ive just ordered a new board and am trying to decide on what fin to get.
ive bought an exite ride 120 JP, and it comes with a 35cm fin, as i will be using the board in a very wide sail range (up to 8m when necessary) would i get much more out of a 45cm fin?? ideally i would buy it to find out but the cost is holding me back. if i felt it would be a big improvement then i organise one for my birthday ....... any views would be appereciated

Hi Liam,
A couple of years ago the shops would have been pushing you up to a 45cm fin for a 120 volume and 8m, whereas now the manufacturers are going small to emphasis the throwabout feel of the boards. If you've bought the exite ride then you obviously like going fast, so maybe a bigger fin would help - poss a 40cm, but more upright than the 35cm. If you go big, theres a trade off on turning ability, but it might get you going earlier and hold you there through the lulls. What kind of sea do you sail on?

I've got a Radar 120 and that came with a 36cm fin I think - swept back. It gybes like a peach with that. I had a 44cm fin from my previous board, so for the first few sails when I had my 7.8m sail up, Istuck the bigger fin in. It instantly made the board dull to sail (and I'm no freestyle king), so I tried the 7.8m with the stock fin and it feels better all round. I've lost a little pointing ability, but overall it is much looser and I can't notice it planing any later. My guess is that something in between would be good, but don't go 45cm - you don't need it. Hope this helps.