Fins or no fins

Impulse004 · Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Posts: 17

So, I've been riding with fins and without fins. When I have the fins on I have more control of the board, but I hear its better to learn without fins.

I'm still learning on a hydroslide board until I can get something better. When I get a new board it'll probably be without fins.

I guess is what Im getting to is; should I be learning with or without fins?

HHI Dave · Posted: Aug 08, 2009 9:23 pm Post subject:

My first board was a Hydroslide "Black Widow". It lasted about 6 months before it snapped in half. Laughing

If your Hydroslide is anything like mine was, its probably pretty smooth on the bottom. Riding it without center fins requires good edging technique. That can be a good thing if you're capable of riding that way. I also suspect that it has some pretty big honkin' center fins, at least 2" or more, right? They're not much fun when you're trying to learn surface tricks.

Usually when people talk about riding "finless" they're referring to the removable center fins. But many modern wakeboards also have permanent molded side fins. This means that the board can be very loose while neutral but is able to hold a hard edge when necessary. Some boards (like my Lyman) have no center fins at all but have both molded and removable side fins.

Impulse004 · Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Posts: 17

ha that's the exact board I have. We got the board handed to us with the boat. Can't complain 'cause it did get me into wakeboarding, but yeah it has 2 center fins on each side of the board.

I took em off one time and I can kind of control it but it swaps back and forth a lot.

Say I took the fins off of my Hyrdroslite and rode and then I bought a Hyperlite Motive and rode without fins, how much of a difference would I notice?

STANG KILLA SS · Posted: Aug 09, 2009 7:44 am Post subject:

the motive would be more locked in. somewhere between the current one with and without fins.

Christobull · Addict Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 898 City: Tulsa

If it's anything like the one I rode, you could pick up pretty much anything and fall in love with it. haha You'd notice a huge difference. I haven't been on a motive, but I think it would be a great board to move up to. I hear a lot of good things about them.

Impulse004 · Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Posts: 17

That's good then. The last time I went out i got really annoyed and put the fins on cause I couldnt wakeboard without em very easy. There were also a lot of boats out.

OperationROL · Criminal Joined: 11 Aug 2009 Posts: 92 City: Rockford

I have a Hyperlite ERA. The center fins are very short, so I leave them in and am still able to manuever the board well. I do not know how much of a difference they are making, but I plan to take them out after a few more outings.

Christobull · Addict Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 898 City: Tulsa

OperationROL, I said the same thing about my Apex. I never took them off because I didn't see that it was really doing anything anyway, I could slide and spin just fine. But, when I did take them off and I learned that I don't land on edge like I'm supposed to. Having them off helped a lot at the point that I was earlier this season (and now), and since then I haven't ever put the fins on my Vice or my Murray.

Granted, all of those boards have molded side fins, so that's not to say it would be as beneficial on a flat bottomed board.

WilsonH · Posted: Aug 12, 2009 7:40 pm Post subject:

I vote no fins. You learn proper edging AND the board is a big more forgiving on the faceplants. Surface tricks are smoother.. I took mine off and i'm glad.

OperationROL · Criminal Joined: 11 Aug 2009 Posts: 92 City: Rockford

OK, so I took the fins off and now love my board even more. I still feel stable, but I feel like I can manuever more. I can now do surface 180s with out any issues. I also don't feel like I lost any ability to dig in when edging. All in all, I think I made a great decision in taking off the fins.