NSW
164 posts
Has anyone set up their Minion/Gulliver/Slate as a thruster? I've currently got my Slate & Gulliver set up as a quad (Piros V8's in the front and V6's in the rear) with a nubby and they go fine most of the time however in the bigger stuff I find it a bit too skittish and was wondering if a rear centre fin would give it more grip and drive. In any case of ordered a V6 rear centre fin to try it out.
Thoughts please or actual advice would be great.
Cheers. Gav.
QLD
166 posts
Hey Gav ive been riding my slate as a thruster in everything from 1 to 6ft. Tried it as quad and quad plus knubster didnt like it. Loved my jp widebody as quad just found the slate ran way better as thruster easier transition from rail to rail, way more grip and turned on edge better. As a quad found myself surfing less on rail and dishpaning on the fins more. To me feels like the rears of the quads are too close to the rail. Am running pc-7's (large) all around might try some smaller fins when its small to play around with a bit off slide. Check out supboarder mags slate review.
WA
1097 posts
just put a thruster rear centre in and try on big days, run as 5 fin? i know others that do it on wider tail girls.
NSW
164 posts
Thanks for the feedback. Matty I will take your advice as gospel. Cheers.
QLD
1535 posts
Hey Matt, how wide is your slate?
Been wondering about a 3 fin set up in the minion...
39 posts
I'm 6' tall and 81KG and have been riding the 7'6" Slate and really liking it. I primarily ride it on a softer wave, and it works really well in that wave from stomach to overhead. The wave would be considered a Mal wave and lacks punch, I struggled trying to find the right performance board for that wave. I rode several: 8'7" Stun Gun, 8'6" JP PRO, 8'4" Hobie RAW, but the wave doesn't quite have the juice to push them as I wanted it to. The wave really was best on an Simmon's style board, Infinity Phoenix, or a long board. When I brought the Slate there it was fun but I had the issued 4 fin set up in it, and the tail was too easy to break free. I read to try a 5 fin and it worked, but was a little slow. I went to a 3 fin set up and it transformed the board, it is now the perfect board for that wave. I have been running Shapers S-8's and find it to be an excellent set up. The Slate turns out to be the perfect "performance" board for that wave. It's attributes allow a higher level of performance on that wave, a level of performance that I didn't have the speed or drive to achieve on the other boards. Give the Shapers S-8 tri-fin a try if you're roughly my weight. If the wave gets down to waist high, I have been experimenting with the FCS FK-2 keel fins with a big trailer. That also worked, and sped the board up and made it more fun in the really weak stuff. I have just managed to get a set of the Larry Allison, huge keel fins that come standard on the Infinity Phoenix. I'm hoping that in the waist high, weak stuff that those fins really transform it into a speed demon, although it will likely turn into a fast, fishy ride.
NSW
164 posts
Thanks Jarvis I'm only a smurf at 5'6" and 65kg and I've got the 7'2" Slate. I've got a set of Shapers S7's as a quad set so I might grab a rear Centre fin and chuck that in. I'll post up a quick review once I've ran the different combos.
NSW
164 posts
Had the Slate out in 2 to 3 ft at Port Macquarie today and ran the Piros V6 thruster set up. All I can say is that this setup totally transforms how the board performs. You must get your foot right back on the kick pad and take a wider leg stance (for me anyway cause I'm short and sweet) and the thing accelerates much more noticeably through bottom turns. If you haven't done it yet give it a go because you may also discover another side to these fun wide tails.
