What difference does fin size make?

[Powderhound]

Other than smaller fins are more skatey, do bigger fins mean more upwind ability?

Cheers

[Andy-j]

Easier to hold an edge when overpowered.

[grant965]

more stability?

[Andy C]

One thing that does make a big difference is asymmetric fins. I tried some for a bit and the board felt completely different, felt glued to the water. Too much in fact, I went back to normal ones.

[Powderhound]

Cheers for the replies

 

They don't make any difference to upwind ability then?

[wind-seeker]

andy, which way did you fit the asymmetrical fin? flat side inwards or ouwards of the board?

[Antigrav]

Don't most boards come with asymmetric fins as standard?

Big fins are better for tracking when you aren't holding an edge, small fins make the board feel more lively and make it easier to release from the water for popping. I don't buy the bigger fins helping hold an edge, as far as i understand fins generate lift when you are on your edge. Meaning smaller fins actually let you hold down more power? But could be totally wrong so don't quote me on that!

[jamesnaishuk]

fins are just about controling the edge in chop and overcoming poor technique, long shallow fins help tracking and stability but make the board feel loose and skaty, wakestyleeee

 

short deep fins help grip and control in chop and surf and make the board easier to carve as they give something to turn against, more locked in feel so not as skatey,

more freerideeee.

[wenglish]

so what diffrence does moving the fins further out make? i have a trinity board that has 2 placement option for the fins one is slightly closer to teh tips than the other?

[Andy C]

The asymmetric fins were Mystic ones with a very flat side so very marked asymmetry, the flat side goes on the inside.

[Katch]

its all about grip - i much prefer smaller fins to loosen the board out on the water.

[Andy C]

That's how I felt too. The increased grip from larger very asymmetric fins felt weird, and the normally very smooth chop-munching and basically 'right' feel of my Lost Cause was completely lost.

[technoed]

can you use a surf kite for land boarding its a 16m SANTA CRUZ KITE will it work for some good air time on land.

[harry_a]

After playing a bit, i found a nice compromise between looseness and grip.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3020/2702253736_0cec624610.jpg

 

i've settled for this kind of shape, you can get them from a few companies...it seems to track well in waves, but on the flat it breaks out if you want it to, dont know if its because of the cut out back section or what but i've tried bigger fins and tiny skatey ones and liked the middle ground best.

[KiteItRight]

also find depper fins enable you to hold down kites in stonger winds, you can gain alot more control over the board and i get less skating out

 

asymetrical fins seem to me rare these days

 

 

although slingshot have just put it ont he lunacy and brunotti used to use them on their twin tips.

[danmon81]

I hate long fins...the grip is too much...i have short fins it is slidy but i really really get on with it!

[North Wind]

also find depper fins enable you to hold down kites in stonger winds, you can gain alot more control over the board and i get less skating out

 

asymetrical fins seem to me rare these days

 

 

although slingshot have just put it ont he lunacy and brunotti used to use them on their twin tips.

 

It was interesting to compare your Brunotti to my X-Ride of Blaauwberg. The Brunotti was way more skatey and it too me a while to get used to the nose of the board swishing backwards and forwards until I got the rail engaged. I meant to look at the fins when done with your board but it was so bloody windy back on the beach that I was focused on not being lofted instead.

 

Hope you are having an ace time.

 

BA

[Powderhound]

My old board had smallish fins and was nice and loose but my new board has got much bigger fins and the board feels much less skatey, which was why I asked, think I will change to smaller fins, I just didn't want to lose any upwind performance, but noone seems to think that will be an issue.

Cheers

[Andy-j]

i noticed how much grip my kiteboard had on water after having about 4 or 5 session on the snow!! I was trying to slide round to toeside and was like wtf, it's stuck solid.

[Ally]

Big fins just give you something to get hung up on if you don't land smooth. 1" is where it's at.

[Afro1599968737]

1" is where it's at.

 

bet you say that to all the ladies

[Sammy1599968740]

Mark shinn had an interesting article in kiteworld a while back. About how he gave 3 riders 3 identical boards. One with big fins, one with small fins and one with no fins. It seemed the rider who was able to go up wind the best, did so on all three boards and pretty much held the same tacks with each board. Fin size made no difference to upwindability.

[Ally]

bet you say that to all the ladies

I set 'em up, you knock 'em outta the park!

[gixerkarl]

Mark shinn had an interesting article in kiteworld a while back. About how he gave 3 riders 3 identical boards. One with big fins, one with small fins and one with no fins. It seemed the rider who was able to go up wind the best, did so on all three boards and pretty much held the same tacks with each board. Fin size made no difference to upwindability.

 

i saw that....made some intresting readng

[Katch]

My Pro-x shipped with 5.5cm large area fins - they were like anchors, never understood why Brunotti felt the need to ship their 'Pro' model board with such stupid fins - stuck a set of Cabrhina 2" in and it was like the board just woke up.