Quad Fins for Summer

[rodndtube]

Hold your horses, Dr. Robert!! I've been liking my Bonzer paipo quite a bit... especially where most of my surfing is done these days. For several of my Puerto Rico spots the S&S Checkered RPM (Austin) is my go-to board in addition for good EC surf. For weaker EC surf I ride my baseline Austin. It took a little tinkering around to get my Bonzer paipo fin setup dialed in but I have been in good shape for about a year now, especially with a set of 4 small Bonzer runners and a 4.5" center fin. And since my nose is a little more pulled in than yours there isn't room for a handle!!!

[nomastomas]

Rod/DrRbt...have you ever tried it without the center fin (just the runners)? How would that change the board's performance?

[dr robert]

Rod-man, just clarifying a bit…I reckon anyone has the right to tinker away as they see fit, but my experience is that the Bonzer system, while essentially simple, doesn't tolerate much modification before it becomes something else entirely, and those results have frequently been not so good… this has been somewhat of a constant though out the 45 year history of the design.

Glad though that yours is working out…now, if you could just get a grip, on the handle, then we'd really be in business!

NT…my omniscience is perhaps not as sharp as it could be today (but because I'm All Knowing,I knew that beforehand right?), but did I not say I've been riding my 5ft 5 fin boards without the center fin most of the time?
Check the interview I did some time back regarding all this … yes, it works!

If you are interested, I would sincerely suggest you duplicate the Bonzer bottom and five fin system on your favorite board, and try it out…take the center fin out, leave it in, take the runners out…play with it, I think there is lots to learn here, and lots to like!

Paipo on!

[rodndtube]

Rod/DrRbt...have you ever tried it without the center fin (just the runners)? How would that change the board's performance?

Laying the ground work... I am an old stubborn guy when it comes to any radical changes to my ride... life is too short for trying a different machine every day. So most of my tinkering is on the margins. Having the Bonzer built was a radical departure for me but I suspected it would fit in well on some waves I like to ride... and it did (once the right fin combo configuration was dialed-in to meet my tastes and style of riding). Why a radical departure? I messed with more than two variables! The aft bottom (big variable); increased tail width; and, the 5-fin arrangement. The forward third/half of the board bottom, the forward third plan shape and the rail shape and rail line were all very similar to the other boards I ride. The overall board thickness is consistent with the S&S Checkered RPMs and the board width is within the range of my two Austin shapes, the baseline Orange Matter (20.5) and the S&S RPMs (20.0).

In the past I have played around a little without a center fin. Without digressing much I am a center fin guy. I also use smaller sidebites/runners than most so in the end my total fin surface area is probably similar to what many twin/quad folks are applying, just a different distribution. As Bob has mentioned, I like the looseness in not over-finning but I also notice small differences in fin size (and shape).

How would not using a center fin affect me most dramatically? In the pocket book!! I have chewed up so many center fins over the years. And then there was the fin-bending exercise!

[bgreen]

Hello Robert,

I can live with being a curious exception.

For some reason I was thinking of bonzers this morning - I'm near London at the moment. Putting aside the fin tinkering, if I were to do things over again, I'd go lighter on the glass and have a foam handle which would also reduce weight.

Bob

[dr robert]

BG…yes you are curious, and exceptional as well.

Speaking of board weight…I have recently been riding a balsa paipo that comes in at 27…yes…27 lbs!

Old school to be sure, pics to follow soon.

[bgreen]

Hello Robert,

Exceptionally curious .

Photos, board story and report would be interesting. Perhaps a new thread.
Weight itself can be ok - Jeff once made a comment about momentum style boards. Like all things, they have their place and limits.

Regards

Bob

[krusher74]

What can be enlightening is to try other's boards. I was recently in Wales and had a surf or two with Krusher. One surf, in admittedly ordinary waves, we swapped boards. We have different approaches to riding waves, Krusher being way more athletic than me and having a boogie board background. His board was finless and mine a twin fin. Krusher said my board was the first finned board he's enjoyed riding (though it didn't do spinners). Someone else might try my board and say it's a dog.

Bob

I love trying others boards especially in average surf to make it more interesting.

As Bob says his board was the first board that I have tried with fins that did not track horribly for me,and make me move from a trim position to over the fins to turn, which is a pain in the ass when you have to concentrate on moving on the board to the different position rather than just doing the turn.

I would have guessed that from my bodyboarding background and liking of wide points forward I would have preferred boards with fins up the board under the hip like nomas described. But Bob's board has the fin in the back corner. Maybe on a bodyboard with no fins as you turn off the rear tail peg that's more similar to the back corner fin placement.

I think also on Bob's board the best place to sit for trim was on the back corner and that where the fin was. I think maybe on the other boards i have rode the trim position/hip placement and fin placement have been too far apart.

I had a good plan laid out for my net board, and after riding Bob's board its had a good re-think (still not getting fins though )

[mrmike]

my fins are on my feet. when I make a board for someone they always want fins, might try this next time. nice board