Bigger wave quad setup - FCS

[Maz]

What quad fins do you use for solid to big waves (12ft faces upwards), where pumping for speed isn't the big issue, but control and drive are?

I've been loving thrusters almost exclusively in my normal boards, but for bigger waves, quads are the go, I think. Been running AM medium front/Carver rears in my 6'10 Webster Desert Storm, and it feels good and turns surprisingly well, but curious to hear your recommendations.

The board might soon get a bigger brother (8'6) :blush2: (which would probably get Futures boxes and EA fins)

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

I like the K2.1 quads.

They are sold as these now....

https://www.surffcs.com/collections/quads/products/v2-pc-quad-fin-set

I recently got some fins for a Futures setup (I know that isn’t what you’re looking for but I prefer Futures for guns) from True Ames for an 8’6 gun.

These in front...

https://www.trueames.com/collections/side-bites-1/products/side-bite-4-35-futures-compatible

And these rears...

https://www.trueames.com/collections/quad-fins-1/products/rear-quad-futures-compatible

 

[Maz]

I like the K2.1 quads.

They are sold as these now....

https://www.surffcs.com/collections/quads/products/v2-pc-quad-fin-set

I recently got some fins for a Futures setup (I know that isn’t what you’re looking for but I prefer Futures for guns) from True Ames for an 8’6 gun.

These in front...

https://www.trueames.com/collections/side-bites-1/products/side-bite-4-35-futures-compatible

And these rears...

https://www.trueames.com/collections/quad-fins-1/products/rear-quad-futures-compatible

Thanks, Duffy.

What's that 8'6 of yours? Any photos?

All my smaller boards are FCS, and I wanted to travel with this one too, so easier to be able to swap fins between them all. If/when I get the 8'6, I'll go Futures.

 

[kool-aid]

You're on the right track... some medium / large size template that you're used to for the front fins and a quad rear you trust. Thurster setups work in some of my big waves boards but not all of them, or not in all situations. Quad is simply the more reliable option in these scenarios.

In my big wave boards that are FCS I'll ride the mayhem quad set or the FT fins with the mayhem rears. I prefer flat foiled fins and fiberglass construction. But composite construction and inside foils are fine in waves up to 15' but I probably wouldn't mess with them after that. Anything bigger than that, I only ride fiberglass fins for the smoothness and predictability. The fiberglass EA quad set would be great. Stretch quad set works well also.

It's really important that you not over-fin your guns otherwise they don't catch waves or get stuck up in the lip. All the really bad scenarios I've found myself in, in big waves has been because of this.

 

[manjushri]

JS Quad set in medium feels good. I like how the JS rears are smaller than most of the other quad sets. use em on an 8'0, in big lefts, natural footer. Normally ride L thrusters in standard shortboards.

No raked-out quad sets on a big board for me (only would use that on a mushbuster stubby board) because there's already a lot of surface area to get plenty of drive and hold. Prefer a more balanced or vertical foil.

Firewire Mediums look good. About to get the Mayhem Mediums too, frothing for those.
For a 9'+ gun I think they would be good, a little bit stiffer than the JS

Lotta options.


You ever use your AM's as a quad set?

 

[surfysurfy1476]

You're on the right track... some medium / large size template that you're used to for the front fins and a quad rear you trust. Thurster setups work in some of my big waves boards but not all of them, or not in all situations. Quad is simply the more reliable option in these scenarios.

In my big wave boards that are FCS I'll ride the mayhem quad set or the FT fins with the mayhem rears. I prefer flat foiled fins and fiberglass construction. But composite construction and inside foils are fine in waves up to 15' but I probably wouldn't mess with them after that. Anything bigger than that, I only ride fiberglass fins for the smoothness and predictability. The fiberglass EA quad set would be great. Stretch quad set works well also.

It's really important that you not over-fin your guns otherwise they don't catch waves or get stuck up in the lip. All the really bad scenarios I've found myself in, in big waves has been because of this.

Ive never had an issue with large (am2) trifin setup on a 7'10", although that board technically isn't a gun, its a K Stepup.

 

[rowjimmytour]

http://store.stretchboards.com/product/stretch-s2-five-fin-set

 

[griffinsurfboard]

50.00 per fin - Excellent

Fin area at the "Zit" in the tip is 20% more than the mid section .

This will load up instead of release at higher speeds - bad Ju Ju

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

I found the those Stretch fins to be not so good when waves get big big.

