Flex Fins and Fin Placement

The fin that comes with these surfboards is flexible. It is made from volan fabric and has a green tint.  The Volan treatment of the fabric creates a better bond with the resin and sustains the life of the flex without cracking.  Flex fins made from silene fabric are more clear, tend to be stiffer with the same foil and will deteriorate very quickly when flexed as the bond between resin and fabric breaks down.

The foil of the fin maintains volume through the tip to produce a “concave” flex as opposed to the tip just bending over. Because the foil is very thin it is also very delicate. Any nicks or abrasions should be sanded out immediately to prevent breakage on a severe impact. The board should never be left sitting on the fin, particularly in a warm car, or the fin will bend and take a set to one side.

Fin placement is critical and a learned process. You can get used to the fin in any position but to maximize the acceleration of the board out of a turn placement is critical. I would suggest that you start with the fin about 11 or 12  inches up; measuring from the tail block to trailing edge of the fin. There should be small marks along the fin channel that can be used as reference points. Ride the board a bit to get the initial feel and then move the fin forward 1/2” and ride it again; ideally in the same conditions. At one point the board will seem to accelerate out of a forehand turn more quickly and smoothly. I have had boards that worked with the fin places anywhere from 12 to 14 inches up.  You can become sensitive to 1/ 4” movements.  Notice the difference in effect while paddling.

It is a trial and error process and the results can be different for each person even on the same surfboard. We are all physically unique in body and surfing style. I surf very forward and seldom pivot off the tail. My fin ( or fins ) are usually set more forward. By having the ability to move the fin you can determine what placement is best for you, your style and the waves you ride.. Please try different positions and try to evaluate the effect in the surfboards behavior from one position to the next.  Feedback and or questions about placement are always appreciated via e-mail.

The above approach applies to both single fin and single/side runner configurations.
I run the side runners and have found them to work best with the fronts lined up with the center fin on one board and the trailing edges lined up on another.  It is a trial and error process so you must move them around......experiment!