Inland Surfer - Quad and Carbon

[Surfdad]

I got a few pictures and preliminary info on some of the new '08 Inland offerings. The Blue and Green will be offered in Carbon and as a quad. I really like the layout of the quad.

[Coach]

That looks sweet!

[Jason B]

Wouldn't that make 360's nearly impossible with all that "finnage?"

[ragboy]

Wow, those look great, but I just got the email announcement from IS, and they want $875 for them.

[Surfdad]

A properly done 3 doesn't rely on the fins sliding through the water, they should pop out. The Loogey in particular is flat and if you place the belly of the board on the lip, the tail will sort of pop out. I do 3's routinely with 4.5" fins...once the tail is is clear of the water, it doesn't matter what the size is.

The other part though...many folks over spin and that's my problem with smaller fins...as you go up into the start of the 3, just pish he tail, it'll break loose but on the end of the rotation with smaller fins/fin cluster it over rotates. The larger fins/fin clusters prevent the over-rotation and if you get a little out of whach the extra drive allows you to catch up.

The Inland set up is such that it's not much extra length, it's almost all just area in a small space...I really like the way they've done it.

The price tag is an issue with Carbon. Even cheap stuff is $60 a yard, I swear there must be $420 of carbon alone in those boards.

[ragboy]

I don't doubt they should be priced that much, just curious as to how much of a market there will be for them. They definitely are sexy, no question there. Would love to try out that quad for my son, who knows, maybe we will win one!

[Surfdad]

I would guess that the market will be pretty small. My understanding is that it's a special order - which in my mind translates to "NO INVENTORY". I find that pretty interesting though. Inland is the biggest independent manufacturer and this feels almost like they are venturing into custom builds. I understand that all they are doing is offering a different fabric, but we'll never see that from LF, CWN, Ronix, etc. I was impressed with having seeing an option from a mass producer like IS.

[ragboy]

Y, it is very cool, and def shows they are willing to push the envelope. So far, they have been my preferred surf board co. I can't wait to get RJ out on his new green loogey.

[Surfdad]

How gorgeous is the Blue in carbon? That is such a sweet looking board

[spharis]

If it is real carbon fiber through and through, not just a layer, then that is a good price. We use carbon at the 9-5 and it is $$$$$$$.

[ragboy]

It looks real to me, they sent me a PDF, damn. Its really beautiful. Its pissing me off, cuz it makes me want to drop the coin, but dude, its a lot.

[Surfdad]

I honestly don't know the construction methodology, but it wouldn't surprize me if there is a layer of 'glass on the outside. One of the issues with carbon is that when it fails it splinters something awful...I've pulled shards of the stuff out of my fingers. The external 'glass would allow the "look" and still prevent law suits I'm not sure that there would be a need for more than just 2 layers of textile.

Anyway...I was just posting over on WW about the 4 fin setup.

Beyond the looks of the carbon that four fin set up is interesting to me. Four fin boards have been around for ages. The quad configuration typically has trailer fins, that are smaller than the lead fins - but not always. The trailers are either toed in or straight - parallel with a stringer. Another four fin set up is referred to as a Twinzer. In the twinzer there are leading fins that are smaller than the main fins and "break up" the water flow and make the board looser...amongst other things.

One of the characteristics of the twinzer is that the front fins overlap the trailing or main fins.

I'm sure everyone will be impressed with my drawing ability:

[ragboy]

I honestly don't know the construction methodology, but it wouldn't surprize me if there is a layer of 'glass on the outside. One of the issues with carbon is that when it fails it splinters something awful...I've pulled shards of the stuff out of my fingers. The external 'glass would allow the "look" and still prevent law suits I'm not sure that there would be a need for more than just 2 layers of textile.

Anyway...I was just posting over on WW about the 4 fin setup.

Beyond the looks of the carbon that four fin set up is interesting to me. Four fin boards have been around for ages. The quad configuration typically has trailer fins, that are smaller than the lead fins - but not always. The trailers are either toed in or straight - parallel with a stringer. Another four fin set up is referred to as a Twinzer. In the twinzer there are leading fins that are smaller than the main fins and "break up" the water flow and make the board looser...amongst other things.

One of the characteristics of the twinzer is that the front fins overlap the trailing or main fins.

I'm sure everyone will be impressed with my drawing ability:

Who's etchasketch did you borrow?

[Surfdad]

Anyway...what IS has done is combine some of the characteristics of a traditional quad and a twinzer. The extra fins generate lift. If you've ridden a quad with the trailers straight you can feel this lift on the board.

The extra fins also generate more drive - so the board recovers and drives toward the lip much faster than a twin. The interesting thing about a twinzer is that it's typically considered looser than a thruster or a quad.

Theoretically what IS has done, is created a board with extra lift, extra drive, but without the tracky feeling that is associated with a quad.

I'd REALLY like to get my hands on one to give it a rip.

[Surfdad]

I hear you Ragboy - I have to tell you a cute story. I literally can't draw a straight line witha ruler, my artistoc talents, or lack thereof are well known. My son James came home from school one day, he is taking art as a Junior. He was complaining that he forgot his ruler at home and FAILED ruler in his art class...however I only heard the "I failed RULER in art class". I was totally accepting - yep, you got my genes.