Oceanslide
Miki Dora status
Reged: 03/04/08
Posts: 5184
Loc: Oceanside, CA
|
|
I've been meaning to do this for a while but have just been
lazy and, well, surfing.
Lots of people have asked me (and asked in general) about
the different VS nubsters and the differences between how
they feel. Thought I'd share my thoughts and then others
that have tried them can share theirs as well. Firsthand
experiences. 
Here are some pics I snapped of three different VS trailers,
the 'Phantom keel' that often comes with the Twin set, the
original 'Nubster' fin, and a shorter-base (and slightly taller/tweaked 'Pivot Nub' fin for comparison.
Two pics have the Nubster and Pivot Nub on top of eachother
to show the template/size difference.
My personal opinions.
The Phantom keel makes a twin-fin setup more drivey and
carvy. I don't love it in quick beachbreak conditions
as it can cause a tad bit of hang up off the top and draw
out turns more where I'd rather pivot/re-direct quickly.
I reeeeally like it in point surf, especially waves with
a wide-open shoulder that you can drive into off the bottom
and do smooth, hard-carving turns. Like butter. Used it
with the big VS twins on the Shadow at a HH-2xOH Mex pointbreak
and it was soooo smooth with just the right amount of hold
and drive. Would think it would be great nearby at a Beacons,
Cardiff, Swami's, Cliffs, Trestles, Malibu, etc. type of wave.
The original 'Nubster' pretty much stays put in my twinzer
fish. It allows for all of the speed I've always loved in
the various twinzer fish (wide-tail) I've had, but eliminates
the slidey feeling off the bottom and through hard driving
turns. Just feels absolutely at home in a fish. I've used
it in various quad setups as well with varying degrees of
success. In more punchy surf, it basically has made quad
setups that seem to be a touch slidey (especially off
the bottom on steep drops) more stable. It lets me drive
hard off the bottom and through turns instead of nursing
them. In some instances it's seemed to feel a little 'tracky'
driving down the line. Also, it makes quad setups more 'thruster-like', but
with the same quad speed. I don't tend to like thrusters,
but for people that do, you can get a bit more of that
feeling with the benefits of a quad.
The 'Pivot Nub' has been good stuff, for me.
I've used it with a few quad setups, with a twin+canard trailer
quad setup, with just twins, etc., all with good results.
It does not make any setup feel over-finned for me. Basically,
it just adds a touch of hold/drive to whatever combo I've
tried with no noticeable drag or tracky feeling.
If it's not quite enough, I'll trade out for the original
Nub.
This last pic is (I think) the 'Finger Nub'.
Hoping to get one of these to use in the board I have on
the way. Will update with my thoughts once I try that out
a bit.
Hope this is useful to some of you fin-whores.  
--------------------
"Surfing reminds us of how good life is."
Oceansliding
|
ShackdOffMyMelon
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 06/25/08
Posts: 3340
Loc: Barrel
|
|
excellent write up...
5 stars
|
ghostshaper
Billy Hamilton status
Reged: 01/22/05
Posts: 1596
Loc: 1134
|
|
--------------------
They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time, it works every time.
|
WarrenC
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 11/30/08
Posts: 2753
|
|
Quote:
excellent write up...
5 stars
very much so
have never used a nub, but will be saving this thread in my favorites
thanks for taking the time O-slide
--------------------
What fin sets work well with this board.
|
gkl68
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 10/07/10
Posts: 378
Loc: CA
|
|
Thanks J this is super helpful info! You have more experience on various nubs than all of us here so it's great to get these feedbacks. 
|
FishFace
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 08/07/09
Posts: 2898
Loc: Del Mar, CA
|
|
fanatastic review.
Instead of:
"get griffin's dude"
OR
"halcyon's all the way bro"
we get an actual description of design and function ... That's what I want.
--------------------
|
adam33
Gerry Lopez status
Reged: 02/23/05
Posts: 1031
Loc: Long Beach, NY
|
|
Great info!
I had a chance to really test out some fin setups while i was in Mexico a few weeks ago. It's incredible that when you have perfect testing grounds, you really can feel the differences in setups. One of the guests at the hotel happened to have a Shadow with a 5 fin setup. On one of the bigger days, I gave him a normal nubster to try out and he LOVED it. I am now 1 nubster short...
