Learning how to edge correctly.

[Medina]

Hey guys,

I am a newb when it comes to wakeboarding, i followed the sport for a time but never really tried it myself. This season i started and its going great One of my questions is, i have The Book, a DVD serie, you guys know it for sure.

My question is, should i remove my fins from the board for learning how to edge? Thanks mates.

[LFevo138]

i feel like most people will tell you to learn to edge properly you should take out your fins, so you you have nothing to rely on but your edges to move, I never took my fins out and i learned just fine, it can't hurt to go out and give it a couple runs finless tho, see if it helps

[Statenheimer]

I am not going to lie. I didn't put much into the whole fin/finless debate, until I took mine off. I, like you, am a newb, and have only been riding for approx 5 weeks. I come from a snowboarding background however, and had no problems with edging.

What I will say, is that once I took the center fins off [I also have 2 molded fins per end] I felt infinitely more comfortable. It's a much smoother, looser feeling, and I loved it. Could break it loose, do wakeslides/butterslides, it was like a whole different board.

I would say it's all personal preference. Try it, see if you like it. If not, a few turns of the screwdriver and you're right back to normal.

[Medina]

I rode sometimes with 2 center fins, 4 fins, and also with only my molded in fins, i have to say, with only the molded in, its far more easier to edge, and to do slides as you say. I dont know how it will go with my new board (Ronix Frontier) But ill find out.

Are there some downsides of removing your fins?

[Statenheimer]

The only "downside" that I have heard about going through this site are that at first, you might find it slipping out on landings a little, especially if you are going bigger.

Considering the fact that in progressing, you should be learning to land, and continue edging [as opposed to just landing flat] I guess that I wouldn't actually consider that a downside myself...

I guess if I have learned anything, it goes back to what I said about personal preference. There is no right or wrong. Just do what feels right for your style of riding.

[Medina]

Well i dont know, so i will try it.

Thanks for the advise.

[Pconn5]

When I first took the fins off of my board it was like a night and day difference with just the molded fins. The first few minutes it felt weird and slippery but after that I started to edge just as hard and could easily slide the board however I wanted. It made riding a lot more fun because I could do a lot more stuff on the board when I get a little bit tired while riding. Also after taking the fins off I could save a lot more bad jumps where with the fins I would have easily caught an edge. Too me it seems that you have more leeway on your jumps without the fins. You can land a little bit off still and stay up but you can also land some pretty bad jumps too. There were a couple times that I landed almost sideways and slid out and was able to save it, where if I was riding with the fins like before I would have easily face planted. I haven't seen a downside at all to not having fins. The only downside I could see is if you are riding a board with no molded in fins but I haven't done that before so I can't really comment on in.

[Medina]

Well, i had one experience with riding without fins, and for me doing slides and 180/360's ect where easier.