When do you prefer quad/thruster/five fin set up

[JaM71]

Hey guys,

Serious question! Given that most of us have a quiver and an increasing number of boards have five fin plugs, which type of waves do you prefer to ride a quad? When do you prefer to change it up to a thruster? Then there is the five fin option!

I used to think that short fat wide rail centric quads like sweet potatoes and pier ponies were best in weak waves due to their instantaneous speed on take off and ease to turn, and thrusters more preferable in steeper waves with their more vertical pivot. However, i have been having fun in slop on a thruster recently and some bald headed chap won a wct in fiji on a 5'8 mckee quad set up (perhaps he s not a good example).

I know that other components of a board come into play, but assume you have one board with a five fin set up.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts

[Nick Carroll]

Yeah I don't usually have combo fin plug set ups. If I get a thruster I don't want it to be a quad and vice versa.

Only exception a Bushrat carbon flextail, 'cause I really didn't know what set up would work best on it. (turns out a semi conventional four plus tiny trailer nub.)

What I find is, a board has an ideal fin set up, once you find that, then leave it. Changing fins for different waves is a bit of a fallacy imo.

[ric_vidal]

What I find is, a board has an ideal fin set up, once you find that, then leave it. Changing fins for different waves is a bit of a fallacy imo.

Think that might be very dependent on the board itself.

I have one in particular I switch around relative to waves and mood, and god knows they both vary greatly.

[swvic]

I've got a weird little Dan Thomson thing with 5 plugs. So far have only been riding it as a thruster. Been wondering whether to take a quad set to the Maldives in case I need to surf it in waves bigger than I can as a thruster. Thing is, I was taking it, a 6'2" roundtail and a 6'9" just in case. Thinking I'll leave the 6'9" behind. People tell me most waves in the Maldives are pretty easy to get into so I SHOULD be ok without the step up. Wise or bad move by a lazy f'wit?

[JaM71]

Yeah I don't usually have combo fin plug set ups. If I get a thruster I don't want it to be a quad and vice versa.

Only exception a Bushrat carbon flextail, 'cause I really didn't know what set up would work best on it. (turns out a semi conventional four plus tiny trailer nub.)

What I find is, a board has an ideal fin set up, once you find that, then leave it. Changing fins for different waves is a bit of a fallacy imo.

Nick i always thought a thruster is a thruster and a quad should be a quad however, what prompted me to post this thread was i recently bought a felix from feral dave at diverse (which is based on tomo s mph). Have you had a chance to ride one yet? I rode it in some small clean beachies south of tweed as a thruster and it went surprisingly well, i didnt think of it as a groveller. Then recently i surfed it as a quad in overhead beachies and it went blindingly fast, it allowed me to take off deep and make sections....i surfed more laterally as a consequence i guess but the turns were searing! Same board, different waves, and the opposite feel to what i expected!

The board has futures and my fav quad set up is rastas up front and controller rears.

Swvic, please let us know how your tomo goes in the maldives and how it goes with a nubster fin.

This guy looks to be having fun in mexico on his felix lucky b'stard
http://diversesurf.com.au/wp-content/ga ... -felix.jpg

[Natho]

Quad - Faster down the line waves where bit more speed and hold may help.
Thruster - shorter peaky type waves where quick directional changes are needed (about 90% of east coast oz waves).

[swvic]

Swvic, please let us know how your tomo goes in the maldives and how it goes with a nubster fin.

Don't have a nubster Jam, but will let you know how it goes as a quad IF I even surf it that way. Probably only happen if the 6'2" becomes unsurfable

[Beanpole]

Like Iggy said. At my age what a quad does for my surfing is an unexpected blessing. Crappy for late take offs though so I miss a few.

[batoes]

I have a tomo v4, but prefer it as a thruster thus far. It goes almost as quick as the quads i've ridden. The main issue i'm having with it as a quad is i only have the Yu quad set-up. While it is great for down the line speed (especially in overhead waves), it is too sticky through turns and lacks that snap at the lip. I wouldn't mind trying some f4s or the josh mulcoy's - but i'm too povo to spend $180 on fins right now...

I'm taking it to tahiti in September. If i come back alive i'll report in as to how it went.

[ric_vidal]

I'm taking it to tahiti in September. If i come back alive i'll report in as to how it went.

[JaM71]

I have a tomo v4, but prefer it as a thruster thus far. It goes almost as quick as the quads i've ridden. The main issue i'm having with it as a quad is i only have the Yu quad set-up. While it is great for down the line speed (especially in overhead waves), it is too sticky through turns and lacks that snap at the lip. I wouldn't mind trying some f4s or the josh mulcoy's - but i'm too povo to spend $180 on fins right now...

I'm taking it to tahiti in September. If i come back alive i'll report in as to how it went.