MY fav is the pivot nub. Use it just to add a tiny bit more hold and drive in most quad setups. Used Stiletto fronts, Pivot rears and the pivot nub in my Hornet most of the time in Mex. I also used Twin (CI Robber) front fins and a small grom center fin on other days with good results although on the bigger sets I slid out on my bottom turn. I picked a finger fin a month back, but have not used it yet. East coast summer is a pointless time to attempt to try new fins setups. Very hard to feel any difference when waves are knee high at 6-7 second intervals.
As I said, great review. Mantis almost done?
--------------------
"pm oceanslide or adam69, they are the erBB distributors."
|
ghostshaper
Billy Hamilton status
Reged: 01/22/05
Posts: 1596
Loc: 1134
|
|
It's interesting that slater didn't use the nubster in Fiji, but opted for bigger trailers instead.
Since he's using the mckee placement, his setup is more thruster-like already, so no need for it.
I like the idea of bigger quad fins for more surface area and keeping the center free. But then again, I like a quad with fins on the rail.
--------------------
They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time, it works every time.
|
saltyNuts
Gerry Lopez status
Reged: 04/05/11
Posts: 1180
|
|
Well said ghostshaper! I like this.
Thanks Oslide for this great writeup!
|
saltyNuts
Gerry Lopez status
Reged: 04/05/11
Posts: 1180
|
|
More nubster craze! wonder how this one would work with hard edges.
|
silentbutdeadly
Tom Curren status
Reged: 09/26/05
Posts: 11627
Loc: Tower 13
|
|
That's crazy you're able to tell the difference. I probably wouldn't.
But yeah, love to see reviews like this. Honesty!
--------------------
Thou shall not commit adulthood
|
VCaba21
Gerry Lopez status
Reged: 03/06/06
Posts: 1076
Loc: South OC
|
|
Great job, thank you! Have you tried one in your Bottom Feeder yet? If not, do you think there is a point where a nubster might be well suited to try one in it? 
--------------------
"someone's gonna be stocked!"
|
gkl68
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 10/07/10
Posts: 378
Loc: CA
|
|
That would likely perform like the phantom. Providing lots of drive.
|
Turtle71
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 01/19/10
Posts: 489
Loc: NE FL
|
|
Quote:
The Phantom keel makes a twin-fin setup more drivey and
carvy. I don't love it in quick beachbreak conditions
as it can cause a tad bit of hang up off the top and draw
out turns more where I'd rather pivot/re-direct quickly.
So for smaller, short period beachbreak conditions, would you say the twins + kicker would be the call...or something else?
--------------------
Nobody listens to Turtle...
|
Havoc
Tom Curren status
Reged: 09/10/07
Posts: 10000
Loc: The OC Life
|
|
so oslide, do you like the biggest nub the best?
--------------------
"motions of rippage is initated by the hind leg"-Northern_Shores
"Lemme know. I got endson gas"-20W
|
Basswave
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 08/22/05
Posts: 2316
Loc: Near the Witches
|
|
Quote:
excellent write up...
5 stars
+1
Very nice J...I hope Sean is taking care of You 
Now I want to make or get a the point/longer one.
--------------------
I'm back...Sort of...
Its nothing that 6' and a Rounded pin can't fix.
|
kooky
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 05/29/12
Posts: 194
|
|
Good write up. I have a five fin FW spitfire, with a fairly wide tail. Like it as a quad, but sometimes when I surf backside I like a little more stability, ESP on the bottom turns. Also, I read that it tends to give the board a tiny more resistance, which I like back side and like it frontside when it gets a little more punchy, to hold you in the pocket. I was looking for something similar to the Griffin 5 fin set up, and so far, I am getting closer. Current set up:
WCT fronts
Rusty quad rears
Small Nubster by VonSol
Seems, for me to be the best compromise of a thruster and a quad.
|
Oceanslide
Miki Dora status
Reged: 03/04/08
Posts: 5184
Loc: Oceanside, CA
|
|
Glad this is helpful!
Hope I don't miss anything that was asked...
Adam, Mantis is done and I'll pick it up tomorrow. Mattison just got back
from Florida apparently and called today to let me know. 
Will get a 'Finger Nub' with it to try out and compare to these others as well.
SBD, you'd definitely notice the difference, much like you do if you change
up your trailer fin in your thruster setups. All different, even for my less-than-ripper abilities.
Vic, I almost always have the Pivot Nub in the Bottom Feeder, unless I'm
running a twin+trailer setup (will do the big VS twins and Kicker trailer then).
I've used it with the Scarfini HX3 quads, Stiletto quads, VS twins with VS canards as the quad rears+Pivot Nub, and even with asym quad setups.
I prefer every one of those quad setups with the Pivot Nub in the Bottom
Feeder.
