Firewire Machado Sunday Surfboard Review Part 2 - Single Fin with side bites

Here is part 2 in the series. I'm going to surf the Firewire Machado Sunday as a Twin, Single w/Sidebites, Twin plus stabilizer, straight single, and a Tri fin. Each will be its own video.
Part 1 was done riding the Machado Keel Fins. • Firewire Machado Sunda...
Part 2 will be on the FCS 7" Single with small side bites.
After the last video, I'll publish a poll in the community section of my channel home page where you can vote which setup you think looks best.
I'm excited about this series. It should be fun and a great learning experience.
#firewiresurfboards
#robmachadosurfboards
‪@firewiresurfboards‬
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[@eddewes8409]

Great video I think you're the only guy posting these types of vids so valueable to us now I know the difference between a thruster a twinnie and a 1+2 set-up

[@fdelrio1967]

That’s the right terminology, 1+2 rather than 2+1. Logic speaks for itself.

[@buyusedpaycash7752]

liked the "on land" explanation....board in the air on shoulder, showing how the water to board interface pressure works...I've been surfing for 43 years and I still love learning the science behind it all....keep the content coming

[@MrRobinski]

try glass or honeycomb side bites instead of those super flexy nylon ones you might find more drive and positive feel.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Thanks. I did just buy a set of future SB1s. I think they are a little bigger than the ones I used so I will try that with a 6-in center fin and see how that goes.

[@cctcsc]

I have honeycomb small side bites on my CiMid and they work great!

[@davydtolyarenok3704]

Great job Thomye, cannot wait for the rest of the series. Cheers 🤙🏼🤙🏼

[@ODL957]

Great video thank you for sharing, definetly there is a great amount of knowledge to be share in each fin set up. Looking forward for the next series with the Sunday board.

[@lawson45uk]

Great review man loved that intro on the last one. Made me laugh and know that feeling. single fin that’s the way they are. You need to just ride the wave not force the board. It’s all flow on a single quite hard to drive through by making it but yeah it’s a nice feeling on the right wave 👍👍 Knowing a little bit about single and side bites that positioning looks sooooooooooo wrong..... Suprised they are even promoting it as that. I would expect it to be single only or twin only. Your surfing is very nice too by the way

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I really like the feeling of single +1. I will try single next time, but also, I will try and channel my flow and style to match. I do get often get hung up on a shortboard style. I do like the look of a classic style. I just need to practice and work on looking less spaz. :)

[@lawson45uk]

@@ThomyeSurfs Mate your surfing is great wish I was half as good. Different fin set ups almost suit or not depending on the wave really. Hard question I know as it's a small one your testing but If you could get a 7'0" down in the volume you Which would you go for Seaside and Beyond seaxe or this and why. I have eyed off all 3 and was looking at a seaside and beyond then seen this :-) lol Though I could probably go 6'4" for a very generous short board volume for our local wave single is harder to get going on boards under like 6'8" as you say and twins I can find too slippery

[@pointsofhonesty]

I hope firewire sees value in these videos, the people who are watching these are the ones who will invest and buy more boards. Maybe one day they will figure it out :-P

[@mootrail9487]

Ditch those draggy weak sauce sidebites and slam the 7" fin all the way forward. Then drop in, hit the bottom, turn HARD! Agree with the others, the overlapping boxes are totally wrong for a 2+1.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I was actually curious about the single fin position. Thanks for the info.

[@calebrodriguez3465]

@@ThomyeSurfs a 6 or 7 cutaway single fin would probably work better then the fin you but also like moo said, slam it all the way forward in the box

[@tckimx]

That is so helpful to see the mistake you are making on the wave and breaking down why that is happening with the board/fin setup after with you holding the board. More of that kind of breakdown would be super helpful for intermediate surfers learning to surf different types of boards and fins. I totally understand when you are talking about “nursing it” like a twin fin setup but others may not. Might be useful to do comparison video of how you should surf different types of fin setups. You probably already have enough footage to cobble something together. I picked up a bonzer recently and trying to figure out how to surf it has been a challenge. I think your single fin issue with the board flattening out when you push too hard too high on the wave might be exactly what I’ve been doing too. The bonzer has been a real puzzler.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Funny you mention Bonzer. I did a CI Bonzer demo. borrowed it for a week and never got used to it. Which I was really bummed about. But now that I'm more open to changing my style and method, I would like to try again. It's hard though, muscle memory makes you want to do the same thing even though you know you shouldn't. haha

[@tym9889]

Good idea on the multi-part review!

