How does a quad-fin surfboard perform differently from a thruster with 3 fins?

Read the link. It is pretty "pro Quad", but it raises some reasonable points. It certainly answers your question. The Speed difference is pretty much accepted as a fact. I have not yet ridden a quad, but I am looking forward to.

http://custom.surfboardshack.com/quad-fin-surfboar...

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

How does a quad-fin surfboard perform differently from a thruster with 3 fins?

I'd like to know from your experience how turning arc, speed and responsiveness differ.

I dont like quads. The speed thing... well, I can generate any speed I need, on a thruster, on any size wave. In fact, I have never, ever in the world, thought " I wish I could go faster". And the people who kick out in front of me because they didnt think I would be able to go that far, that fast, can attest to this. The quad draws out turns. It doesnt pivot like a thruster. But I can make a thruster do any kind of turn I like. I can kick the back foot out, I can pivot, or I can do a short radius arc ala Mick Fanning. The quad is limiting. Maybe Kelly Slater likes them, sometimes, because he can get an unlimited amount of boards built, but he still rides thrusters as well. The quad outruns the barrell. This was particularly obnoxious. I want to slow down for the barrell, I want to stall.... The quad sucks. I see no situation in which this configuration would be beneficial, at 99% of the spots around the world. For someone with sub par skills,someone that doesnt know how to generate speed, it may be of some assistance.

Good question, Aidan. Quads have been around for a long time, but it's nice to see more surfers giving them a try again.

In a nutshell:

Speed: I have definitely seen the increased speed from a quad. I borrowed a friend's Piranha and immediately realized the difference. Since shapers design the bottom contour of a board to shoot water out the back, that back fin causes drag. I think it had the biggest difference for me on small waves.

Response: I liked the quad's feeling, but it does surf a bit differently. The thruster's center fin helps you track, while I felt like the quad was super loose. The dowside to the extra fin's hold and drive is that I struggled to get release near the top of the wave.

Large Waves: This does not apply to me but a lot of heavy wave surfers are shifting to quads. They like both fins on the rail working together in the wave's face.

A board with four fins has been proven to be faster than a thruster.

Also, because the fins are set lower down the board, they are under your back foot allowing responsiveness and ease of control to be all the better too.

I read something earlier in the year saying that a quad-fin board surpasses a thruster in control and you can't get a better board where the speed and control are perfectly matched.

In short...It simply offers a better, faster and more controlled board

: )

What i've noticed is the main difference is turning. You have a lot more control doing bottom turns/cutbacks... but the stability is lacking unless your really turning in the pocket.

I prefer a quad to a twin fin because of the stability... but i prefer a thruster setup more often then not to any other setup

i've been riding my friend's Rusty Quad for a few months now and all i can say is drive, baby, drive. that board is so fast it feels like it's got an engine under the tail. i think turning arc is more about the shape of the board (i mean there are quad finned longboards, too) but if you want speed i can definitely say that a quad will give it to you. love it!