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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 6:39 am 
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Hello,
Following a thread I read some where I loosened the turbo fin adjustment a good bit increasing the flex in the fins. Just wanted to report that I really liked the softer feel easier on my knees, and it felt my speed increased a good bit. That was after only one trip curious to see it is consistent.


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PostPosted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 10:05 am 
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And you don't need a "full stroke" either :wink:

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 8:03 am 
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Will this also work for ST fins? Thanks.


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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 10:27 am 
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Yes, but since the area of the ST fins are less/smaller, you won't get the same "speed output" as the Turbo fins provide.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 18, 2015 3:39 pm 
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Thanks Dr.SteelheadCatcher.


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 9:40 am 
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I'm still relatively new to the Mirage drives but I've experimented a little with this adjustment. To me, it feels like the "off the line" performance is better with the trailing edge of the fins left to the loose side but I don't get the feeling that it improves the top end so to speak. Tightening the trailing edge softens the feel of the drive from a standstill. It seems to take several strokes to get moving but once up to a certain speed, it's like the fins hook up and the boat cruises along with relatively little increase in effort. I'd imagine it's just a matter of experimenting around and discovering what we prefer individually.


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 10:06 am 
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For the quickest "hole shot launch", use short, quick/rapid strokes.

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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 3:49 pm 
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ok, so i get it that loosening it will help performance... but what about wear?
any noticeable difference in the abrasion/wear of the fin assembly?


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 7:39 pm 
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Not that I have ever noticed.....works great.....

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 7:47 am 
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Daft....this link will help understanding mirage fin adjustments and results.
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=10176&p=241430&hilit=turbo+fin+adjusting#p241430

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 7:43 pm 
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Intrepid175 wrote:
I'm still relatively new to the Mirage drives but I've experimented a little with this adjustment. To me, it feels like the "off the line" performance is better with the trailing edge of the fins left to the loose side but I don't get the feeling that it improves the top end so to speak. Tightening the trailing edge softens the feel of the drive from a standstill. It seems to take several strokes to get moving but once up to a certain speed, it's like the fins hook up and the boat cruises along with relatively little increase in effort. I'd imagine it's just a matter of experimenting around and discovering what we prefer individually.


That is awesome, tightening the trailing edge fin, will have to experiment with that.

My trips have been with a lot of sailing/surfing pretty heavy of both, so hare to ve subjective, but I sure love the feel of them being loose.


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 6:49 pm 
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Factory fin settings are "over-pitched" so improving Drive performance is relatively easy by loosening the outhaul clews. There is a limit to what the screw adjustment will allow though -- if you could loosen the fin even more that would continue to improve low end torque and allow a higher cadence at cruise speeds. If anyone read Dr.SteelheadCatcher's link to the end, you saw that siravingmon came up with a clever use of zip ties to lower the pitch even more without bending masts and gain yet additional improvement. viewtopic.php?f=11&t=10176&p=241430&hilit=turbo+fin+adjusting#p241720

IMO, the zip tie "extension" works particularly well with the new (2015) GT Drives, which have a slight reduction in fin slack or twist ability (a necessary evil to accommodate the sprocket roller bearings).

How far can you go? When the fins feel like they're freewheeling at speed (when you back off) you've gone too far. It doesn't take much.

2015 marks the 10th anniversary of the Turbofin. Although it looks very similar to the original, there have been many improvements along the way. Lots of things have been tried -- some more successfully than others. Effective use of the "search" feature will yield a bounty of cool facts. For instance:

Differential fin tightening would work in theory, but in practice there is no significant difference in performance. The more unbalanced the fins are...(see below).

An imbalance between the fins induces a rocking motion in the boat -- sometimes a telltale of a bent mast. Combining a large and small fin on one Drive does this even more while reducing performance.

The Drive works perfectly well on one fin, although at a greatly reduced thrust level and a very "spirited" rocking motion on the boat. Good to know if you ever lose a fin that you can still pedal home! (hint, looser fin = less rocking, greater forward thrust -- it does require getting used to. Try it!). 8)


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 9:34 pm 
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Roadrunner...Thanks for chiming in.....I have learned much from your work over the past 5 years I have owned first my Outback and now PA-14.....My theory is to "steal shamelessly" from the significant work/experimentation that you have done and I have always found the results to match my experiences....So again, thanks for the depth of your work and the clear, unbiased results you have posted. :D

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 02, 2015 9:15 am 
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Dr.SteelheadCatcher wrote:
My theory is to "steal shamelessly" from the significant work.... :D
Thanks for your kind comments! I do the same -- that's the great thing about the forum -- it serves as an incubator for innovation and problem solving. BTW this works out pretty well for Hobie as well. For example, some may recall that one of the popular Mirage models was originally suggested on a forum. Does anybody remember the model? 8)


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