[@Tig3rV3nom]

Love the reviews! got that same wetsuit as well. Been loving it!

[@austingooder5863]

Loving the series! I currently surf a GoFish but something about this seems worth it, I’ll wait for video III

[@robhilton1126]

Hey Thomye, Love the video. Have you tried pushing the single fin all the way forward in the box? Will feel really loose and perhaps a little awkward for the first couple of waves, but it will fly in the high line. I agree with you in that if you try to drive it the same way as a thruster, quad, or twin, it won't react the same. But, the ride is magical when the board is placed in the right part of the wave. Again, really like the video

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I haven't tried that yet. With the side bites, I started with the fin in the middle and it felt ok but after I pushed it back, it actaully went better. However, without the side bites, I think you might be right. I remember watching Josh Kerr ripping on a single like it was a thruster and when he flipped the board over, there was a giant single fin way up the board, Much further up than one would think. anyways, I will definitely give that a go on my Single test. Yewww!!

[@Hotwire_RCTrix]

In days of old when one fin was all you had, the golden rule was you had to go to the bottom to turn. Turning on the face always caused spinouts. Praise the gurus of multiple fins, MR SA ...

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Amen to that

[@waikikiwilly13]

Great reviews T! Keep it up. I’m gonna agree with the other comment “stiffer side bites” will give more drive. True Ames has great ones in various sizes. Also, My experience with a similar board, the evil twin from lost, is that I ride the single with side bites when it’s fairly big, at least shoulder to well over head. Ill ride the twin with a stabilizer when it’s playful and still kinda sizable and the ill go to keels when it’s chest and under. I love the evil twin and have a 5’9 and 5’11. Must admit I really wanna give this board ago just to compare.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Thanks for the info. I will look into the side bites. I bought one new set but realize that having several sizes would be helpful. 👍

[@donatkinson1596]

Thanks for another great review! Looking forward to pt 3.

[@larrydowling5213]

It usually takes me a about 2 weeks to dial in a board. 🤙😷🇺🇲

[@anthonysiracuse8613]

Typically they call the twin with a trailer “twin plus 1” and this “2+1”

[@ThomyeSurfs]

yes, you are correct. :)

[@cbliddiard]

Have you tried surfing just the single fin? It prob will go better with that board. It looks like the side box's are set too far back to be ideal as a 2+1 or 1+2 as you called it. It is a trade off to have the side box's set so its good as a twin and a 2+1. You were surfing well for a new fin set up,keep at it.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

not yet. I think I will do single last. I want to down to San O or Church to try it. Not sure that is fair to the other fins but it would nice to have a slightly longer rind.

[@Offshore52]

looks like this won't become a blockbuster board.

[@koichihashikawa8738]

Like your reviews! Did you try single only without side bites? I wonder if it still holds.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

i have not yet but I think i will make that part 4 of this series. it might work if I push the single fin up a bit in the box. I had it further back when running the side bites. In the intro to the video, I had it sort of in the middle but when in the water, I pushed it almost all the way back. I think single would work great in a point break. I might head to church to test that. but before I do, I need to watch a good 5 hours of Devon Howard videos. haha

[@shannonyoung5382]

Have you thought about using an X-Large thruster fin set up? In stead of the long board thruster fin & side bites???

[@ThomyeSurfs]

yes, in fact, I bought the harley ingleby back fin for the longboard fin box. I think it is 5.5". that will be part 4 or 5. I haven't figured out the order yet. I think it will go very good as a thruster, at least for stability, predictability, and drive. although the large/extra large fins might hurt pivot and release. We'll see. :)

[@shannonyoung5382]

@@ThomyeSurfs Ha! I was gonna recommend the Harley Ingleby fins. Sick! Can’t wait to see that review. LET’S GO!!!💪

[@dvsone999]

Dying to get one of these 😢

[@ThomyeSurfs]

tomorrow is the day. all firewires go on sale 20% off. also, some Sunday's are already on sale for $600 at certain stores.

