Asymmetrical Fin Set Up for Waves

gerritt · Joined: 06 May 1998 Posts: 632 Location: Redwood City, CA

I've got a full range of Ezzy side bites 8, 10, 12, and 14 cms. I've been experimenting with a 92 Pyramid thruster I picked up last fall. I'm running a 17 cm center fin. I've run the 10, 12, and 14 sides and tend to like the larger set ups -- so far. I also only use that board in light wind, with no smaller than a 4.7.

My last session with the 14's, on a 4.7 in slog and ride conditions, seemed over-finned on the top turn/cut back.

I've also got a quad 78 w/ 14cm centers and 8 cm side bites. Wondering, if I might want to try asymmetrical on it as well. However, the current setup is pretty sweet.

I'm looking for insight, opinions, and/or experience from those in the surf and wave sailing camps that have run variations on the above. If I were to run one side bigger and one side smaller on standard starboard tack San Mateo/Santa Cruz coast conditions, what would be best?

I figure the bigger fin for bottom turn (thus, starboard/right box), and smaller for top turn. However, I might be wrong. Thus, looking for feedback.

No disrespect, but if you only sail rivers, lakes, or the bay, and don't surf, while you may have an opinion, I doubt it would be very helpful.

airwave · Joined: 29 Jun 2000 Posts: 386

Controversy

nw30 · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:06 pm Post subject:

Check out this pic of Robbie from a couple of years ago, is he going with an asymmetrical placement for his side bites??? You tell me.

gerritt · Joined: 06 May 1998 Posts: 632 Location: Redwood City, CA

Indeed, he is. Coming out of the water with his left hand forward = starboard tack conditions = likely Ho'okipa. Bottom turn side bite back and top turn forward. Kinda makes sense, since moving fins back generally increases drive, but at the expense of looseness.

Come on, someone has some insight. Can you gouge tighter cutbacks with a smaller side bite on the port side? Or should it be larger? Yea, yea I can simply test it myself, but I'd like a more intellectual point of view to better understand what I'm feeling OTW and why.

shredley · Joined: 22 Apr 2002 Posts: 13

Back in the day I had an asy wave board with side bite only on the cut back side. Based on that use a smaller one on the bottom turn side. After a while it went out of fashion and we decided it just slowed you down.

I've tried moving the cutback side up, seems to work but not huge diff, not sure if it adds drag.

LeeD · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 1175

It's subjective. On spots with onshore/side winds, like Waddell, a big heel side fin allows for shovits and powerful upwind backside wave riding, while at Davenport, especially N Reef, you're going DTL exclusively, and it STILL depends where you place the side fin compared to where and how big the tail fin.
If you have lots of power, a big sidefin on the heel side, coupled with small tail fins, will allow you to powerfully pivot off that big side fin, the small tail fins allowing some sliding action, hopefully controlled. Like Twinzer action.
If you use big tail fins, then a good cutback/OTTop setup is tail fin forwards, moderate sized side bite. Tri fin setups.
Twin fins, both close to 8", give the quickest pivots off the top, and you need the size for strong bottom turns in choppy water conditions.
Can't tell you exact numbers, because we don't know your weight, style, experience, the width of your board, it's rocker and tail width OFO, and all sorts of things we need to know besides your likes and dislikes.

LeeD · Joined: 12 Jun 2008 Posts: 1175

In 1984, I ordered a 7'7" x 23" wide swallow tailed wave riding board from then new windsurf shaper Robin Prodanovich.
Twin fin fanatic that I am in surfing, I had two posted thru to the deck 8" Fins Unlimited fin box's installed as close to the rails as possible, and one 10" box in the center for a backup/just in case. The board was meant to be ridden as a twin fin, and Robin had my dimensions for placement and toe in of the side fin box's based off my bigger wave Oahu boards he made for me a few year's prior.
I ordered single to double convaves, out to a flat panel V with full wave rocker, but got only the double to panel V, no nose concaves.
Not a bad board for wave riding, a little too thick for my needs, and I settled for 8" side fins only, easily holding in the biggest waves I encountered, a S swell 8' or so at Waddell. Projection was very short, as I had my back strap located at the front of the side fins, and I couldn't bear to use the center fin option.
Used it from April thru June, when Robin offered up a full rider deal, since I worked at Wise Surf Shop and ordered dozens of surf and windsurf boards from him.
A surfer from Ocean Beach bought it from me, Terry, and he used it only as a surfboard, dumped my 8" fins, and used 6.5's.