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My Paipo Center Fins

Recent Acquisitions for Use in an Industry Standard
Fins Unlimited Longboard Center Fin Box

As a point of reference I have been using the FCS PC-5 Blue Honeycomb center fin on most of my paipo boards for the past 10 years, including the Orange Matter (Baseline Austin Paipo); the Checkered RPM series (higher performance Austin Paipo); and, my Bonzer Paipos (Sunny being my Campbell Bonzer Paipo). All boards are 50 inches long but vary in width, from 19-7/8 to 20-1/2 inches, and thickness, from 1-7/8 to 2-1/2 inches. Plan shapes for the non-Bonzer boards are basically the same whereas the Bonzer has a wider tail profile.

The FCS PC-5 Blue Honeycomb is increasingly hard to find so I am looking for options. The RFC Thruster 4.5 could almost be a clone but is significantly heavier and has a thicker leading edge. The FU K2D2 also is promising in plan shape and weight but has a narrower leading edge so will require some in-water trials.

 Fin   
 Model  Base  
 Width
 Height 
 Diagonal 
 Length
 Thick- 
 ness
 Weight
 Notes
 FCS  PC-5 Blue
 Honeycomb
 4-1/4"  4-1/2"  7-3/8"  8 mm/
 4 mm
 3.0 oz
 88 gr
 Honeycomb,
 resin edge, stiff
 RFC
 Thruster 4.5 (Dark 
 Blue)
 4-1/4"
 4-1/2"
 7-1/4"
 9 mm/
 4 mm
 4.2 oz
 118 gr
 Fiberglass/resin,
 stiff
 RFC
 Thruster 4.0 (Dark
 Blue)
 3-1/2"
 4"
 6-1/2"
 9 mm/
 5 mm
 3.5 oz 
 
98 gr
 Fiberglass/resin,
 stiff
 FU
 KanoaD 4.75
 K2D2  (Smoke)
 4-1/2"  4-3/4"
 7-1/2
 6 mm/
 4 mm
 3.6 oz
 103 gr
 Fiberglass/resin
 stiff
Key: FCS=Fin Control System; RFC=Rainbow Fin Company; FU=Fins Unlimited
Thickness: measured at one inch from leading edge and one inch from trailing edge.
Weight: Subjective until weighed on a postal type scale in ounces.

The Center Fins (Left to Right): FU KanoaD 4.75 -- FCS PC-5 Blue 4.5
-- RFC Thruster 4.5 -- RFC Thruster 4.0

Note: There is a little bit of inconsistency in fin heights due to the inconsistent fin box base anchoring sections at the bottom of the fins. Some have more inconsistent bottoms to "measurable bases." I have not yet tried fitting these fins into the Sunny Bonzer Paipo.


FU KanoaD 4.75



FCS PC-5 Blue 4.5




RFC Thruster 4.5



RFC Thruster 4.0

Overlays with the PC-5 Blue Honeycomb (not all to scale)

Rainbow Fin Thruster 4.0 on FCS-PC5


Rainbow Fin Thruster 4.5 on FCS-PC5


FCS-PC5 on Fins Unlimited K2D2


FCS-PC5 on Rainbow Fin Thruster 4.5




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Last updated on: 02/21/20