They worked ok in smaller surf, not my favorite but I had them on a 6’10 that I use for fairly solid surf and found them to be to sticky at speed.

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

I like the K2.1 quads.

They are sold as these now....

https://www.surffcs.com/collections/quads/products/v2-pc-quad-fin-set

I recently got some fins for a Futures setup (I know that isn’t what you’re looking for but I prefer Futures for guns) from True Ames for an 8’6 gun.

These in front...

https://www.trueames.com/collections/side-bites-1/products/side-bite-4-35-futures-compatible

And these rears...

https://www.trueames.com/collections/quad-fins-1/products/rear-quad-futures-compatible

Thanks, Duffy.

What's that 8'6 of yours? Any photos?

All my smaller boards are FCS, and I wanted to travel with this one too, so easier to be able to swap fins between them all. If/when I get the 8'6, I'll go Futures.

Pyzel Padillac that I bought from surfy1476.

Haven’t used it for it’s intended wave size but caught a couple head high waves on it during this last south and it feels really good....

 

[Maz]

Thanks guys.

The Padillac is a sweet looking board! Hope you get to put it to good use.

I don't have any AM quad rears, but the NeoGlass Carver rears seem well matched with the AM fronts.

Surfed the DS again today in onshore junk, albeit well OH and powerful junk. Just teaser surfs so far, but damn it feels good to push against all that board.

Will give it a go with Accelerator fronts.

 

[rowjimmytour]

I found the those Stretch fins to be not so good when waves get big big.

They worked ok in smaller surf, not my favorite but I had them on a 6’10 that I use for fairly solid surf and found them to be to sticky at speed.

Might be right for non Stretch boards works great on my: F4, Buzzsaw, and Superbuzz well over head but these board designed for fins :wave2:

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

I found the those Stretch fins to be not so good when waves get big big.

They worked ok in smaller surf, not my favorite but I had them on a 6’10 that I use for fairly solid surf and found them to be to sticky at speed.

Might be right for non Stretch boards works great on my: F4, Buzzsaw, and Superbuzz well over head but these board designed for fins :wave2:

Ok.

I’m talking about waves that are double to triple over head.

 

[rowjimmytour]

I found the those Stretch fins to be not so good when waves get big big.

They worked ok in smaller surf, not my favorite but I had them on a 6’10 that I use for fairly solid surf and found them to be to sticky at speed.

Might be right for non Stretch boards works great on my: F4, Buzzsaw, and Superbuzz well over head but these board designed for fins :wave2:

Ok.

I’m talking about waves that are double to triple over head.

Curious now what Stretch would reccomend for a buzzgun for waves TOH. Maybe some well chime in I think kang has or had a buzz gun or a 2x4. My buzzsaw is high end a page off of Nathan but I would never try tackle a TOH wave on a 5'7" but DOH can handle.

 

[thekadvang]

Know this thread is about FCS and I only ride Futures, but anyway...

I'm on quads exclusively for medium+ waves... at least for the waves here all you do is take off deep and take the high line, so no reason to ride a thruster... maybe if its super choppy and bad.

I think as long as you have 4 equal sized fins that are stiff fiberglass you're good. Duffy's approach with the sidebites is an interesting one to get there.

Despite GG and Duffy not liking the Stretch fins they have served me super well... I have an 8'0" buzz gun with some super old Stretch 'Gun' fins that came on a CL board I bought -- they are all ~4" in size and are the same size. They are closer in template to the S1 than the S2 (little more rake, little less upright). I ride the S1 or some Fuller Quads on my 7'6" -- a lot of people here also like the EA Quads.

We've put the Fullers, EAs, and S1s all next to eachother and the differences are really minor.

Maz that Desert Storm is sick! Let us know how it goes in some real waves -- Webster's boards look so sick for the type of waves we get here and I'm keen to try one.

 

[Maz]

Know this thread is about FCS and I only ride Futures, but anyway...

I'm on quads exclusively for medium+ waves... at least for the waves here all you do is take off deep and take the high line, so no reason to ride a thruster... maybe if its super choppy and bad.

I think as long as you have 4 equal sized fins that are stiff fiberglass you're good. Duffy's approach with the sidebites is an interesting one to get there.

