Morning all,
Query for you - currently riding my Naish Mana 10'0" with standard (Naish) fins (in a 2 + 1 setup).
Besides 'bite' when bottom-turning quite hard (which, to be honest, is not really my thing - I'm more of a cruisy, down the line kind of SUP surfer/glider/hack), do the side fins provide much of a function?
Asking as I'm considering shifting just to a single 9" centre longboard-style fin and leaving the side bites out altogether.
Input would be appreciated on pros & cons of this!
Cheers 
I've had a few 10' Mana's and I tried both.. I found the stock tri fin setup best.. and if choosing the single fin option I found that I needed a slightly bigger 10" center fin to make it work..
Select to expand quoteDavidJohn said..
I've had a few 10' Mana's and I tried both.. I found the stock tri fin setup best.. and if choosing the single fin option I found that I needed a slightly bigger 10" center fin to make it work..
DJ, can I ask - in what way are the tri-fins better? Is it stability? Or 'drive' from a turn? Or something else altogether?
I guess it was a lack of 'drive' and 'tracking'.. and not as good turning..
The single fin felt a bit 'vague' unless it was a bigger fin..
Select to expand quoteDavidJohn said..
I guess it was a lack of 'drive' and 'tracking'.. and not as good turning..
The single fin felt a bit 'vague' unless it was a bigger fin..
Okay thanks for the clarification. Might give it a burl and see what happens. Can always put the sides back in. Cheers DJ
Exactly what DJ said. 10" fatboy fin would be perfect! Thats all I ride, don't have a thruster in my complete quiver.
6'4" twin fin, 7'2" single fin, 9'4" single fin mal, 10'2" single fin log and a 10'6" single fin sup. Too many fins, too much drag for longboards.
Select to expand quoteSandsy1 said..
Exactly what DJ said. 10" fatboy fin would be perfect! Thats all I ride, don't have a thruster in my complete quiver.
6'4" twin fin, 7'2" single fin, 9'4" single fin mal, 10'2" single fin log and a 10'6" single fin sup. Too many fins, too much drag for longboards.
Thanks Sandsy1 - when you say 'fatboy fin', do you think something like this (below) in a 10" might be suitable to try as a single?
slowly converting all my boards to single fins, for me perfect for the waves we ride around here on westernport Bay, just down the line rides on point breaks, occasional turns, never really any bigger than 3-4 ft so i far there is no need to use thrusters.
I was always told rule of thumb is 1in of fin for each foot of board.
Currently using a 10" fin on my Starboard Nose rider and have a 8'10" sunova speed being made with the single fin box, that comes with a 8" fin but i might put a 9" in it
I use to have a 10' mana ..I put smaller fins on the side and pushed the rear right to the back ..mainly surfed it .but paddling flat a bigger rear fin could help .
some of the Nalu s are nicer ridden as a single .less drag.
give it a go .The mana 10' soft top comes out as a single fin .it has a 9' fin .
so the shape can be ridden as a single ...
Select to expand quote808-Obsession said..Sandsy1 said..
Exactly what DJ said. 10" fatboy fin would be perfect! Thats all I ride, don't have a thruster in my complete quiver.
6'4" twin fin, 7'2" single fin, 9'4" single fin mal, 10'2" single fin log and a 10'6" single fin sup. Too many fins, too much drag for longboards.
Thanks Sandsy1 - when you say 'fatboy fin', do you think something like this (below) in a 10" might be suitable to try as a single?
Hi 808
That is more of a 'Hatchet' fin. They are great in log style boards as the wide base gives drive out of turns and the surface area stops side slipping when you are forward on the nose of the board.
A 9" or 10" fatboy allows a much easier turn but still holds the side slip. I have both on mals and a 9" fatboy on my Laird sup.
Look at a McTavish 10" "redline" fin. I use these in 10.6 and 10 foot mal style sup. Beautiful fin
Select to expand quoteDavidJohn said...
I suggest a 10'' FCS Tool-less long board fin..
Yep DJ, that's exactly what I was thinking. Cheers 
Select to expand quoteSandsy1 said...808-Obsession said..Sandsy1 said..
Exactly what DJ said. 10" fatboy fin would be perfect! Thats all I ride, don't have a thruster in my complete quiver.
6'4" twin fin, 7'2" single fin, 9'4" single fin mal, 10'2" single fin log and a 10'6" single fin sup. Too many fins, too much drag for longboards.
Thanks Sandsy1 - when you say 'fatboy fin', do you think something like this (below) in a 10" might be suitable to try as a single?
Hi 808
That is more of a 'Hatchet' fin. They are great in log style boards as the wide base gives drive out of turns and the surface area stops side slipping when you are forward on the nose of the board.
A 9" or 10" fatboy allows a much easier turn but still holds the side slip. I have both on mals and a 9" fatboy on my Laird sup.
Cheers Sandsy
Select to expand quotehusq2100 said...
Look at a McTavish 10" "redline" fin. I use these in 10.6 and 10 foot mal style sup. Beautiful fin
Thanks husq2100 - will check those out also
I much prefer my 10' 6" Nalu as a thruster. Not a 2+1 with a big centre fin , but a proper thruster with 6 inch rear & same sides.
Its sooooo much faster, easier to turn on a wave and drives out of turns better than a single, and is MUCH easier to turn when paddling for a wave.
Well worth a go.
same Damo...I run a 6.5 rear with the sides on my 11' nalu..for waves ..the 11.4 is used for flat ..I find it better with one .
theres not many 12.5 or 14' out there as a thruster..it kinda tells us something.
Try the new FCS II Flow fin. Paddles and tracks great on flatwater with just a touch of ramp to help shed seaweed. Haven't had it in the surf yet, but it should surf well (at least according to the FCS hype) and the longer base will have more drive then the more pivot style DJ likes.
I prefer lower SI fins and have the 9" on my 9'5" Surf. Can't stress enough how awesome FCS II is for center box fins; get some!
Gave it a crack today with a single 9" Shapers log fin I had - have to say I loved it. I'm not a great surfer in any arena, so performance-wise it'll be a while before I actually know how much I like it, but I found it much easier turning for waves and it cruised along very nicely and tracked well. Got an FCSII 'pop-in' fin on order...
