QS BIG WAVE
Built for big wave surfing. Maximum rake (22°) and deep sweep (8°) for directional stability and grip at high speed. Biomimetic leading-edge tubercles maintain control when it matters most. +81% lift vs FCS M-5.
BIG WAVE
vs FCS M-5
Direct comparison against the market reference fin. Prandtl lifting-line analytical model, V=7.5 m/s. BIG WAVE L nearly doubles FCS M-5 lift thanks to larger area and optimized rake and sweep for big wave surfing.
| Metric | BIG WAVE L | FCS M-5 | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average lift | 292.0 N | 129.3 N | +126% |
| Max L/D | 8.88 | 4.48 | +98% |
| Max CL | 1.01 | 0.92 | +10% |
Specifications
Dimensions and materials
Available sizes
| Size | Base | Height | Rake | Sweep | Profile | Tubercle amplitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L | 130 mm | 160 mm | 20° | 7° | NACA 0012 | 1.50 mm |
| XL | 142 mm | 175 mm | 22° | 8° | NACA 0012 | 1.64 mm |
| XXL | 152 mm | 190 mm | 24° | 9° | NACA 0015 | 1.78 mm |
Tubercle amplitude auto-scaled with height. All sizes maintain optimized biomimetic proportions. XXL uses NACA 0015 for structural rigidity in extreme conditions.
Biomimetics for big waves
Tubercles that maintain grip
3 leading-edge tubercle cycles, amplitude auto-scaled by size. They delay stall and maintain attached flow at high angles of attack — critical in big waves where losing grip is not an option.
Tubercles
Megaptera novaeangliae3 leading-edge cycles. Amplitude 1.50–1.78 mm by size. Delay stall and improve control at high angles of attack. Estimated CL max increase of ~10-25% vs equivalent geometry without tubercles.
Deep rake
20°–24°The most aggressive rake in the QS catalog. Provides superior directional stability and grip retention at high speeds. The fin stays locked into the wave face when other designs lose hold.
Extreme sweep
7°–9°High sweep projects the fin backwards, maximizing base and area for +17% lift vs ALLROUND in the same size. Ideal for surfers needing traction and control in XXL waves.
vs ALLROUND
Size L comparison. BIG WAVE generates +17% lift across the entire AoA range thanks to greater area, with practically identical L/D and CL max. The extra rake and sweep provide the directional stability the ALLROUND lacks for big waves.
| Metric | ALLROUND L | BIG WAVE L | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 150 mm | 160 mm | +7% |
| Base | 115 mm | 130 mm | +13% |
| Rake | 15° | 20° | +33% |
| Sweep | 5° | 7° | +40% |
| Lift 5° | 99.1 N | 116.8 N | +18% |
| Lift 20° | 398.8 N | 467.3 N | +17% |
CFD
Validated simulation
Dual validation: Prandtl lifting-line analytical model + OpenFOAM simpleFoam CFD with k-ω SST. snappyHexMesh mesh (~57K cells coarse). Fluid: seawater at 7.5 m/s.
Analytical model — Prandtl lifting-line
| BIG WAVE L (H=160, B=130, rake=20°, sweep=7°, NACA 0012) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Angle | Lift (N) | Drag (N) | L/D |
| 5° | 116.8 | 13.16 | 8.88 |
| 10° | 233.6 | 34.68 | 6.74 |
| 15° | 350.5 | 151.73 | 2.31 |
| 20° | 467.3 | 416.15 | 1.12 |
CL max: 1.006 (at 20°) · L/D max: 8.88 (at 5°) · Avg lift (5°-20°): 292.0 N · Avg drag: 153.9 N
| BIG WAVE XL (H=175, B=142, rake=22°, sweep=8°, NACA 0012) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Angle | Lift (N) | Drag (N) | L/D |
| 5° | 139.5 | 15.58 | 8.95 |
| 10° | 279.0 | 41.36 | 6.75 |
| 15° | 418.4 | 182.29 | 2.30 |
| 20° | 557.9 | 500.04 | 1.12 |
CL max: 1.005 (at 20°) · L/D max: 8.95 (at 5°) · Avg lift (5°-20°): 348.7 N · Avg drag: 184.8 N
| BIG WAVE XXL (H=190, B=152, rake=24°, sweep=9°, NACA 0015) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Angle | Lift (N) | Drag (N) | L/D |
| 5° | 166.8 | 19.43 | 8.59 |
| 10° | 333.7 | 49.16 | 6.79 |
| 15° | 500.5 | 208.06 | 2.41 |
| 20° | 667.4 | 583.07 | 1.14 |
CL max: 1.002 (at 20°) · L/D max: 8.59 (at 5°) · Avg lift (5°-20°): 417.1 N · Avg drag: 214.9 N
Prandtl lifting-line analytical results. Model without tubercles. Production geometry (v2026.07) includes tubercles that increase CL max ~10-25% and delay stall.
