Keel fin feedback?

retodd

Duke status
Feb 23, 2009
16,757
2,177
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yea, I will be taking them w/ me when I meet w/ the shaper for that reason...he’s very good about nailing box placement when you have a specific fin in mind. I’ve never had much luck w/ removable keeps...tried the Rastas, the TA Hobie, K1 & K2 from Futures, etc...these Christiansen’s look promising.
I have the black & white fiberglass set, not the honeycomb. Definitely very upright, which I like. I compared them to a pair of TA Gephart #2s that I have in my shed & the leading edge matches very closely; I that find encouraging since that Geppy 2 template is one of my favorites.
Are the Geppy#2 50/50 foil

That feeling is not available with futures (yet)
 

njsurfer42

Michael Peterson status
Mar 16, 2006
2,877
167
63
shrouded in a 5/4
What if you don’t gel with the CC fins? Maybe go with the shapers initial placement and then experiment with fins? CC keels are unique and sit way forward on the base. Most other keels are set further back giving you more options.
This is pretty much my last attempt w/ removable keels. These don’t work out, I’ll be glass on Geppys from here on
 

Bman76

Nep status
Mar 10, 2011
924
716
93
I've been using the Ellis Ericsson Alkali semi-keels in a shorter egg twin. They have a really good feeling. Quite drivey down the line and they hold well on a steeper bottom turn. They still have good pivot and can turn sharply when you put the board on a rail. 70/30 foil. 3DD2408E-327E-41C5-887B-26B2C2F6F6F1_1_105_c.jpeg
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
11,990
22,531
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PNW
I've been really tempted to try those Ellis Ericsson twins but hearing they are 70/30 foil makes me hesitate. I've ridden a few non-flat foil twins and keels and have yet to fall in love with the feeling.

The Album Fascination NVS twins have become my favorite in the longer twins (both of which are Album's). I was riding the Christenson Twins for a bit but going back to the Album's was a noticeable improvement in the amount of hold and drive while still turning really well. I think they would go good in a fishy board as well but I have yet to try it.
 
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flyinraptr

Michael Peterson status
Dec 18, 2008
2,804
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San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Need a rest day ... figured i do a little update. I haven't been using the keels much but decided to give the K2 - Alphas another try yesterday. Took out my 6'4" twinzer with the Rainbow Fins canards - up front. Conditions were HH-OH+ (fourth straight day). The setup went amazingly well - especially on some solid OH bombs .... super fast and lots of drive as expected but seemed a lot looser than when running without the canards as a straight keel twin fin. With that said ... still felt solid with no hint of sliding out or need to nurse the bottom turns. The canards are more upright versus the keels .... wondering if in addition to the theoretical benefits of the twinzer setup they helped create a pivot point. Regardless - my new favorite setup.

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flyinraptr

Michael Peterson status
Dec 18, 2008
2,804
1,444
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San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Extra tilt on canards releases more water to the side - you can visualize this

Rather than pressing the water against the outside of the rear fin keeping water attached - Twinzer Theory ;-)

These are great fun , but this Theory is very hard to imagine :) Continue to just have Fun !
Appreciate the feedback G. The mechanics of water flow, lift, thrust etc has always been of interest. I like experimenting with fins to keep things fresh and different .... it's amazing how much different a board can feel or perform by changing the fins up. Speaking of cant - i did notice that the rear Rainbow Fins that come with the twinzer set have the same amount of cant as the canards. The K2 Alphas - as you can see in the photo have very little cant.
 

flyinraptr

Michael Peterson status
Dec 18, 2008
2,804
1,444
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San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Ran the Surf Squared Keels today on my 6'4".... as a straight keel. They are bigger than the K2's - taller and have more cant. Conditions were HH - OH - glassy. I noticed a difference with the extra cant - didn't have as much glide as with the K2's - had to work a little harder to get into waves. Felt ok - once on the wave - the twinzer setup i ran previously with the K2's felt faster and looser however. Going to give the K2's a go tomorrow as a straight keel without the canards for a comparison.

