RealSurf Surfers' Forum

I think the tail rocker is extremely important, its the basis for how the board is going to turn, if its not right the fins are never going to make up for it.

For me it has to be about 1" of lift over the last 24" (V is optional), then it will work perfectly for me as a thruster and will be even sweeter with M5 front and M3 centres in the back, hot knife through butter, the best feeling ever.

It seems to me that most boards have less tail lift than what I like, I have to really search for it.

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nice.

totally agree with Boo about the double-foiled rears.....that takes away ALOT of that tracky feel.

If flat/single foil then much smaller fin and in good surf is a wonderful feeling. Really locked in luge type carving, very precise and powerful lines.

Otherwise, I much prefer the smoothness and more forgiving double or 80/20 foil.

wow, bizarre but kind of refreshing to have a surfing thread on here.

steve shearer wrote:not suitable for beachbreaks. thrusters go way better.

dial it in a bit then try it again up north or in some lined up surf. you need to draw different lines to get the best out of them. and those lines aren't really available on a beachie.

Are you specifically referring to short boards, or boards in general? I have 7'0" and 8'0" 5 finners but always just used them as quads in beachies. Never really thought to try as a thruster ( might have done it once or twice but not a lot ) just figured the longer boards would be more suited to quads. Might try it out.

8'0" is an outerilsands supermal. So wish it was 2+1, haven't found a good fin combo yet.

With that rail length go small on the fins.
If pain persists, sell that board to me

Swap the 7'0" then

We have the option my friend.

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Damn he makes good boards.

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Yeah, you need to be a bit taller.

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Some interesting opinions on quads. I guess it's different strokes for different folks and it would depend greatly on your style. I've been on them since 2011 and haven't looked back. I like them on a wider tail and surf them in beachies all the time. In fast pitching waves, they get you down the line without having to overdo it and in slow crumbling waves, you can generate speed easily. I also find they hold well in overhead waves. They can be fast out to the shoulder, but i find them good in the pocket too. Keen to get back on a thruster to see how it compares - it's been ages since i've ridden a thruster.

Hatchnam wrote:legion - i think shearer's advise about quads in general not being the best for beach-breaks is the single biggest revelation i had after riding quads for some time. found that overall, I'd be outrunning the wave, often ending up too far out in front of the pocket, washing off speed and cutting back. overall, surfing flatter but faster lines, though with the trade-off of surfing less top-to-bottom and tight in the pocket.

is yours a step-up, a rounded pin or pintail type quad? if so, it'd probably go bananas at somewhere like gnarloo etc.

I own to quads, a 6'11 step up, rounded pin, clinker dedicated quad that I had made with gnarloo in mind and it is a mind blowing board.

The other is a 6'4 high performance 5 fin that I only ride as a quad. Both stringer centric.

I am not sure if i agree with Steve though in his defence my surfing suits quads and i won't go back to thrusters.

Fins are so so important and it took a while for me to dial in a set with Huei. I will take a few pics and post up.

There are so many viarables from bottom contours to single double foil fins that its hard to know what's going on by just concentrating on fins.

I do find they draw different lines though those are the lines that i love

batoes wrote:Keen to get back on a thruster to see how it compares - it's been ages since i've ridden a thruster.

First thing I noticed was lots more re-entries and snaps, and lots less cutbacks.

Hatchnam wrote:

batoes wrote:Keen to get back on a thruster to see how it compares - it's been ages since i've ridden a thruster.

First thing I noticed was lots more re-entries and snaps, and lots less cutbacks.

Yeah - keen to get on one now. Might borrow one to take for a spin.

Hatchnam wrote:

batoes wrote:Keen to get back on a thruster to see how it compares - it's been ages since i've ridden a thruster.

First thing I noticed was lots more re-entries and snaps, and lots less cutbacks.

Agree that you get more speed on a quad which will put you out on the shoulder, but that's only if you take a constant down-the-line approach. Get a quad that has as much propensity to vertical surfing as a thruster and you get the best of both worlds, speed and manoeuvrability. A good start is adding a touch more tail lift than usual; you'll lose a spot of drive (who cares, you've got speed) but the board will be looser. Smaller fin sets also help, as will using something like FCS H2 or any other fin with increased cant.