As I have my first 5 box board now - supplied as a thruster and Iam trying it as a quad sometimes, but well above its wind range due to my muscular physique 
, I am pondering which setup is best for control. Maxxed out in 40kn yesterday made me ponder it (after the universe gave me a lesson in complacency 
in waves and nuclear winds)
So - for the same board and in high winds, what gives more control - thruster setup or quad?
I've always loved my quads but as we know a single fin waveboard is usually best for blasting and jumps (drive) so I figure thruster setup best when its nuclear. However a quad returns better from spinout and always has a lot of fin in the water when carving . Always easy to recover from top turn tailslides too.
Interested in anyones eperiences
I've sailed them both, and I sail in a very choppy place with waves, I like the thruster better in those conditions. But when the wind is light, the chop is small, the quad can be more fun. Quads have been very popular at Ho'okipa, but they don't sail in super choppy water very often, so there is that. However this year at the Aloha Classic the winds were pretty light and I did notice that there were a lot more thruster setups being used this time, I found that interesting. Thrusters will always give you more control, quads make slashing and sideways floaters easier to do.
*I don't own a quad, only tired them.
Clarification - not really interested in blasting control, I mean heading out thru waves when overpowered and wave riding when its crazy windy
In case you haven't seen it... Sounds a bit of a personal choice rather than hard and fast rules.
I always thought that thruster was 3 equal sized fins and the "two small, one larger" fin combo was called something else?
anyway, been super happy with control on my quads since moving to them.
Select to expand quotegrumplestiltskin said..
I always thought that thruster was 3 equal sized fins and the "two small, one larger" fin combo was called something else?
anyway, been super happy with control on my quads since moving to them.
You are correct, with a larger center fin it used to be called a 2 + 1, and still should be, whereas a thruster is 3 equal sized fins. But over the years it has become bastardized mostly by windsurf suppliers and consumers to being a thruster.
The original true thrusters started off with surfboards only, a long time ago.
This subject is under General and not Wave Sailing... maybe it needs to be moved?
What type of control are you looking for and where? Bottom/Top?
Wave/Wind direction? Wave size?
Going super fast down a large wave a tri with a longer center fin might be a better choice than a squirmy Quad setup with lower lift?
I always found quads gives you more control. However I ride thrusters (or 2+1 to be precise) 15X10 on a 80L, when water is choppy i found the center fin not long enough and go for 17...but more lift and when windy over power on the face of the wave, not the best, than Quad(or twinzer to be precise) just make the board stick to water and give the board a lot on control in my opinion. Mostly schlog and surf however.
