Not a life changing decision but...

[havanasand]

Anybody have any knowledge on experimenting with a 5 fin setup? I've seen pro's using them but I'm not a pro. About to purchase a new board and thinking this setup would allow for versatility ie the quad setup in clean beachbreak barrels when you're looking for extra speed and a thruster setup when it's messy and unpredictable and you need a little more maneuverability. Board is going to be a fish/shorty hybrid.

I don't have $$$ to burn so I wanted to purchase a go-to board for all seasons with the backup 6'7/7'2 in the garage for days this place actually sees waves. This seems like the best way to do it.

[GnarActually]

I mean, it'll only be like $20 extra bucks for a 5 fin set up, so might as well. im a strict thruster set up myself. no desire for a quad over here. the $20 would be worth it if your that intrigued.

[757surfer]

I just got a 5 setup on a board. i think its gonna be great. the board is gonna be a quiver killer haha

[havanasand]

I've been surfing a quad for about a year now but used to the feel of 3 fins below my back foot if that makes sense. I do like the extra speed and I can tell a difference in sectiony clean waves. Yeah, for 20 extra bucks why not. I guess the possibilities are endless...What's really cool is that the post about taking a dump in the lineup received more responses than a post on board design. Go figure.

[wave1rider65]

I generally ride quads but have a fish with a quad/tri set up. Its nice to be able to change up and get a different feel out of the same board.

[Erock]

If you're getting it custom there may be a couple things to consider that have been mentioned in other threads:
1)You will probably want to get FCS instead of future bases and ask the shaper to put 4 plugs all next to each other for the side fins. This way you can move them closer to the tail for the thruster setup and more forward for riding as a quad. Or, I have never seen them, but apparently there is a Future system that will allow you to slide the side fins forward and backward. This way you can avoid being in that geometric gray area where the placement isn't that great for either.
2)Get it shaped with a slight vee through the tail. You may not even want to ride it as a thruster as the vee will greatly improve your rail to rail transitions.

[mitchell]

I've been surfing a quad for about a year now but used to the feel of 3 fins below my back foot if that makes sense. I do like the extra speed and I can tell a difference in sectiony clean waves. Yeah, for 20 extra bucks why not. I guess the possibilities are endless...What's really cool is that the post about taking a dump in the lineup received more responses than a post on board design. Go figure.

Yeah...that burst of effortless speed you get with a quad out on a clean steep face is amazing. Fin place ment on a quad is SO critical. Ive got two quads now that I love..all four fins are out on the rail and close to one another. I had a couple before that didn't feel right with the fins. I think the rear fins on those were too far off the rail and pushed back a bit..closer to where the trailer fin on a thruster is...this is a quad setup some like but to me it felt less lively, more like a thruster...and with more drag.

Bottom line for me is I would make sure the shaper of five finner had experience with that setup, and would talk to them about the fin placement.

[havanasand]

Thanks for the info and good advice you guys are true scholars. Yeah, I'll opt out on the geometric grey areas...It's an FCD shape and I'm e-mailing the guy with the specifics this week. Makes sense to have the fin placement further up for the 4 fin setup if that's possible. I will ask if it's been done before. Slight V comes stock with the board already, one of the reasons why board looks like a lot of fun. Light as well and the quad I'm surfing now feels like it weighs about 40 lbs for some reason.

[LBCrew]

Havanasand... see if your shaper will put in Proboxes. They take FCS fins and you can move the fins fore and aft for when you go from a thruster to a quad. They also have different cant inserts, which use the two grub screws that secure the fin to create a solid compression fitting between the fin, insert, and box.

Hey... if your after versatility and options, why stop at the number of fins? Why not be able to adjust postition and cant as well?

I have a thruster/quad convertible with Probox and love it. Opens up the performance window considerably.

[tropic surfer]

Sorta old school question...doesn't all those extra fins create more drag and make the board slower?
Surfer mag recently had an article about Derek Hynde and his finless boards and the speed of the designs was from reduced friction.