Radar Vapor's New Fin on 2017 Pro Build

[SkiJay]

The new Vapor Pro Build has a thinner fin than last year’s Vapor. Yes, it will feel slightly faster than the old fin, but the bigger story is in how nice it makes the ski “feel” overall. The ski feels smoother and more composed than ever, especially in the way the ski finishes turns. And along with this softer feel comes some concrete benefits. The thinner fin allows the ski to roll slightly more without sacrificing how deep the tail rides. More roll leads to more angle, quicker acceleration, and more space in the course. It’s all good.

 

There is, however, a minor issue with some of the earlier fins released. I say the “earlier” fins because Radar Brand Manager, Brooks Wilson, has assured me that this issue has recently been addressed. Approximately 25% of the early fins have little nibs protruding upwards from the two top landings where the adjustment screws contact the fin within the fin block. These nibs can make getting your fin set to your intended numbers quite challenging. But this is no big deal. Simply file the nibs flat before setting up your ski. They serve no useful purpose.

 

 

 

The only way to tell if your fin has these nibs is to remove the fin from the fin block. And since you now have the fin out of your ski, inspect the fin’s adjustment screw landings for set screw damage as shown below:

 

 

If your fin has these gouges cut into it by the sharp leading edges of the adjustment screws, you can easily file them out. When filing these adjustment screw landings, however, take care not to cut into the rounded corners with the sharp, square edge of your file. These rounded corners make the fin stronger, protecting it from cracks that will tend to radiate out from sharp corners over time.

 

These two file-fixes will make it WAY easier to hit your target setup numbers.

[KRoundy]

Thank you, Jay. This is like getting a free update to Fin Whispering! :)

[tap]

And while you're at it, pull your set screws out and see if their sharp, if so lightly sand or file the knife edge off so they don't dig in to the fin. Good advice for any fin really, for some reason a lot of stock set screws have a knife edge which causes the damage and makes it really hard to make fin adjustments later on.

[cragginshred]

I will ride my new 2017 pro Vapor tomorrow am for the 1st time!

[disland]

has anyone tried putting the new fin in a 2016

[mbabiash]

My 2016 came with the new fin.

It measures the same as the pro build fin.

My guess is that if you have the new fin clamp, it prob has the new fin.

All speculation.

That said my pro build feels just like

My 16 vapor.

Incredible ski!

 

 

[SkiJay]

If you have the new fin block, you definitely have the new fin because the old fin is too thick to fit in the new fin block. But you won't know if the new fin has to be de-nibbed until you remove the fin and have a look.

[Mick04]

Does anyone have a pic of 2016 Vapor new fin block vs old fin block?

[mbabiash]

New fin will come with the aluminum more skeletal fin block vs the plastic rounded top fin block.

[phauswirth]

Does the new fin block fit the same hole pattern as the old fin block?

[Mateo_Vargas]

Yes

[SkiJay]

The new fin block is tighter than the old one, so while the new fin will fit in the old block, the old fin is too thick to fit properly in the new tighter fin block. I can be forced to fit, but if you do this, be careful not to damage the fin by forcing it to move with the adjustment screws.

[Horton]

@mbabiash "plastic rounded top fin block"????

 

I have not seen a fin block with plastic since 1990

[mbabiash]

@horton

I guess it's not plastic/vinyl. It just looked that way to me. I only had that ski for a few weeks before I moved on to the 17 pro build.

Sorry for the mid information.

[Horton]

@rico why don't you just add .005 depth

[Mateo_Vargas]

@rico we are on the same ski and I'm close that but the something I hadn't tried on my other Vapors is .770 DFT which I am liking.

[Deanoski]

Before the ice took over the pond, I was using Trent's settings and loving the feel

2.503 6.855 75.5 9 wing fb 29.5/8 the ski seams to be more connected in the turns.

[SkiJay]

On what size of ski @Deanoski ?

[Stevie Boy]

Must be a big ski if the DFT is 75.5 inches

[Deanoski]

67 2016 vapor

[Fehlindra]

@SkiJay whats the thickness of the new -17 fin? the 16 seems to be 0.085

[SkiJay]

Hi @Fehlindra . The fin on the Pro Build is .077" thick and on the 2016 Vapor it was .086" thick.

[gregy]

@OB1 9.25 is that wing setting?

[gmut]

@SkiJay Do you know if you can purchase the new Pro Build fin block and fin from any retail stores yet?

[Horton]

@gregy 50/50 chance @OB1is punking you on the .25. You can never tell and he would find it hilarious if everybody started freaking out and trying to find a way to get quarter degree fin settings.

[SkiJay]

@gmut I don't know if Performance has them in stock right now, but I know Radar has them available now, so any water ski shop should be able to get you one.

[SkiJay]

A few of the skiers I tune for are pretty ... "intense" shall we say. And when they can't decide between 9½° and 10°, I whip out this little gem, set the wing to 9¾°, and all is right in the universe. I had it machined with ½° on one side and ¼° on the other so it can make any wing angle gauge measure in ¼°, ½°, & ¾° increments.

 

Personally, I can't feel the difference. But I'm a big believer in the power of the mind, and I've seen this little sliver of aluminum harness that power for good instead of evil.