GEAR: THE DIFFERENT FIN SET-UPS ON THE CARTER

The Carter is a multi-faceted board that different fin setups bring to life.

The shape of the Carter is designed to fly on the water with great speed. It has great paddling speed and accelerates hard from the take off. It’s a board that allows you to drop early on the wave for a ride that reconnects you with the essence of surfing, namely glide, speed and curves.

The board is delivered as standard with a 2+1 fin set-up, a full fiber 7” GONG fin and two FCS II Carver S side fins. You can either adjust the size of these fins, or totally change the set up. The Carter‘s fin boxes allow you to experiment with many adjustments that will radically change its behavior. You can thus adapt to the conditions, seek new sensations, increase performance,… it is a wide area of experimentation which makes you progress on the water, and which helps you to better understand what is happening under your back foot. See our tips below for the different possible set-ups on the Carter.

The Single, 2+1, Twin or Tri Fin set-up.

The single fin set-up is often preferred on boards where maximum glide and instant speed are sought. A sufficiently deep fin allows for maximum control. Very common on mid-length shapes intended for flying down the line and engaging in long turns. In this case we will choose a single fin with a lot of rake so as not to restrict the curves, but fine at the head for maximum speed. Preferred setup on waves offering nice shoulders, open faces which allow time to work on your turns and the best possible lines.

Recommended single fins in our shop:

• The Pivot has a base with little length and little rake, so very good ability to pivot on the spot. This fin is all about maneuverability. We can turn on the spot without blocking at the top of the wave for example. At high speed it will be less stable, a lot looser feel. So it’s a fin to choose for rather slow waves and/or a surfer who wants liveliness without having to reduce the depth of the fin.
• The Clique has a rather tapered shape, thin in the head, and a medium/wide base, so priority is given to maneuverability, speed and control. Only to be used for rather powerful conditions or a dynamic and aggressive surfer oriented towards performance.
• The Flow has a wide base and a thin head which gives it drive, control, and speed. Program is large curves, directional stability and gaining speed out of turns. Perfect for chilled surfing and a smooth glide.
• The Whip is the closest to the Flow, but with an even more pronounced character. At equal size, its base is longer, the rack is larger, and its head is thinner. This low surface area in the head gives it flex, and it is also what makes this fin pleasant in bumpy conditions. It is an ideal fin on long waves, it offers drive, speed, and beautiful, wide curves.

The 2-1 fin set-up is the one that will bring the most versatility to the board. Unlike the single fin set-up, it uses the anti-drift power of the fins to create acceleration. It will therefore be less technically demanding than the single fin which requires an optimized line to combine on the wave, perfect rhythm and minimum loss of speed. It offers excellent grip when engaging a turn on the rail. It will be faster than a single set-up because the side fins boost acceleration by pulling the rail towards the inside of the curve.

The central fin is less massive than for a single fin set-up, therefore more playful. And this is a key factor: the distribution of surfaces between the three fins. The more surface we put in the central fin, the more stable and progressive the 2+1 set-up will be. The more surface we put in the side fins (and therefore less on the central one), the more playful and faster the 2+1 will be. A large central fin acts a bit like an autopilot which will smooth out your line.

Be careful to set your 2+1 set-up correctly. The central fin must be correctly positioned in its US rail in relation to the side fins. There is a simple trick to set it perfectly illustrated in this article.

Recommended 2+1 fins in our shop:

• The Connect has a fairly neutral profile, as much base length as the Clique, but more surface area at the head, to be chosen for its versatility, its roundness in the curves, its very balanced, very progressive handling. A very effective fin that doesn’t flinch. A versatile fin that’s perfect for a 2+1 setup. You can choose it in a 6” size to gain speed and maneuverability compared to the original 2+1 set-up delivered with the board. And to increase the anti-drift effect, the addition of rigid side fins like the FCS II PERFORMER NEO ECO MEDIUM QUAD REAR FINS will increase your performance on this set-up.

• The trifin or truster fin set-up, comprising three fins of the same size/depth and generally the same outline, offers maximum maneuverability. This is the ideal setup to cut the turns short and radicalize your surfing as much as possible. In this case, move the central fin slightly backwards so as not to have an uncontrollable board. The transition from one rail to another will be less natural and progressive than the 2+1 set-up, especially at low speed. A choice for powerful surfers.

Recommended tri fins in our shop:

• FCS II HARLEY LONGBOARD TRI FINS: XL size fins for powerful surfers.

The twin fin set-up includes only two side fins with greater surface area and depth than usual fins. Very loose feel, ideal for small to shoulder high waves. It is this set-up which will deliver the most natural speed. It offers a fish-like feeling, fast to catch up on closing sections, trigger maneuvers in a split second and fly up and down the wave.

Your position must be precise, the back foot perfectly placed to avoid spin outs, you can however play with this loose feel to make your board skid at will. This is a great setup on flat waves or to overcome long sections with whitewater. And conversely, it also works very well on sections with more power, hollow and fast, which must be passed quickly.

• FCS II POWER TWIN FINS : A relatively deep pair of twins to maintain control, with a moderate rake to provide pivot, a set that is both quick and easy to handle.