Fin Tuning - What Does Porpoise Feel or Look Like?

[JC McCavit]

It appears porpoise means different things to different people. I told a fellow skier I felt my ski was porpoising just after the wake going into my offside turn at 35 off. I said it felt like the tip would go down just a bit and the tail would come up and vice versa. Kind of like teeter totter. My friend did not think what I described was propoising. What does it mean to the BOS guys when you say the ski is porpoising going into the offside turn?

[jackski]

That sounds good to me !

[ForrestGump]

Sounds like what I'd call it if I were feeling that.

[gregy]

Same was happening to me when trying a new ski the other day, that's what I called it. Also seen it when cutting to the wake.

[alex38]

Proper term is dolphining

[jwr]

kind of sounds like prairie dogging to me

[JC McCavit]

Schnitz Ski Tuning Guide says I need more tip. I may give that a try. The ski feels perfect otherwise.

[webbdawg99]

In my opinion, porpoising into the offside turn is one of the easiest symptoms to correct. Increase length of the fin by dropping the front tip. Hard to say how much. My guess is between 10-15 thousandths of added length.

[ral]

To answer the first part of your question, it feels like s#%t...

[webbdawg99]

The first part of the video below demonstrates porpoising....just in a different place in the course. He's experiencing it in his offside pull (I'm assuming gate pullout) instead of his offside preturn. Different symptom/solution, but its a good illustration of "porpoising".