Which Fin?

[axue]

Hey guys,

Figure you lot are the experts so a P-Plate Short-Boarder like me better find out the score before I spend....

Currently using a Naish Titan 263 with stock fin and a 8.4m2 RX1, I weigh 92 kilos and barely ever get to plane unless its one of those WOW days. Usually found slogging and pumping behind the other guys....

Thinking of acquiring a 9.8m2 RS1, and just thinking of getting a nice pointer fin, but what size should I get? And any particularly Highly Recommended ones?

By and by 9.8m2 with 92 kilo rider, enough? Or should I buy a 11m2 Monster? Please advise...

 

[thye]

HI AX,

9.8m that's what I'm using and I weigh just below 60kg.

Cheers - Thye

[Meng]

Hi AX,

At 90kgs+, u need more than a 9.8m² sail.
I weigh 74kgs and currently using 11m² sail.
With proper rigging, u can get more fun out of it.

In S'pore's condition, go big ! Keep your 8.4m² for rare awesome occasions

Happy sailing

[<Mark>]

AX,

I'm 98kg and started using an 11m recently.  Was using an 8m before that and, like you, could not get moving except for the rare days.  I agree with Meng, go as big as you can for Singapore - since I have been using the 11m rig, most weeks I have been able to get a couple of good fun planing sessions in (and I am not even using a fast board yet ...still using the fairly heavy Go board I learn't on).

[<Big Sail>]

AX, comments are correct, at your weight a larger sail will be best. Not sure of the Titan 263, but the 268 is only 66cm wide and 135 lit.
If this is the case forget 11.0 and 9.8. Best bet may be GTX 9.3(better low end)If you want to use 9.8 or bigger you need a wider board.

[<Big sail again>]

AX
If its the Naish 273 then you can think about 9.8/10.5.
Its not a race board only 76wide(its also heavier) so again GTX/V8 type would be a good choice.
Race fin in the 56/58/60 should fit the bill.

[sukhdev]

To determine fin size, go measure the tail of your board 30cm from the tip. A heavy sailor would be able to cope with this width plus 2 or 4 cm, a light sailor would require at most the width itself. So as a rule of thumb, if the 1' off is 52cm you can then use up to about 54 or 56 max.

This width is commonly known as 1' off ie the width of the tail 30cm/12" from the rear. For more details on why this matters read http://bluefinz.com/html/Technique/Fin%20selection/fin%20selection.htm

The max fin size does to some extent determine max sail size. A silly crude ratio I have developed over the years testing a wide range of boards is..

reaching : max sail size is fin size / 5

upwind: max sail size is  fin size / 5.8

dont take this too literally, its just a crude formula but it works reasonably well..

so..say a 36cm fin..the sail size for reaching would be a 7.3 (pretty much spot on, I use either 7.0 or 7.6)

...say a 52 cm fin...for upwind.. the sail size would be a 9.0,  for a 66cm fin it would be 11.3 ..

there can be variation from this but when in doubt i find this a good guideline...again...just a guideline

so..lets take your 9.8, for reaching you can get away with say a 49 cm or thereabouts. for upwind you will need at least a 56. I don't have specs of the titan but i'd guess the tail width to be about 52 cm..in which case you can use 2 fins say..a 56 as your biggest (or 54) and a 48 as you "high wind" fin.

last point: at your weight a 9.8 is a small sail. We have a gentleman using an 11m nitro IV at your weight and even then he needs about close to 10knots to get planing on a GO 170liter.

heck..hope that loonnng answer makes sense..if it doesnt give me a call..

[axue]

Hey guys
Thanks for the tips yeah,
Figure I made a mistake, it is a 273. soooo.
Heh.

Thanks once again.

Cheers