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bluengreen

Michael Peterson status
Oct 22, 2018
1,763
4,641
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SF x Encinitas
Just grabbed the Maccallum Captain Fins because I wanted something more maneuverable than the Hobie Keels. I wasn't sure how much difference to expect because of the long rake and thin tip, but they definitely loosened up my 5'4 STPNK fish. It's a really good fin if you want to maintain a lot of drive but want a looser response and tighter turning radius compared to a fin like the Hobie. Highly recommend.IMG-1311.jpgIMG-1311.jpg
 

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trifish

Gerry Lopez status
Sep 23, 2009
1,338
3,791
113
Shred City
Really liking these Christenson Especial Keels lately on my Xanadu WR. Machado's felt good but a little stiff in smaller stuff. Rasta's felt fast but almost felt too small or too much flex with the construction. It was hard to feel the fins in turns/pumping and was too loose for me. Christenson's hit spot on the mark. Good speed, drive, balance, and turning. I ended up ranking them Christenson>Machado>Rasta. I'm about 180lbs.
 

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sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
11,267
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San Diego
really eager to try futures stamps keels. surprised comparing them to the hobie by TA the stamps have less cant and less cutaway from the trailing edge. 7.5” instead of 8” from the tail.
 
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flyinraptr

Michael Peterson status
Dec 18, 2008
2,804
1,444
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San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Our run of good swell came to an end .... was knee to waist high for the last week. So i broke out my Barry Snyder IRS model - 7'4" - it is his take on the Takayama Scorpion shape. Longboard nose with a pulled in pin tail. Mine has a 2 + 1 fin box setup. I decided to give it a go as a twin with the FCS Modern Keels (x-large). Works unbelievably well - so much fun. Increased the glide and turning speed of the board dramatically - still stable enough to get up on the nose and do cheater 5's in waist high barrels.
 
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thekadvang

Legend (inyourownmind)
Jan 29, 2013
361
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i think we're central
Our run of good swell came to an end .... was knee to waist high for the last week. So i broke out my Barry Snyder IRS model - 7'4" - it is his take on the Takayama Scorpion shape. Longboard nose with a pulled in pin tail. Mine has a 2 + 1 fin box setup. I decided to give it a go as a twin with the FCS Modern Keels (x-large). Works unbelievably well - so much fun. Increased the glide and turning speed of the board dramatically - still stable enough to get up on the nose and do cheater 5's in waist high barrels.
Forgot a single fin screw and so just put some Captain Fin Chippa twins in my 7'4" egg -- stoked it went well for you and will report when I ride mine...
 
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sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
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San Diego
I did order the surf squared keels but they’re going back. Kinda shotty QC and fit into the boxes. Leading edge doesn’t sit flush in the front, etc.

I wasnt sold on their template in person, either. Would rather bang the Mccallums.

are the template to the two mccallum Keels the same, just different material/construction?
 
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Muscles

Michael Peterson status
Jun 1, 2013
2,596
3,597
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California/Hawaii
The surf squared keels are really big. They feel very fast down the line but the release on them is terrible. They do not turn very well. By far the stiffest keels I've ever surfed.

And yes, the QC is poor. Mine barely fit into the boxes.
 

sdsrfr

Phil Edwards status
Jul 13, 2020
5,857
11,267
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San Diego
I was tempted to keep them to mess around with re-template and re-foil the trailing edge but figured I’d be aiming for what the Mccallum are and may as well just buy those and be done with it.
 

flyinraptr

Michael Peterson status
Dec 18, 2008
2,804
1,444
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San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
Update on the surf squared keels ... gave them another try in both my 6'4" and 6'10" - in solid 6'-8' surf. Ran them without the front twinzer canards - just as a straight keel twin. Definitely - felt better in those conditions - obviously lots of hold but released pretty well. In slightly OH conditions - also tried the Futures K2 Alpha keels - they have a smaller base and went really really well. One thing i noticed between the two - is the surf squared keels - have more cant versus the K2's. The K2's seem to paddle a little faster and and a little more glide. The surf squared keels - in smaller surf - as others have reported - felt too stiff but nice to have that option when it really turns on.
 
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