C - Drive Fins

[Donweather]

So have they released their quad set yet, or do you have to purchase the mediums and mini's, thus purchasing six fins instead of 4?

Also, does anyone know where you can try before you buy on these (SE Qld)?

[Cuttlefish]

The try before you buy option is becoming important when it comes to fins because at the prices we are paying owning several sets of fins is running to the cost of a new board.
Of course every fin maker claim their fins has brilliant drive and they all turn on a dime and release....yadda, yadda, yadda so we are relying on word of mouth or test drive fins to find out if they work for us without spending to much $'s.

[bohdidontsurf]

hey don I just bit the bullet and got my hands on 2 sets to make up my quad set . they now have a quad set in it's own right with the smaller rears . I just went to the website .. just google c drive fins .. definately worth it in
my view .. I was inspired by the asl board test and nick carrols comments so was pretty confident they would work before I bought them .. I sold most of my other sets so am better off .. I won't be going back

[Donweather]

I contacted C Drive and asked if they've developed a specific quad set. They haven't as yet as they're still in the R & D phase for a dedicated quad set, but they've offered to send me a set of their quad fins for testing!!

[Cpt.Caveman]

Hows everyone going with their C-Drives in quads, any more ride reports and the like?

I'm hoping to get my hands on a set to test them out as well...

[Donweather]

Got my C Drive test quad set of fins in the post today (thanks guys at C Drive). Just in time for my session tomorrow. Let's hope Huey delivers something worthwhile to test them in.

[otway1949]

Got a set of C drives I going to try them as the widowmakers on a longer 1+2 set if it gets unflat, will report in on the experiment

[bohdidontsurf]

I am really loving my quad set up. Rode them all weekend. Ive got small flat sided fronts and foiled rears,...sooo much drive and nice rail to rail transition. These fins are here to stay...there no fad.

[JET01]

I've got medium fronts and Glass flex GX single foils in my quadfather at the moment and there was a noticeable difference in rail to rail transitions for me.

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on some rears though...

Have you guys actually bought them separately or did you get them on loan?

Already dropped $100 on the thruster set... hope the rears aren't too much more...

[Cpt.Caveman]

I am really loving my quad set up. Rode them all weekend. Ive got small flat sided fronts and foiled rears,...sooo much drive and nice rail to rail transition. These fins are here to stay...there no fad.

What type of board are they working well with bodhi?

I'm just curious because I've found my fin preferences to change depending on the differences between particular quads.

[bohdidontsurf]

i've got several boards and they work in all of them ... a 5'10 quad a 6'2 and 6'3 quad also got em in an al merrick pod which is a thruster. all my quads are round tails and most have flatish rocker. I also have a FireWire quad fish which is 5'10 man those fins in that board are insane ... no one likes forking out for fins but when they make this much difference it's worth it in my view ... seems others are on to it too

[Donweather]

Finally got to test ride the C Drive's (in my QuadFather) yesterday in some very fast down the line barrelling waves. Nothing huge, just some super fun A frame 2-3ft barrels at my favourite SC beachie. I have to say, I too, like bohdi, am fairly fecking well stoked with their performance. Their ability to generate drive and speed from the get up and go is damn impressive and they can hold their line exceptionally well and enable you to stay up very high on the wave face, thus generating even more speed. Now whilst I didn't have a heck of a lot of opportunity to do any serious major cutbacks, I found that once you had all that speed, the ability to turn the C Drives with speed was rather easy.

I have also tried these in slighty larger but less steep waves (say 3ft+) and at first I didn't like the stiff feel of them. But after a while I just adjusted the position of my back foot slightly and I got used to the C Drives. So perhaps yesterday I was automatically placing my back foot in the slightly adjusted position cause I didn't notice the stiffness as much as my first ride on these. Could have also been (yesterday) the very different wave shape to what I rode them on the first time.

I've also tried removing the front C Drives and replacing them with K2.1s. Did this last week in smaller 2ft/2ft+ surf and quite long walls. Definitely a lot looser with the K2.1s in the front and slightly noticeable loss of drive, but still fun nonetheless with this setup.

So in summary, I would recommend the C Drives to those riding steeper/faster/down the line/barrelling waves as their performance in these kind of waves is outstanding. The ability of the fins to hold their line in the steep face of the wave (barrel) is rather impressive and reassuring for me anyway in that part of the wave. For slightly fatter waves, I would recommend experimenting around with differing combos just to see what these fins combo-ed with others, can actually produce in fun surf conditions.

[Cpt.Caveman]

They're medium C-Drive fronts, and a special small quad set in the rear right?

I wonder whether the medium size are better suited to wider tailed quads seeing as its quite a fair bit of fin area? Similar to the tail size that M5 would work well with? I have always found the need to scale down my fins in quads that are built for hold like the Quadfather design.

[steve shearer]

I am really loving my quad set up. Rode them all weekend. Ive got small flat sided fronts and foiled rears,...sooo much drive and nice rail to rail transition. These fins are here to stay...there no fad.

So what is the actual C-Drive set-up for quads Bodhi?

Is it small fronts(with inside foil) and double foiled rears?

I'm struggling to see after going on their website.

Thinking about getting some for a thruster step-up that I want to tighten up and get more drive out of.

Do you reckon they would work for that?, or are they more for enhancing small wave performance?

[bohdidontsurf]

Hey Steve, the rears I bought are a slight foil, like an 80/20 I guess. I use the small or medium fronts with a flat inside and then the quad rears. I understand the quad rears are still being made but maybe you can get an early set like I did?. The ones I bought are kind of prototypes I guess. They are smaller than smalls. I have used them in thrusters, quads etc and I find they work in everything I have tried so far. They are definately not a small wave concept. I have used them in my quad in solid 6ft + and they work a treat. They feel very solid. ...I should be on commission lol. Ask Nick, I think he tried them too. The only thing I hate about them is all the questions you get when walking down the beach. Good questions though, most people really want to know how they go. You can never really tell but I feel like when I start pumping I get a whole lot more speed then with regular fins and you would think that if they have more drive they should be stiff to surf, but they are not, thats what I like about them the most.

[JET01]

Got an email with an offer to trial a GX size set of rears....

Did my back a few hours before the email came... going to be a while before i get to surf... good chance the rears will be commercially available before i've recovered fully.

Either way, can't wait to try out the rears. I reackon the Medium fronts and GX size rears in the quad father are going to be great.

[bohdidontsurf]

Don, dont know what set up your using but the smaller quad rears sort the stiffness issue with no loss of drive. I surfed my 5'10 quad today with the smaller rears and was easily making it past sections that others werent. Once out on the shoulder the board was nice and loose. Good to see Don you are feeling the same sensations I do, just confirms the designs merit.

[pridmore]

witho much positive feedback, I have contaed them to trial a set but they dont have any spare apparently, shame coz I would like to see how they go for sure...and possibly make them a standard set for one or more of my designs, depepnding on performance of course....I will try and ask again but if they cant send me a set, cant try em .....any pics of the quad set Bohdi, especially size of rears ???