[@calebrodriguez3465]

A cutaway fin would probably work better then the single fin you used

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I had to google what a cutaway fin was. haha thanks for the info. I actually have one of those but didn't think to use it.

[@calebrodriguez3465]

@@ThomyeSurfs I'm going off of my dad, he likes his board real loose and runs a single 6.5in cutaway with no sidebites on a midget smith 9'5 exopy HP longboard

[@jaimemunoz9849]

Try to get a center fin that's a cutaway 6.0- 6.5 and better side fins something like fcs performer mid.

[@timbior]

Great video!! You seemed to surf more fluid on the previous fin set up. It looks like the board stalls a little on transition in turns with that set up. But, It looks like a great board, does the Helium construction yellow after time??

[@ThomyeSurfs]

yes, over time. but, I thought I read the changed some things so I will have to see. For me, as much as I hate the yellowing, the trade off is good. durable super light board. I end up painting it down the road anyways.

[@boltup5566]

Did the surf shop recommend a 7" fin on a 6' board? It seems way too much fin for that size board. My 7'0 midlength has a 6.5 inch fin with 3.25 inch fins. I've heard you want the single fin to be about the size of the board. 9' longboards use 9 inch fins. and 7' boards use 7" inch fins. Have you tried it with the 7" by itself? I wonder how that would go.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

No, I picked the 7" on my own. After surfing it with the big Machado Keels, I thought I wanted as much surface area as possible. After my test, I might try bigger side bites with a smaller center fin. maybe a 6". I think the 7" will be good as a single only (no side bites). Not sure which side bites though. I ordered the SB1 for futures. If this next test work better, I'll post it but if it ends up the same or worse, then I won't bother. Having said that, I have run it has a 2 +1, TWIN plus stabilizer, and it went better in certain ways. Anyways, I love testing all the options. It has been so much fun and informative. Can't wait to post the next vlog.

[@onshore1ft]

A 6 inch raked flex fin with Futures SB1 would probably be better. Also need to move the fin further to the back of the box to increase drive.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@onshore1ft yeah, right after that first wave, I moved the fin all the way back in the water. The setup that I had in the video in the parking lot wasn't exactly what I surfed. Definitely went better with the fins spread out a bit.

[@jengbergseq]

I would suggest riding it in bigger more powerful surf as a solo single fin. Or even a solo single in the small stuff, this would be even less drag. Also moving the fin fore and aft changes it a lot. But try it without the side bites. Take Nick Carroll’s word for it. www.surfline.com/surf-news/turn-single-fin/89172

[@ThomyeSurfs]

right on. I will definitely put that on the list of things to try. It's so cool to have the option to try it. Now, I just need to go to San O or Church in bigger surf. :)

[@konews_8627]

Hi there, I ordered the Sunday 6.8 yesterday and the board is on shipping to South Korea. (I think I would be the first one to have the Sunday in South Korea hahahaha) Your review on the Sunday have helped me a lot to finally get one. Your channel is one of my favorites to check. I gonna to put 2+1 setup, needing more stability cuz of my spot being not that glassy. So, it is exciting to wait your another review of fin setups. By the way, I want to email on my purchase with your channel to FireWire. Where can I get the address to send to ?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

firewire has a contact us page www.firewiresurfboards.com/pages/contact-support-page oh, btw, if you are going to run a 2 +1 vs a 1 +2, you will want to look at this fin. www.realwatersports.com/products/futures-lost-single-fin-3-625-smoke/?gclid=CjwKCAjwv_iEBhASEiwARoemvHUuxr6aS2NOLz-1JwmEGJdtURPuIvxUB5Z8jVazTjhs7SS3pbHddhoCTnUQAvD_BwE I just ordered this for my 2 +1 setup. :)

[@konews_8627]

@@ThomyeSurfs I already got a 2-+1 fins as this www.surfers.co.kr/shop/shopdetail.html?branduid=485248&NaPm=ct%3Dkopdp4zp%7Cci%3Dcheckout%7Ctr%3Dppc%7Ctrx%3D%7Chk%3Db52b846814f9aa79c9b0f293eee33c1f06b94f09

[@Mark_Thompson]

I was told the Sunday was meant to ride as a single or twin but not a three fin. Because of how and where the fin boxes are placed. But why not experiment. Go gettum!