Despite GG and Duffy not liking the Stretch fins they have served me super well... I have an 8'0" buzz gun with some super old Stretch 'Gun' fins that came on a CL board I bought -- they are all ~4" in size and are the same size. They are closer in template to the S1 than the S2 (little more rake, little less upright). I ride the S1 or some Fuller Quads on my 7'6" -- a lot of people here also like the EA Quads.

We've put the Fullers, EAs, and S1s all next to eachother and the differences are really minor.

Maz that Desert Storm is sick! Let us know how it goes in some real waves -- Webster's boards look so sick for the type of waves we get here and I'm keen to try one.

Cheers, bud!
I looked at the really small Allan Byrne fins in my Deep Six and thought they might be worth trying, too. Would make for more similarly sized fronts and rears. Will report back.

Got absolutely pumping 2xOH waves on the DS this morning. First half hour was 9/10 for my local, and the board went soooo good. Like you said, point and shoot - or take off deep and hang on. I spent the first 20min calming myself down, I was that excited. Still buzzing two hours later.

Yeeeew!

What area are you in, Kadvang?

 

[kool-aid]

In my experience, you can put a good amount of thinking into the fins you use for say 10' to 20' and the way you fin your boards and it can have a substantial impact.

One thought it to not use any more fin that you need. The best example of that would be the stretch template imo. It's definitely a solid go to in big waves and probably works in most well designed big wave board. The advantage of not over fining is wave catchability and speed. The difference is noticeable.

Another thought is to over fin. I do this sometimes on some of my chunkier guns. I have some stretch comp guns that are pretty chunky and sometimes I'll over fin them with some large JFF side fins. This makes them more surfable than when I'm riding the stretch template for instance but it also sucks the tail into the wave face more and stroking in isn't quite as easy.

The other combo I've been experimenting with is using my everyday fin setups as a quad. Specifically the large FT fcs with mayhem rears. I've been using this setup in a pair of lost retro guns that I got. This is by far the most surfable setup for my big wave boards and when I want to go out there and shred I'll go this direction. When I want to go out there and survive, I'll ride the comp guns with the stretch template. I swear that combo has saved my life on numerous occasions or at least saved me some really severe beatdowns.

 

[griffinsurfboard]

Fin Design:



Wide base

Area narrowing and moving forward towards center

Tip area increasing as it moves rearward

The top 8.4 has way more pressure on it being deeper and further back than the 8.5 below center .

This will resist releasing for forward movement and setting in for control .


Similar concept to these :

Wide - narrow then wide again






Side Note : Stretch told me in person my fin concept was pure BS

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

I think as long as you have 4 equal sized fins that are stiff fiberglass you're good. Duffy's approach with the sidebites is an interesting one to get there.

For the record the fronts and the rears are not the same size. The rears are a bit smaller and have a 60/40 foil. The fronts are flat foiled.

Also for the record, I have not yet tried this setup on this board in any kind of surf that it’s designed for. I’ve ridden a couple of overhead waves on it and that’s it. From that I feel like this will work well but obviously things change as the waves get bigger.

As for the “sidebite” designation these same exact fins are also sold as fronts in the T. Patterson thruster (small) set.

They are “large” sidebites and “small” thruster fronts, if you will. They are roughly the same overall area as the K 2.1 fins (FCS) but with a bit more rake.

True Ames tells me they will be offering these (fronts and rears) sometime in the future in solid fiberglass.

 

[rowjimmytour]

Know this thread is about FCS and I only ride Futures, but anyway...

I'm on quads exclusively for medium+ waves... at least for the waves here all you do is take off deep and take the high line, so no reason to ride a thruster... maybe if its super choppy and bad.

I think as long as you have 4 equal sized fins that are stiff fiberglass you're good. Duffy's approach with the sidebites is an interesting one to get there.

Despite GG and Duffy not liking the Stretch fins they have served me super well... I have an 8'0" buzz gun with some super old Stretch 'Gun' fins that came on a CL board I bought -- they are all ~4" in size and are the same size. They are closer in template to the S1 than the S2 (little more rake, little less upright). I ride the S1 or some Fuller Quads on my 7'6" -- a lot of people here also like the EA Quads.

We've put the Fullers, EAs, and S1s all next to eachother and the differences are really minor.

Maz that Desert Storm is sick! Let us know how it goes in some real waves -- Webster's boards look so sick for the type of waves we get here and I'm keen to try one.

I have a F4 with futures that have older red honeycomb Sf4 set I really like and is my step up for any big days or travel.