Sorry dont have time just now to rant but stay tuned
If anyone has had some experience with the FCS option feel free to post and compare
If it is anything like the JL boards with the side fins in it will behave more like a shortboard - turn sharper have more grip but more drag. Without it will behave more like a longboard with longer cruiser turns less grip and more glide depending on the size of the centre fin.
The advantage of the side fins is you can run a smaller centre fin and the pivot point of the board moves forward so the arc of a turn can be smaller.
I run larger than stock side fins in decent waves (up to double overhead) for that reason.
Two large side fins and no centre fin is the loosest option.
For tiny waves a single fin only is best as you need glide.
Really big waves smaller side fins and decent centre like the widow maker set up on windsurfers work well.
Each too his own, fins really change the characteristics of a board and its fun to try different set-ups. I have heaps of futures fins that I swap around on the JL and I use a mal centre fin that is more raked than the stock one.
I will have the wife's 9 8 to try soon and can experiment, as I have only demoed a 9 8 with the side fins in and it felt very shortboardish, which appeals to me.
Cheers Andrew
I think you stole the words right outta my mouth Hilly
For me with just the stock centre fin I found the board quite 'slippery' on fast hollow waves.
For example, Miller and I paddled a wave which was a full wave on the take off but threw quite nicely on the reef. After initially getting onto the wave and lining myself up to shoot down the line, It was hard to hold the board high on the wave or in the pocket. But it was possible and challanging. It did slide out. Not a good look to impress the angry locals with hehehe. Although I did redeem myself with some killer drops and some sleek cutties. Then again I dont weigh much and the 9'8 is 155L.
So for a wave like this if I had the FCS in I would have held a rail easier.
Anyway... I then rode the 9'8 with the FCS in. The wave wasnt as perfect as the other wave but it did have some punch. Yes the board did have more drag and it did stiffen up alot. I noticed this on the wave face especially. Engaging rail to rail without fear of sliding out. It was also fun to drive it out onto the shoulder and cutting it back. A board that surfed like a shortboard for sure.
You may ask how a 9'8 board could surf like a shortboard? There is only one way to find out... try it!
Im guessing none of this is new news to anyone but I just wanted to see how the FCS changes the feel of such a magic board.
I saw this board in Adelaide a couple of day's ago Greeny, didn't get on it but it looked sweet
Picked mine (oops sorry the wifes) up today sweet camo deck, the boss liked the handle only problem was they don't supply side fins wtf???
my short demo on the 9'8,, i found it near impossible to catch waves, whilst on single, with the small fin they supply, i think if u wanna go single, it needs bigger fin, 1 paddle stroke and the boards on its way to a 90 deg turn.... i had 2 get in the perfect line up poz to get on wave and when on wave way to slippery.
as soon as the FCS went in , made the board much more user friendly.
hey green room have u got the wood deck ore the tuffskin the speks say the wood ones 1 kg lighter and wat are your thoughts on the stability, busting over wite wash,turning to catcha wave on sutch a short board.
what size fcs fins are you guys using and with what size center fin? i have a 9-8 and have never been able to get used to it. for some reason, it seems real skittish on the wave (easy going reef break) and i never feel like i have any kind of traction. maybe i need to get my back foot back more? what i really want is for it to act like a shorter carvier version of my 11-2. i put a big 10" Tak pivot fin on it but not even that calmed her down enuf for me.
i'm sure it's all operator error. anyone have any suggestions?
i have a few Tak fins 6.5, 9 & 12 inch, as well as few fins from other manufacturers and have even knocked a few up myself and the only time i find them skittish is when they are two far forward, or to small for the speed of the board, a few things to try, I'm assuming the board has a fin box.
1) moving it back so the end of the fin is a few inches in front of the tail. If it feel like it is causing drag it is to far back and vice versa if they are loose they're usually to far forward. It is a bit of trial and error but i usually have the 9 about 6in from the tail. and the 12 i have so the tip is just in front of the tail and surf with my back foot right on the back of the board. a good idea is to get a fin screw you can move, thes are available from most decent longboard shops
Side fins tend to make the board looser (easier to turn) as they break the track of the single fin.
If it is still to loose maybe
1)you may need a new fin i'd suggest the 12 Tak they are great, or a cutaway type with a lot of area in the tip 10inch.
2)Or you can use the one you have and put bigger side fins ( Small short board fins G3s ?), this will make it surf more like a shortboard,as mentioned above,, the placement of the centre fin will also have an effect
Hope the above helps, only my opinion and mostly based on surfing longboards and midlengths but the principles are pretty much the same.
