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bigger fins?

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skutter
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bigger fins?

Postby skutter » Sun Sep 18, 2016 7:37 pm

Hello!

Just getting into strapless riding - I bought a 5'10 bic fish to learn on (and because it was cheap)
been on the board about 4 times, i can carve heel and toe side but so far only managed a few gybes out of many attempts.
lost the center fin on the 2nd time out riding in too shallow water - however i quite like the feeling of it as a twin fin set up
i find the board doesnt go upwind as well as i like so i've ordered som M7 fins to replace the M5's that came with the board with the idea that this would improve upwind performance - is this sound logic? i based it on the fact race boards have massive fins and a built for charging upwind. -
Will putting the center fin back in make the board go upwind better ?(i was thinking of putting the smallest fin i could find in the rear fin box just so it wasnt empty.)
Or is it that my technique sucks?
I have read that riding upwind on a surfboard you have the board flatter in the water that a TT and steer it upwind using the feet and let the fins rather than the rail do the work.
I also wonder if the board is a bit small for me being 6'3 and 90kg as i have yet to find any difference between riding the surfboard and my 140x42 TT in light winds except i go better upwind on my TT which shouldn't be the case from what everyone has told me, but i think this again is more poor technique than anything.
Thanks for any feedback.

av_dumitrascu
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Re: bigger fins?

Postby av_dumitrascu » Mon Sep 19, 2016 12:35 pm

Hi!
probably you got it from Decathlon or a shop like it (just I got a Bic 6'7" at a ridiculous low price, being forgot between the shelves)....but that`s a surfboard, not a kite-surfboard.
The difference is in the thickness of the rail (thus the volume) and the size of the fins...plus a couple more minor details :wink:
BUT: experience with your stance on the board (move your front feet forward) and push with your rear feet the fins upwind. It`s a general hoax surfboards go in lighter winds and better upwind. For this, the surfboard must be bigger, less rocker and more fins (longer and quad).

I have tried all kind of surf and kitesurf boards and until I took an F-One Bamboo signature and a Fireware Vanguard, I didn`t really had fun kitesurfind...

Ride on, hope this helps!

BWD
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Re: bigger fins?

Postby BWD » Mon Sep 19, 2016 12:54 pm

You are on the right track I think.
It takes some time to get the efficiency and smooth jibes with a board that has less than 4 fins. It's true there are times you go upwind much better wth the board flatter, especially in light wind. But with surfboards everything is often more of a balance, more than a shift between gears.
Do try pushing your back foot position forward to just in front of the tail pad. You really only want the tail pad for turning on a wave. Back foot should be just over the front if the front fins for upwind/ light wind. Ideally front foot will be near the wide point of the board or slightly forward.
Get to know your board with this positioning and then move your feet closer and closer together. When they are almost together look down, between them is the center of pressure of the board. If you can ride with equal pressure/spacing forward and aft of this point you will stop falling. Eventually.

Your fin idea sounds ok. In general the trailer in thruster sets slows kiteboard down and sometimes hurts upwind, because it is not at the right angle to drive off the rail upwind.
I choose to use bigger front fins and a small trailer - good compromise.
Also like twin fins , no trailer, easy to tack and loose but harder to jibe.
Another fin option you could try is the MR twin plus trailer. :thumb:

skutter
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Re: bigger fins?

Postby skutter » Sun Sep 25, 2016 7:51 pm

Well today i got out on the surfboard and swapped the M5 fins for the M7 - you have to look close to notice the difference in size - kept the board in a twin set up,

noticed straight away two things - the board was a bit slower and it was better upwind - both of which i expected.

going to try and test my mate Nugget to see if its easier to gybe on as i'm finding it solid on my bic at the minute - thought perhaps practicing in flat water will be a better idea than todays chop hopping wave spot.


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