Awesome, look forward to hearing about it

[Beanpole]

My quad has the sharpest fins I've ever had on a surfboard. They are Al Merrick ones that came with the board but I seriously think they could slice an artery without too much trouble. Really did my feet in till I got used to giving them a wide berth. They go great though.

[JaM71]

Quad - Faster down the line waves where bit more speed and hold may help.
Thruster - shorter peaky type waves where quick directional changes are needed (about 90% of east coast oz waves).

Thanks for the input guys and i think that natho summized very sucinctly. Spring is on its way which means small wind affected waves for me. I have seen a few short stumpy boards with mini simmons genetics similiar to pier ponies and sweet potatoes. They have a more pulled in nose, cut off tail giving a sharp edge and twin keels right back on the tail......would they be a fun spring sled? What do you ride in typical spring time conditions? I am thinking that the twinny may be more responive than the quad in such waves due to the reduced fin area, look forward to hearing your thoughts cheers guys

[batoes]

Jam, i've ridden a few of the designs you've mentioned. Tried a traditional mini-simmons and found it didn't grovel well and was pretty average in pitching conditions. Mark Pridmore's Dim-Sim was a really solid all-round simmons design and it actually performed exceedingly well from 1ft mush to overhead waves. I reckon his dumpling would be an excellent quad set-up for those conditions.
My fav has been Rake's magic peanut: http://rakefoamshapes.com/index.php?/su ... c-peanut-/
am having a ball on it in a range of waves. It is far more responsive and hp than it looks, ripping through sections and flying down the line. Some action footage here: http://vimeo.com/45172257

That said - lost... has a good range of HP style grovel boards - but i reckon support your local shapers.

[JaM71]

Jam, i've ridden a few of the designs you've mentioned. Tried a traditional mini-simmons and found it didn't grovel well and was pretty average in pitching conditions. Mark Pridmore's Dim-Sim was a really solid all-round simmons design and it actually performed exceedingly well from 1ft mush to overhead waves. I reckon his dumpling would be an excellent quad set-up for those conditions.
My fav has been Rake's magic peanut: http://rakefoamshapes.com/index.php?/su ... c-peanut-/
am having a ball on it in a range of waves. It is far more responsive and hp than it looks, ripping through sections and flying down the line. Some action footage here: http://vimeo.com/45172257

That said - lost... has a good range of HP style grovel boards - but i reckon support your local shapers.

Thanks for the info batoes, the magic peanut sure looks fun. I saw mark's dim sim on his website. I quite like the look of these two little numbers Which are both made locally http://shop.dmshapes.com/?products=stilnox and http://diversesurf.com.au/board-models- ... i-chopper/

The magic peanut quad looks so fluid, how did you find the keels on the dim sim, are they as fluid and responsive or more pivoty? Cheers.

[pridmore]

few recent pics of Dumplings on my thread if ya interested JaM71 ...lovin my 5 finners atm, my fave 2 current sleds are 5 finners, one is a 5'4" Dumpling originally shaped for Shearer, riding it with DVS semi-keel quads and a little square cut off type fin from an old experimental set called Squin fins I dabbled with , and the other is a Twinzer that I have also added a tail fin and am enjoying many different variations in the tail plug, can really tweak the board to suit the waves, no tail fin for tiny stuff, or upsizing with waves and power with bigger tail fin.....absolutely stoked on the twinzer ( Fire-Fly )...dont have a thruster atm, but thats not to say they dont go well for almost everyone, just love the speed of the quads and now tweakin the 5 finners and enjoying em all.... and doin em in E-CON ( Eps -Epoxy CONstruction ) and they are just so light but strong, lovin em in the small wave shapes.....

[JaM71]

few recent pics of Dumplings on my thread if ya interested JaM71 ...lovin my 5 finners atm, my fave 2 current sleds are 5 finners, one is a 5'4" Dumpling originally shaped for Shearer, riding it with DVS semi-keel quads and a little square cut off type fin from an old experimental set called Squin fins I dabbled with , and the other is a Twinzer that I have also added a tail fin and am enjoying many different variations in the tail plug, can really tweak the board to suit the waves, no tail fin for tiny stuff, or upsizing with waves and power with bigger tail fin.....absolutely stoked on the twinzer ( Fire-Fly )...dont have a thruster atm, but thats not to say they dont go well for almost everyone, just love the speed of the quads and now tweakin the 5 finners and enjoying em all.... and doin em in E-CON ( Eps -Epoxy CONstruction ) and they are just so light but strong, lovin em in the small wave shapes.....

Thanks mark, your new epoxy boards look sweet. Can you articulate the difference between your dim sim with keels and quad dumpling ? How they feel, strengths and weaknesses, which waves they re better suited to? Cheers.

[pridmore]

rather do this on my thread ( MORE surfboard porn ) as I dont want to hijack the thread ...will put somethin up there today ....