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I was told the same thing but I have trouble with my backhand with a dedicated twin. The 1+2 works great though too. I have a 6'8 that I'm running a 6" center with 4" wide bites. surfs amazing.

[@pjrodriguez9755]

I just bought a seaside did I make a mistake?

[@ThomyeSurfs]

LOL. no, seaside rocks. this board is a great addition, very versatile. but Seaside is user friendly and is basically like staple

[@andrewmanger3841]

That fin is way too big, try a 6.25 “.

[@jeankim91]

would you recommend this board for a beginner / intermediate looking to downsize from a mini mal? will obviously try to size up the next board to not sacrifice too much volume. and fwiw im 5’3 about 115 lbs and not looking to surf waves over 4ft. the waves i surf look similar to those at bolsa chica.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Do you know the volume of your Mini Mal? Even without knowing all the info, yes I would recommend this board. Here are some reasons: the board is very user friendly. It didn't seem to dig rail, catch, do anything surprising, or wasn't particularly hard to turn. You will already be familiar with the fin setup so what you really want quite literally is downsize. The 6'0 that I'm riding is 38 l; the 6'4 is 45 l. I expect that your Mini Mal is somewhere in the 50 to 60 l. So far I have ridden it as a twin and that went really well. Single with side bites also went well but particularly with catching waves. Not as friendly for turning but still more manageable than my 7'6 Seaxe which is probably closer to a Mini Mal. So from what I know right now, yes I would recommend this.

[@jeankim91]

@@ThomyeSurfs thank you so much for the detailed reply! yes correct my mini mal is 55L, an absolute tank. the 6’4 sounds like a good next step. ill keep an eye out for any 6 feeters that come back in stock. thanks again!

[@charleshawk6668]

I’m a beginner/intermediate and picked up the 7’3. Works great. I usually surf softer waves like p.b, o.b and scrips here in San Diego. I’m 5’7 165 pounds.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

@@charleshawk6668 what fins are you planning to run?

[@charleshawk6668]

@@ThomyeSurfs I’m currently using the future Machado keels at the moment. I saw what looked like a new Machado fin on Instagram, but it looks like it only comes in FCS2 at the moment.

[@MaKsPuA]

HELP NEEDED: I have a Misfit 5.8 Skatey 2 with f6 fins but i found that setup not stable enough for me. Do you think a single fin setup will be better ? Currently i am surfing a 80 liter foam board, i improved a lot and i want to switch back to a more manoeuvrable board. What you guyz would recommend me ? i am 1m71 for 63kg thanks

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Sorry for the late response. I think this was right in the middle of my bout with covid. Anyways, since you are looking to go down from your foamy (80L), I would say go with a quad or 5 fin setup that allows you to go quad vs a single fin. The only reason single fins might seem stable is that most single fins are bigger. In fact, mid lengths like the CI mid and others are meant for better waves. You want something more stable, easy and forgiving. With that said, how tall is your misfit and how many liters.

[@MaKsPuA]

@@ThomyeSurfs Thanks for your response. my misfit is a 5.8 for 32 liters. What do you think about keel twin fins ?

[@ThePokersurfer]

Backside didn't look conducive at all ....... Me thinks stand alone fin is your best bet with dialing in the best position. Obviously the twin looked the best but me thinks a more upright version would put score the keels IMO.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

I think you are right. I am trying the futures en twin fins and that at least backside with a small stabilizer is going much better.

[@ThePokersurfer]

@@ThomyeSurfs it's really interesting how you and I are so alike per experimenting over the past decade dialing in on ideal templates and fin configurations 🍻

[@brinthair]

I don't like

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Thanks for your honest opinion. :) super appreciated.

[@taradead]

Looks awful...really slow and boring.

[@ThomyeSurfs]

Lol.