Elite 67" / Schnitz's Slot fin Numbers

[Riotkayak]

Does anyone have recommended settings for using a slot fin on the Elite ? It skis awesome with the stock settings. Just seeing if I can make it better using the fin I have always used.

[Mark Cogan]

I have the elite 68.5 and my slot fin is to thick to fit into the ski.  I wrote Schintz to see if he had a  a slot fin that would work in the elite and he responded "Not Yet."

[Riotkayak]

Thanks! Do you think there is anyway to shave down thickness to make it fit?

[Mark Cogan]

My first thought was to take a grinder and grind down the thickness on symetrically both sides.  In my case i did not try it because i came across the appropriate settings for my 68.5 and once i changed my fin set up it skiied like it was on rails.  If you do try to adapt the slot fin to your elite let us know how it goes. 

[Riotkayak]

The Key is NOT to modify the fin but the fin slot in the ski. I e-mailed Schnitzer and he recommended the following:

 

"Take an angle gauge or piece of metal about .060 thick and stick a piece of 180 grit sandpaper to one side or both if it fits. Take the clamp off the ski. Slide the gauge into the slot so it is sticking out the bottom and top. Slide the gauge forward and back putting pressure against the sides of the slot. 10 passes on each side of the slot should get you real close. Try at little at a time until it's perfect."

 

I am going try it this weekend and will let you know.

 

This ski rocks.... I have listed my 66.25" 9700 for sale..

[Riotkayak]

The fin box is fine. It's just the slot in the ski. It's just a little too thin (but very close). I think with a little fine sanding it should open it up enough so that I can slide the "slot-fin" in for a nice fit. I will still be able to switch back to the stock fin if I choose without any problems.

[Horton]

Ok STOP!

The reason for the way the ski is shipped/designed is as follows:

My understanding is that Andy thinks that the thinner the fin the better. He is Andy Freakn Mapple so I am not going to argue. What they did was make the fin blade very thin and then make the slot fit very tight to hold the fin firmly. If you sand out your fin slot wider and then go back to the stock fin, the stock fin will then flex a more then it is designed to. The ski will turn harder and not be as fast. Worst case is that with the extra flexing the stock fin will fatigue and BREAK.

I could write 500 words making this more clear but please understand that if you widen the fin slot on an Elite ski to go to a non-stock fin and then go back to the stock fin the Elite will not ski the same and the fin may not last as long as it should.

I would never recommend doing this unless I had and extra Elite that I was willing to experiment with.

Are you guys on crack?

[ForrestGump]

Not really sure why you'd want to go to the slot fin on the Elite. Geezus, that thing is the hardest turning, easiest to ride ski on the planet, just the way andy designed it.

[Riotkayak]

YOU KNOW BEST HORTON! Thanks for the Clarification as it relates to switching back to the stock fin after this modification. Yes I guess a few microns would make a difference if trying to switch back.

 

The worst case scenario is that I will be stuck with my Slot fin on this ski, which I am confident will feel better than the stock fin.

 

YES I am no Andy Freakn Mapple.

[Horton]

Hey Riotkayak,

I did not mean to sound condescending. It sounds like you know what you are getting into. A lot of skiers really like the slot fin… yadda yadda yadda.

I am sensitive to information on this forum that could lead someone who to do something they could regret.  We have readers of all skill and knowledge levels here.