Measure your fin....often!

[webbdawg99]

After spending the last 2 months struggling with my offside, I finally decided it was time to make a fin change and reduce the length. The last time I measured my fin was in September of 14.....until today.

 

Much to my surprise and astonishment, my fin was .017 Longer than my last measurement! This especially surprised me bc I always use and fin block and am very careful to not knock the fin.

 

Well, I moved it back to what I previously had it at.....and VOILA! Offside fixed.

 

Learn from my mistake! Don't spend months, weeks, or even days chasing your tail. Check your fin....often!

 

 

[Wish]

Holy crap it's been a long time since I checked. That's happening tomorrow.

[chris_logan]

I read the title to this thread and thought of Wilford Brimley in his diabeetus commercials... "Check your fin settings and check them often."

[webbdawg99]

@Wish , how often have you traditionally checked your fin? I've always been a "set it and forget it" type person and only measured when I was looking to make a change

 

It being early in the season, I assumed that my offside trouble was me and not the ski. From now on, I'll probably double check it at least once a month and certainly at the beginning of a new season!

[6balls]

Set it, forget it, hardly touch it, haven't measured, don't know my current numbers...probably foolish.

I saw my wing was bent once when I put it on the platform from the water at the end of a set.

[webbdawg99]

@6balls !!!!! You know I love ya man....but you don't know your current numbers?!?! If @Horton reads this, I feel like we may see a black and white bear in a rocking chair.....

[Gloersen]

Gotta know it, gotta check it (imo).

 

Have had too many fin settings change without timely awareness (usually deeper) and struggle with consistency until realized.

 

Finally found a fin setup on a ski that I'm not inclined to change at all (atypical). Therefore, acquired this device for quick, easy piece of mind. May seem like obsessive/excessive waste of $... but it's worth it!

 

Fin Recorder

[Horton]

I am for prudence but to my knowledge I have never has a fin move

[Gloersen]

@Horton - agreed that if the fin block is properly machined and tightened, the fin should stay put if handled well. Have only had two blocks at issue, but it took half a season to figure out what was going with the first fin block that this was encountered.

 

The template gizmo is just a type of xanax; skiing without anxiety is more fun!

[GAJ0004]

I check my fin at minimum every two weeks. I ski in rough water that keeps most of my fellow skiers on the dock. I don't overtighten it because I have stripped the heads of the screws a couple of times and had to take it to a shop to get them removed. I keep a log of my settings, and the date I made the change.

[webbdawg99]

So ironically, I was skiing with @fizer tonight. He's been struggling with his onside. Bc of my experience, I asked him when was the last time he checked his fin. Before his next set we measured it and it was 0.017 forward of his last measurement! Moved it back to his previous setting and he looked like a different skier on a different ski. He was missing 32 off in the first set and ran into 38 his second set.

 

Check your fin!!

[6balls]

@webbdawg99 I've never known my numbers. I ski it and if I don't like it adjust bindings for best spot. Make some adjustments on fin/wing based on performance til I like it and believe at that point most mistakes are on me, not the ski. I don't even have a measuring device. Pathetic, I know.

 

Bottom line is I don't get enough water time to fine tune and be able to properly/intelligently/reliably assess the outcome. I could see recording where everything is at when I'm comfortable with set-up in case of a shift in position.

 

Sounds like you are skiing great so keep training, measuring and adjusting for your max performance. Will love to hear about your 38's falling at 36 mph...that's some rare air.

 

@OB come to skiwatch fall double...I will make you ribs and drinks if you measure my fin and provide me my numbers so as to avoid my future embarrassment :)

 

 

[Ed_Johnson]

I would suggest that when you get your settings where you want them, you use a pencil or a fine tip sharpie to draw a line down the length of the fin where it meets the base of the ski, so you have a reference point to check before you ski each time. Makes it really easy to see if any movement has taken place.

[Wish]

i do just that Ed. Surprisingly pencil will stay on till you rub it off. I trace lines for my boot plates to make sure they do not move as well. I've written fin numbers right on the blade itself with pencil along with the date measured. Scared to look at how old the date is for the numbers.

[The_MS]

@6balls Come on down for our 3 round fathers day event and I will set you up. I will do it for some good IPA but if you bring ribs that's OK to. We have a slalom judges clinic on Sat night.

[webbdawg99]

@6balls I plan on trying to make the Ski Watch tourney too! It will probably be one of my first events at 55k. Is @Razorskier1 making the trip too?

[6balls]

@webbdawg99 it's not official but it has kinda become tradition for the two of us. With getting in on Thurs, skiing Thurs/Fri with TJ and the gang, helping tourney set up, skiing the tourney 2 days, skiing a 36 mph tourney for fun Monday a.m. and leaving it's like a mini-vacation. For a few days no family or work responsibility, good company, food/drink and skiing. I tried to talk people into pulling me against doc orders but no one would :smile:

 

I went with Jim last year even though I couldn't ski post-op neck surgery. Hung out, judged, cooked, drank, drove, cheered. @MS won the unofficial Monday a.m. 36 mph tourney running 35 off on his first try...took Jim 2 tries if I recall. TJ went down at 35...was hard to be relegated to driver but at least all 3 had same guy on the wheel (I swerved opposite side at all balls and jacked the ZO for hot times to mess with @MS...no idea how he ran that stinkin' pass)!

 

Hmm...first tourney at 55K. I remember that one in Waterloo, Iowa! Jim and Mitch drove down, I decided to go last minute and flew down in the Mooney and grabbed a rental. 5@38 in a pass I had smoked but choked (@razorskier1 ran 38 and PB'd, and @razorross3 PB'd also). Thought wow this 34 mph stuff is gonna be duck soup I'm gonna run this pass all the time and be fighting 39.5. Full of crap, I was. You saw me run 2.5@39.5 about 3 yrs ago at skiwatch...that was my first successful tourney 38(not that I ski many tourney rounds)...I was 40 yrs old so took 5 years to beat the score I set at my first 55K tourney.

[RazorRoss3]

I believe the Iowa Waterski Team is hosting a 3 event tournament down there again this summer open to all. I'd have to check for the dates but I was planning on attending having just graduated. You'll never see me give the University of Iowa another dollar but I think I'll always be willing to help a college ski team. Especially when I get to ski to do it!

 

I seem to recall that tournament @6balls is speaking of above was the first time I came out of 34mph at -15 in tournament, got 1 @ full speed -15 as my score.

[ToddL]

For super quick way to "record" your basic fin settings, you could use this product. I doubt it is accurate to 0.005 inches, but it will let you quickly tell if something has moved. Also, if you want to try out a diff fin setup, you can measure your current setup with proper calipers, then use this to "record" the basic position. Then, move to the new trial fin settings. If you don't like them, it is easy to get your fin back to the recorded settings quickly, then fin tune with the calipers...

 

http://www.miamiskinautiques.com/Ski-Doc-Fin-Recorder-p/ski_doc_fin_recorder.htm

 

http://cdn3.volusion.com/mtyq5.eu2fn/v/vspfiles/photos/ski_doc_fin_recorder-2T.jpg