Turtle, yeah...I like the twins+Kicker in those conditions over the phantom
keel trailer. Also like the twins with VS twinzer canard fins as rears in
those conditions. Twinny-feeling with just a bit more bite/hold, IMO.
--------------------
"Surfing reminds us of how good life is."
Oceansliding
|
silentbutdeadly
Tom Curren status
Reged: 09/26/05
Posts: 11627
Loc: Tower 13
|
|
Quote:
SBD, you'd definitely notice the difference, much like you do if you change
up your trailer fin in your thruster setups. All different, even for my less-than-ripper abilities.
Cool, hope my post wasn't in any way negative cause it wasn't my intention at all. Next AB3, I need to try a quad/nubster setup.
--------------------
Thou shall not commit adulthood
|
Oceanslide
Miki Dora status
Reged: 03/04/08
Posts: 5184
Loc: Oceanside, CA
|
|
Sbd, not at all.
My point is that if I can feel the difference you surely would.
RW, although you're pretty much spot on  , that's not really it.
I'm just lucky my local spot is the most flawless, roping, pristine testing grounds
in the entire world!
--------------------
"Surfing reminds us of how good life is."
Oceansliding
|
need 4 speed
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 11/01/03
Posts: 2686
Loc: SoCal
|
|
Quote:
I'm just lucky my local spot is the most flawless, roping, pristine testing grounds
in the entire world!
Did you move?
--------------------
NOT THAT KIND
|
gkl68
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 10/07/10
Posts: 378
Loc: CA
|
|
Have you compared with the nub in the front tab? Do you see situations where that might help?
|
Havoc
Tom Curren status
Reged: 09/10/07
Posts: 10000
Loc: The OC Life
|
|
Quote:
Have you compared with the nub in the front tab? Do you see situations where that might help?
sometimes u wanna put the nub in the front, sometimes the back. the situation dictates ur choice.
--------------------
"motions of rippage is initated by the hind leg"-Northern_Shores
"Lemme know. I got endson gas"-20W
|
new bee
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 229
Loc: San Diego, California, USA
|
|
 maybe your wife needs more than just a "nub"
--------------------
you cumbucket stsrted it like always,go smoke a crack rock,get amped.
|
Havoc
Tom Curren status
Reged: 09/10/07
Posts: 10000
Loc: The OC Life
|
|
Quote:
maybe your wife needs more than just a "nub"
wasn't talking about anything sexual. nub in front tab = looser feel. back tab = more hold, stiffer feel. wait... 
--------------------
"motions of rippage is initated by the hind leg"-Northern_Shores
"Lemme know. I got endson gas"-20W
|
new bee
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 09/10/03
Posts: 229
Loc: San Diego, California, USA
|
|
One may also switch tabs mid session.
--------------------
you cumbucket stsrted it like always,go smoke a crack rock,get amped.
|
gkl68
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 10/07/10
Posts: 378
Loc: CA
|
|
Quote:
Quote:
maybe your wife needs more than just a "nub"
wasn't talking about anything sexual. nub in front tab = looser feel. back tab = more hold, stiffer feel. wait...
|
Oceanslide
Miki Dora status
Reged: 03/04/08
Posts: 5184
Loc: Oceanside, CA
|
|
Quote:
nub in front tab = looser feel. back tab = more hold, stiffer feel.
Agreed, as one would probably expect it to change the feel.
I've generally liked using them in the back tab.
Had a bit of a shocker this a.m. regarding the nubster. Generally, I've
felt like in certain quad setups there is a small (but noticeable)
difference when adding a nubster that I've described above. Usually it's
been good, but in some boards I've preferred just a normal quad.
Paddled out on the Mantis with the Stiletto quad setup in pretty fun and
clean surf. For whatever reason, the board felt like it was bogging on
the bottom turns and I didn't have much speed coming off the top or going into a carve, causing
me to bog there a bunch of times too. After an hour, I ran to the car and
put in the "finger nub" in the rear trailer tab just for the heck of it.
First wave, I couldn't believe how much better the board came off the bottom
and allowed me to push on the tail back up the face into three straight
top turns/bottom turns. Carves felt better, snaps felt better, board felt
like it had more drive and bite to generate speed with a quick high pump
on the takeoff.
Again, normally the difference is subtle, for me.
I was very, very surprised at the difference it made on this particular setup
with this particular board. 
--------------------
"Surfing reminds us of how good life is."
Oceansliding
Edited by Oceanslide (08/07/12 01:46 PM)
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
