I am riding a 6'4" Tuflite and having a control issue when dropping down the face of a wave, wondering if anyone on here who rides Tuf-Lite can give me any info on a set of FCS fins that worked for you. I talked to some people and they told me I need a set with more rake, and that would give me a little more hold. The board gets real squirrelly on me when I drop straight down the face...if anybody can recommend a fin that worked for them. I would really appreciate any feedback...
I've never used tuflite boards but on all my shortboards I have always used the k-3 preformance glass fins. The have great hold and have great drive coming off the bottom turn in bigger waves. The center fin has a wider tip which holds you in the pocket nicely also.
it would help to know what fins you're using now, how much you weigh, etc...all fins are not created equal.
koki man, it may not be the fins. depending on your wieght and the size and thickness of your board. -those type of boards tend to be over-bouyant. how heavy are you? It may be the board not fins.
I don't ride those boards, but I do have a few suggestions: fins with a bigger template all around, or simply a deeper fin, especially the trailer, is a good start. Also, a fin with less built in cant, fins with more rake, or fins with a wider tip will make a difference. Also, check the concave. My guess is that it has a lot of it, and it probably starts early. Full single concaves in particular can feel squirrely without the double or vee between the rail fins when it starts getting steep. Is the board meant to be ridden in small surf?
If by squirly you mean truly squirly like unable to stabalize the boards and set an edge, that sounds like something no fin is gonna help, that's just inexperience. Either deal with it and overcome or step up the board size On the other hand if by squirly you mean chatter and choppy down the face, again no fin is gonna help because that's how epoxy boards generally react in larger surf.
I'm about 185 lbs., I bought the board because at the time I was about 20 lbs. heavier and thought I would need something with a lot of bouyancy, granted my experience on shortboards probably has a lot to do with it, don't get me wrong..I've caught some really nice rides on it, but it just seems way too bouyant for my liking, I have FCS G-AM's on it now and I don't know how much another fin is going to do for me...in any case, it's worth it to try...a guy told me I should look into getting some XL fins, I've been all over FCS's site and don't see 'em anywhere...and the K3's and Goods-1's aren't really bigger, they do have slightly more rake...in any case, I'm gonna buy a set of fins, just have to figure out which ones to get...and try it b4 I unload this board and lose way too much mula...if anybody is interested in a 6'4" Al Merrick Tuf-Lite Flyer let me know...the board is immaculate, no dings...I have my eye on a Webber Afterburner, but if I can't get at least $475 for this Merrick than it's not really worth selling...****, I might just buy the Afterburner anyway...as far as what size waves I've ridden with it, usually big swells...6-12 foot range
Well... knowing what the board is, what fins you have in it, your size, and the type of surf you're riding it in changes everything. That fin, the G-AM, is already big and raked, so obviously my earlier suggestions will not make sense. I'm inclined to think, at this point, you're riding that board outside its performance envelope... it's just not for DOH surf, dude. You're coming unhooked on the drop because the board is too light and too wide, especially in the tail area. I know you're not gonna want to hear this, but I think buying a new set of fins for it is a waste.
Yeah man, like what's being said fins arn't gonna help one bit. The subtle differences in thruster fins in the drive, line, release, and speed are so negligable, most surfers can't tell much of a difference. I would suggest staying away from the epoxies as well for larger surf, the chatter can really throw you off. Not to mention the flex of a traditional PU really helps to sort of coil up on the drop and set your line fast.
Alright, yeah I definitely hear that...I appreciate your info...not sure why I steered away from fiberglass in the first place, thanks...
to reiterate what others have the said, the flyer is not s step-up or good wave board. 6ft is pretty much it's top end as far as size goes. the overall template is too wide for the size of the board & esp. the tail...you start getting into DOH range, you want a more pulled-in tail. i prefer round pins. the merrick fins are plenty big for someone your size, as well. tho i'm a bit bigger than you & i really like the pc-7 fin (pc-5 for a quad). the k-3 fin will be too small for you. it's a great template, but i couldn't get enough drive out of it when i tried it last summer (& it's supposed to be the driver of the 2 kelly templates). you want to stay away from the tuflite type boards completely, IMO. they're pool toys, really. if you want extra durability, either get your boards glassed heavier than standard pu boards are, or go w/ eps...both will be more expensive, but your boards will last longer. i'd stay away from the webber's too. i have a real problem w/ boards being made over seas by people who don't surf & most webber's are made by global surf industries, which is out of thailand. honestly, if you're surfing DOH days, a 6'4" flyer is too much board for you, even for a small wave board. you could easily drop down to a 6'2" flyer if you wanted to stick w/ that outline. i have a 6'2" flyer-ish template that works really well for me in that waist-shoulder or head high range. just my opinion. good luck in your search.
