Fin Selection. Does anybody know what works best on 6'2" Sub Scorcher

[Toddbeestang]

I bought a 6, 2" Sub Scorcher but haven't had much luck matching the right fins to it. At 6ft 170lbs the AM fins have let me down. Ununsual outside rail catches have thrown me and a lack of hold on a cutback nearly blew out me knees. Neither of these issues have ever been a problem. Today I bought the MF-1 FCS fins in hopes of stronger hold though, once again, nobody at Hansens had any idea what performance differences would be a variable from one fin to another. I'm hoping I didn't go with the wrong board selection for my age/weight/size. Turning 50 sucks when you think you still surf like you did when your were 18.
If anybody can offer fin selection advice I would greatly appreciate it.

[prjwebb]

I've been liking the Soar DL fins on my Sub. I'm similar sized to you but on a smaller board. I'd maybe try those GAM or MFs with a slightly smaller rear fin. The K2.1 rear could be good, or a PC3. Something like that. It'll give you plenty of drive but keep the tail looser.

[Toddbeestang]

Thanks for the advice. I head to Cabo in the morning, hopefully the MF's will work but I'll keep your suggestion in mind for this summer. I considered reducing the third fin for summer as well.

[buzzy]

My thought on a bigger board is bigger fins, but you're only 170lbs, which I'm guessing is high 70 kgs. I would have though PC or PG 5's, or AM2's (the orange ones) or JW1's would be a good match between your weight and the board.

So far as outside rail catches are concerned, does the board have a sharp edge toward the front of the board? I'm far from an expert, and I may be way off the mark, but I've found those boards with hard edges further toward the nose are more likely to catch an outside edge when you're doing a sort of fading bottom turn. Is that what's happening? If that's what's happening and the board does have hard edges it might be a board thing more than a fin thing. It might be your cutback issues are really around not feeling dialled in to the board more than the fin as GAM's and MF1s are quite big fins for your weight.

So yeah, at your weight I reckon GAM's and PC7's and MF1's might be a little on the big side. Maybe JW1s or AM2s or PC5's instead.

[buzzy]

Sorry, PC5, not 7.

[Toddbeestang]

I think I really should have deom'd a shorter Sub Scorcher before buying but at the time I weighed 185. Throw in the 4/3 wetsuit and I was probably paddling near 190lbs with diminishing muscle strength due to lack of enthusiasm. I had/have hopes of getting back into the surf as much as I did before I spent 10 years in an office cubicle. With Summer nearing I felt the 6'2" would paddle easy. Well... it does but I dropped 15lbs and the water has warmed about 10 degrees so I could probably be on a 5'10" in shorts and rash guard. If Cabo, Mexico, (Eastcape/Shipwrecks) shows any decent conditions the MF-1's should help hold the wide tail of my Sub-Scorcher and if the waves are small well, I'll try the reduced 3rd fin approach. If that doesn't feel right... I'll get piss drunk on the beach and watch my buddy shred. I probably just need a few more sessions to adjust to the wider board anyway.

[Toddbeestang]

And thanks for all the advice Buzzy. Sadly, I wanted the shorter SubScorcher but the salesman and my wife were both hinting that I'm not as young as I think and could use the larger volume in a 6'2" rather than something shorter which is what I wanted. I should have gone with my gut feeling and got a 5'10". If I can't dial in the fin size I'll trade in for a shorter board but I still think I need to give the 6'2" a fair shot.

[buzzy]

Yeah, fair enough. In general I reckon us slightly older guys do need a bit of extra volume for a given weight and ability. We're just slower to our feet, have slightly slower reactions, have slightly worse balance and we're a touch less flexible. So that equals extra volume. I'm on a 6'4" Dom at 90kg so I'd imagine at a high 70kg weight I'd be looking at a 6'0" or 5'10". I'd probably look at a 6'0" but it would be hard to say for sure without sticking the board under my arm.