Hello,i have a 2017 14x27 starboard allstar full cabon and a starboard bolt paddle and i paddle in the flat water most of the time.In the past i have had trouble with my right side paddling as 4 strokes would make me turn to the left quite alot,then i would have to change sides,,no problem paddling on my left,i can paddle 10 to 15 without having to change sides,,in saying that i have had a few professional lessons and had made it a bit better.I forgot to mention that the fin that came with the allstar was a race ultra 227/8.9,and just the other day i bought a FCS Danny Ching 9.0 and it has made a world of difference with my tracking problem,,,so much easier to paddle even sides,,but my right side has become so weak not doing many strokes on that side.Now i don't want to sound silly,but could a fin like the FCS danny ching fin that tracks better make my board slower??? just seems like it does,,maybe all in my head,I will have to change the paddle on 2 different training days
Any feedback would be appreciated,,,thanks.
I have a Danny Ching and it did not slow me down, it will give you more stability because you have more surface area but in a straight line it can't sow your down.
A bigger fin has more surface area and more drag. Simple physics. Beyond that you're going to have to experiment a bit to find a fin that works best for you and your board in the conditions you paddle in. I think you've gone from one end to the other. I never liked my stock Starboard race fins; too pivotal and twitchy. On the other end, a big keel fin like the Ching is going to paddle straight, but will be hellacious in windier choppy conditions. Not to mention, if you feel the drag, it's probably not the right fin.
First, be mindful of the fin area; if the 44si Ching drags, go down to 40si and below to find a better match. For flat water, you'll want more base then the Starboard, but way less then the Ching.
You won't really know until you try the fin on your board, so if a shop in your area trials fins, go for it. I've had multiple All Stars, I'll recommend the FCS Eric Terrien fin. It's 38si. which is relatively small and no noticable drag, paddles straight, turns easy, and work well in a variety of conditions.
I have the same board, same fin....tracks pretty good imho. No idea if it is fast or not but seems a good balance between tracking, stability and speed. Try turning the board by putting it on a rail a bit when paddling?
Thanks guys for the feedback,actually my friend just bought the FCS Eric Terrien fin,i will give it a go,,,thanks.
Hello Slab,you said you have the same board and fin as me,do you mean the Danny Ching fin???You mentioned Try turning the board by putting it on a rail a bit when paddling?,,,,should it turn less if i have a good tracking fin??? is that what you meant??
IMO your problem with getting more strokes on one side than the other is a technique problem rather than a fin problem.. Changing fins will not fix your paddling technique problem.. btw it's not really a problem because most people do it and not such a big deal..
That stock Starboard fin is pretty average IMO.. and I'm not a fan of the Danny Ching spitfire shape either.. The problem with fixing a tracking problem by using a wide base fin will often cause other problems..
The best fin is one that you don't notice is there.. it just works.. and works in all conditions.. The right fin might vairy from board to board.. person to person.. and one condition to another.
I have a box full of fins and I keep going back to the standard dolphin shape and the only thing I change is the size.
I have the Starby fin....seems okay to me...nothing great but nothing wrong either....but it is stable. Some fins may help tracking more than others but as DJ suggests it is usually paddling technique.
Check your stance on the board.
Sometimes one foot further outboard than the other can affect how your board tracks. I have a very dodgy right ankle and as a result tend to stand with my right foot further outboard. This has an impact on how the board tracks.
