longer fins on a CWB Ride? What would it do?

Anyone running longer fins on their CWB Ride? If so, how long, what brand, etc? It looks like the fins from an old CWB board of mine will fit it and they are quite a bit "taller" I guess. What effect would the taller/longer (whatever) fins have on the ride quality? Would it slow it down, speed it up? I was thinking it would at least make it carve a little harder but not really sure.

Hey Timmy!

If I'm not mistaken, the Ride's rail fins are straight - no cant, no toe-in. Typically a deeper fin on a surfboard will provide some additional drive, but the intitaion of turns is more "determined" that is, they resist the tendency to turn.

Without any cant or toe-in, you won't experience the extra lift, the extra depth will probably feel more like straight drag and again as above, the board will resist the tendency to turn, but more pronounced because there is no toe-in.

So, my guess is that you won't feel more "speed" down-the-line, other than pumping with short small turns. The carving harder feeling...in order to turn you'll have to PUSH it around, so you'll feel that, but my guess, depending upon the depth of the fin, is that the board will feel more like it's tracking a straight line.

The quality of the ride of the Ride is purely subjective in this situation. If you want more straight line tracking, my guess is you'd love this change. Never hurts to experiment! Give it a try and report back.

Ok! You've cleared quite a bit up for me here. I wasn't sure what each thing did or what fin length was for or anything. I will probably just leave it alone for now and mess with our skim board, I can drill holes in that all day long and not feel bad.
As always, thanks Jeff!

Timmy

Jeff, is correct the fins are straight - no cant. Try removing the 2 outside fins, and install your longer fin in the middle. My ride is set up with a 2” fin; any standard wakeboard fin will work. This will give you the carving harder feeling you are looking for. If you install 3 long fins the board will track like a truck, very hard to turn. Like Jeff said experiment.

I forgot to update this thready. I removed the 2 outside fins and put a 2" fin in the center - OMG, what a difference this made! I feel like the board came alive (finally). Wondering what it would do with a real surfboard fin in the middle or real fins on the outside. Thanks Chet!