3 vs 5
The Bonzer 3 and 5 fin systems have similar performance characteristics.
The main difference is that the 5 fin setup is a bit quicker off the top, and is more maneuverable in the hook. This makes it more conducive to a contemporary approach to wave riding. The 3 or 5 fin systems can be used on any model. This will produce a slightly different feel in each, but inevitably, the shape of the board will determine more the way the board rides than the fin set up. For instance; putting the 5 fin setup on a Russ Short Model is not going to turn it into a contemporary shortboard.
MORE FROM MALCOLM:
"There are different performance characteristics between the 3 and 5 fin Bonzer fin systems, but it is not a simple case of one being superior to the other. The hydrodynamic principal is the same for each. Therefore the speed, drive, edge control, rail to rail transition and maneuverability are present in both the 3 and 5 fin setups. The differences present themselves in various ways depending on what template they are utilized on. Basically the five fin employs more fin area closer to the rail further up on the board. This provides a bit more hold and edge control in deep critical areas of the wave. Depending on the width of the tail this aspect will be more or less apparent. We haven’t done a one to one comparison on each of our models. A couple of years ago however I shaped Taylor Knox identical 5’11’’ Wi 5 models, one 3 fin and one 5 fin version. Taylor has been riding Bonzer 5s periodically for 23 years. He knows them well. This was his first experience riding a Bonzer 3 shaped the same as his Bonzer 5s. He really enjoyed giving the 3 fin a go. The two things he liked most were the high lines he could draw through critical sections backside and the drive he could initiate coming down the face after carving off the top. This was the case both frontside and backside. In final analysis though, he said that if he were to ride one in a contest he would choose the 5 fin. The Bonzer 5 is a bit quicker off the mark and just suits the modern shortboard style of surfing for this type of template shape. Over the years we have created a general pairing of the 3 and 5 fin systems with particular shapes in our range of boards, but this does not preclude mixing and matching according to a customer’s wish."
