Quad-fin boards next year!?

[James]

There's pictures and a write-up going around the internet about a new starboard quad fin board coming out for 2010. It looks cool, but is it true?

If it is true, does this mean there will be four lines of waveboards next year, or will one be getting the axe?

Also, some stuff was mentioned about "convertible" boards that could be sailed with different fin setups. What's the deal with that?

Starboard quad fin sizes for 2010.

66 - 66 ltr, 223cm, 53cm 33.7cm tail
71 - 70 ltr, 229cm, 55.5cm, 35.5 tail
76 - 74 ltr, 228cm, 57.5cm, 36.8 tail
81 - 80 ltr, 233cm, 58cm, 36.5 tail
86 - 87 ltr, 234cm, 60.5cm, 38 tail

The two small boards are the same as the 09 evo and the two large boards are the same as the 09 evil twin, in outline measurements. The 76 is a new shape, going by the measurements.

The outside fins sit in MiniTuttle boxes which is a very strong connection, about as strong as a normal US-box, I would say.

And the rear boxes, as mentioned, are not fcs, but a much stronger box that can take fcs fins but also futures. So if you break on of those, you can get a replacement fin pretty much anywhere.

Availability of the MiniTuttle side fins is not as great and Starboard dealers have been encourages to stock up on extras.

The front fins come in 15 and 16 and the rear fins in 11 and 12. The fin size on the different boards sizes, if my info is correct, is kind of interesting. All sizes but one of the mid sized boards come with 16+11 and that odd mid board come with 15+12. I guess it was simply found out in testing that that particular board went better with more equal sized fins.

And no, I have not tried these boards yet.

__________________
Ola H. - Starboard team - Hot Sails Maui team

[wiindz]

i wouldnt be surprised if it was true, look how well the twin fins have done after Kauli basicly re introduced them to the modern market, and now he has done very well on quad fin set ups as well, so why not? worked last time dint it? wouldn't be a half dum bet to say that it will work this time as well!

[mim]

Yep,

it is true. I saw an email on distributor from Svein where it is presented.
I just have to find the papers and then I can write here some more details here...it was already asked in the Team forum.

Ciao M.

With so many boards in the program and so many different constructions available, who will actually be able to choose the right board to begin with?

If any of the wave riders had actually finished high school, they would've realized that 2+1=3, not '4' - so THREE fins are gonna be fashionable for 2010, and then FOUR fins a year later.

On the other hand, ONE fin still works GREAT for anyone who isn't a 4 feet tall poser!

That Kauli reintroduced the twin fin is actually a myth. Keith Taboul at Quattro was the guy who put all the time in. Thats also why the Quatro twin fins are the only ones that remotely work

it was kauli, who first begged keith to build him twinser boards!!!

[Ola_H]

I spoke to both Kauli and Keith about how the first twin fin board came about and I think you have to give Kauli a lot of credit for driving this and on one hand having a clear idea about where he want his shapes to go but on the other hand also being open to taking big steps in promising but kind of unchartered terrain. But of course Keith was instrumental in realizing the ideas. It took only a few tries to get something that worked rather well. I think that for Keith and Quatro, most of the time put in has been to make the twin fin boards work for others than Kauli, but other top sailors and more recreational sailors and I think Keith is a master in getting good sailors to use his board and then use the feedback he get to learn and to improve the shapes.

But saying that Quatro twin fins are the only one that works is taking this to far. I would say they are kind of special shapes with a special feel to them that feed through both on their faster rockered boards and on their extreme boards. There are many other totally differerent approaches that work just as well, only with a different ground feel.