Hey Razz, we haven't been up to Hogan in a few weeks, finally got snow in the mountains! so we are snowboarding most weekends.
The last time we were there was before the rains, and it was significantly down. I'm hoping that with all the rains we had, that the level is up a few feet. On the BRIGHT side, not many people on the water.
James has a new 4 x 3 arriving this week, so hopefully we'll get a day or two on the lake over the next month or so.
I was just talking to some folks over on TO.com about the quad set up. There are so many variables, the interior fin toe-in and cant really affect the tracking and lift. If you look at the way that IS has set their fins up, they moved the interior fins in front of the rail fins and they overlap. I think that set up probably reduces the straight line tendency while increasing lift and drive. I talked briefly with Mark Sher and he indicated that the turn UP into the wake was enhanced.
Surface 3's are the HOLY GRAIL for most of us. The Green was a very flat rocker and is exceptionally fast. I have done 3's with 4.5" deep fins and have found that if you push on the tail when you go into the 3, the tail will float around pretty easily...then the extra fin area prevents it from over-rotating and if you get a little out of shape the extra drive from the fin area allows you to catch up to the wake.
You right though, breaking the fins loose, on most quads, takes more effort.
I still haven't ridden this board, so I'm just theorizing at this point. I like the location of the fins though...makes me wish I had tried it!