to know what the experts (you guys) think, if it should be longer/wider/fatter , i know the general rule is 1" of fin for every 1' of board but the only fin that i have bigger than my fcs fluid foil 9" is a Ez-Kine hook 9" thats black composite. ( its the same length just a little beefier throughout )

ez-kine hook 9" (http://www.islandwatersports.com/shop/shop/details/569/97/surf/fins/longboard-fins/9in-hook-ez-kine-fin)

reason for going from 2+1 to single fin: im not into "pr0gressive" rip tear and shred longboarding (although i love how precise the magic model is carving or on the nose) and i want to work on trimming/noseriding so single fin was a no brain-er. I don't want to have to pump and carve little "S" turns all the time just to make the wave or do a maneuver, so im thinking i may just use the biggest fin i have (the ezkine) and go from there. really want to get the most drive/trimm speed out of the wave! because with the what, 5-6" box fin and side bites you have to surf the magic model like a shortboard or you wont make the wave.

all your info's will be greatly appreciated, iam going to take the board and bolth the fins out for an afternoon session today at Terra Mar in Carlsbad Ca. (should get bigger later when the tides down here in socal 2-3 occ 4, perfect kooky waves for a kook!)


thanks for your time!

[jaffa1949]

Bio Mikethelogger,you've got yourself a set of centre fins, go experiment, the answer is what suits your unique style!

have a read of my fin primer and see if there is advice there for you. You can still ride however you like with side bites, they do not force you to be aggressive or progressive, it is all down to personal preferences ,have the fun of experimenting, it will enhance your surfing.

[hunsta]

For what its worth. I have a 9'1" longboard which leans more toward being a performance board. I had an 10 1/2" centre fin and side bites and took the side bites out and replaced it with a 7.8" fin. We had bloody ripper 4'-5' pearlers today at Noosa. This seemed to be a great fin for ripping. I have found though that it seems to be better with the fin all the way back in the fin box.

[miketheLogger]

thanks for the input!, will read into your fin guide aswell! OK so yesterday i went to the point break hoping for 2-3+4 surf and it was more like 1-1 occ 2 haha so i didnt get to get much testing of the fins i had. So what i did was used the biggest fin i had the ezkine hook 9" set all the way back in the box, took off on the first little 2 footer and i could notice the drive right away, even in the ankle slappers! before with the 5 or 6" center fin and side bites i would really have to pump and surf rail to rail to stay on a little wave like that (and stay ahead of the curl) now with single fin it was just 1.paddle 2.stand 3.set the line/rail 4. fly across face trimming/noseriding, like the huge glassed on single fin logs i really love, but on a super light and responsive board.

As far as point breaks and nice long waves go, i don't see any reason to use sidebites on my longboards as i get much more pleasure from riding smooth/drop knee turns and of course toes on the nose!

You can still ride however you like with side bites, they do not force you to be aggressive or progressive

very true jaffa! you can surf anyway you want with the sidebites, but! if you want to Just trim and Noseride and get the most speed from the wave without riding rail to rail (like a shortboard) then single fin is far faster while going straight across the wave (no turns) or noseriding, the sidefins set at the angle they are make speed while turning, but creates drag in the water while going straight or noseriding. Id even go as far as saying a longboard will paddle a fraction faster with no sidebites aswell!

thanks again for your info! ill be going surfing again today (waves should be bigger) 3-4 so they say, probably going to just leave the ezkine hook 9 all the way back and see how she does on a wave taller than my kneeeees!

[jaffa1949]

Hi again Mikethelogger, let's help you get those logger rhythms , it's true a single paddles faster than multiples in the fin department. I am in my own unique way having great success in improving my nose riding with a pair of the smaller FCS Bonzer quad fin set as side bites.
They do not slow paddling noticeably and semm IMO to add down line speed to the board , they have enabled me to ride nosely for longer in different situations and hold a better line, I like to whack the top occasionally and they release enough for that and I have ridden them as small as my local can be ridden.
I am a weighty guy so all is good and the guys I surf with have noticed the improvement not just floating on my own opinion!

Very happy with what I am currently achieving, but as always horses for courses

[miketheLogger]

Just got back from an extremely nice afternoon session at terra mar pretty much perfect rights 3 to 4 foot occ 5-6 with the bigger sets, extremely low tide (all the shoebies on the reef looking at the tide-pool life )

took the walden with the same fin and really had a blast! i dont think im going to touch the fin one bit, the 9" ezkine is the fastest setup ive used with my walden 9'6" for speed (not maneuverability) it really changes the board completely like i thought it should, usually on days like today i would surf from top to bottom to top throw in a cut back (if im lucky) and still keep with the curl. But today the walden felt like i wanted it to, left-right take offs and straight to the nice trim spot to set up for 5, and the most crisp drop knee turns! really a classic ride with all the modern rails rocker and a diamond tail i think its turned into my favorite board again! my other turn to board is a 10' Donald Takayama DT-2 with double glass, but it has rather large sidebites for bigger surf im sure, but it doesnt go down the line like the walden did today (and the DT-2 should go faster) but the 10' does cross step much better (found myself mixing a cross step to trim and a shuffle/slide to noseride on the magic today )

im super stoked, i only get to surf weekends now so im pumped to chance perfect waves to test this board (i dont like to surf it in small surf, the rocker on the magic model pushes too much water when paddling for the 1-2 stuff, and i am a bigger guy aswell 6'2" two hundred something so it really takes a wave/work to get me going on the walden when it had sidebites, now its a rocket for front 1/3 board trimming one of the 5's i had down generated so much speed on the inside hollow section,that i fell back on the board almost! really is a change of riding style, no lip slapping no sliding and no airs maybe on the kick out

but yeah thanks again for letting me know about your fin primer jaffa good stuff to read up on!
ive only used o'fish'l basic sidebites in HP longboards and glassed in sidebites with the same style on more classic logs and they bolth gave me the same type of push from the wave that had me wanting more when i had to beat sections of curl. now i dont have to do manuevers to get speed, i do them to keep me in the curl (how classic long boarding on straight fast single keeled boards was done) but im just into that type of surfing and have been the past couple years now, just havent messed with my fin setup much on my HP board

thanks again maybe ill try my 9" fluid foil if its going to be big again!

[jaffa1949]

Victory at sea!
Isn't it great when you get your board doing its stuff

[hunsta]

Been trying to fine a pic of this 9" Eskine youve mentioned. Any chance you could show a pic of it or a link to see one.
Cheers
Craig

[jaffa1949]

Been trying to fine a pic of this 9" Eskine youve mentioned. Any chance you could show a pic of it or a link to see one.
Cheers
Craig

Hi Hunsta paddle up to the top of the thread, Mike posted this
http://www.islandwatersports.com/shop/s ... z-kine-fin

[hunsta]

Been trying to fine a pic of this 9" Eskine youve mentioned. Any chance you could show a pic of it or a link to see one.
Cheers
Craig

Hi Hunsta paddle up to the top of the thread, Mike posted this
http://www.islandwatersports.com/shop/s ... z-kine-fin

Doh didnt notice that.
Cheers
Craig

[jaffa1949]

NO wukkas Hunsta, BTW I've had to pull my head in a couple of times where I've missed the obvious.
Wet in Gympie again?

[esonscar]

miketheLogger : I have a similar fin (wooden laminated 1960's) to the second you have posted - it is solid and awesome with no side bites on the surfboard to which it is it is attached . . . the rig rips and blows all the stunt monkeys out of the water. Single fin of this shape rocks.