CFD — OpenFOAM simpleFoam (k-ω SST, 57K cell coarse mesh)
CD/CL corrected with actual reference area per size (planform area). Drag includes FCS II tab contribution (~10-15% of total).
| BIG WAVE L (NACA 0012, Aref=0.01612 m²) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angle | Drag (N) | Lift (N) | CD | CL | L/D |
| 0° | 13.33 | 2.71 | 0.0287 | 0.0059 | 0.20 |
| 5° | 12.38 | 20.76 | 0.0266 | 0.0447 | 1.68 |
| 10° | 12.09 | 39.61 | 0.0261 | 0.0852 | 3.27 |
| 15° | 13.54 | 62.55 | 0.0291 | 0.1347 | 4.63 |
| BIG WAVE XL (NACA 0012, Aref=0.01926 m²) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angle | Drag (N) | Lift (N) | CD | CL | L/D |
| 0° | 13.37 | 0.86 | 0.0241 | 0.0016 | 0.06 |
| 5° | 13.27 | 21.93 | 0.0239 | 0.0395 | 1.65 |
| 10° | 13.20 | 46.89 | 0.0238 | 0.0844 | 3.55 |
| 15° | 13.47 | 75.76 | 0.0242 | 0.1364 | 5.64 |
| BIG WAVE XXL (NACA 0015, Aref=0.02310 m²) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angle | Drag (N) | Lift (N) | CD | CL | L/D |
| 0° | 16.13 | -0.21 | 0.0242 | -0.0003 | — |
| 5° | 16.20 | 26.78 | 0.0243 | 0.0402 | 1.65 |
| 10° | 16.05 | 54.53 | 0.0241 | 0.0819 | 3.40 |
| 15° | 15.44 | 88.02 | 0.0232 | 0.1322 | 5.70 |
Simulations without tubercles. Coarse mesh (57K cells) underestimates lift due to boundary layer resolution — relative trends between sizes are more reliable than absolute values. Tubercles (3 cycles, 1.5-1.78 mm amplitude) show positive effect at 15° with most notable improvement in XXL (+26% lift vs without tub). Fine mesh (≥300K cells) required to fully capture stall delay and CL max increase attributable to tubercles (estimated ~10-25%).
Production
STL files ready to manufacture
9 high-resolution STL files: 3 sizes × 3 variants (right/left/center). Tactile R/L/C marking on front FCS II tab. Additive manufacturing in PA-CF or SLA.
| Size | Position | File | Size | Vertices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L | Right (starboard) | bigwave_L_R.stl | 2.06 MB | 129,828 |
| Left (port) | bigwave_L_L.stl | 1.78 MB | 111,966 | |
| Center | bigwave_L_C.stl | 2.08 MB | 131,106 | |
| XL | Right (starboard) | bigwave_XL_R.stl | 2.11 MB | 132,738 |
| Left (port) | bigwave_XL_L.stl | 1.79 MB | 112,926 | |
| Center | bigwave_XL_C.stl | 2.12 MB | 133,314 | |
| XXL | Right (starboard) | bigwave_XXL_R.stl | 2.18 MB | 136,998 |
| Left (port) | bigwave_XXL_L.stl | 1.86 MB | 117,186 | |
| Center | bigwave_XXL_C.stl | 2.18 MB | 137,178 |
Tactile marking on front FCS II tab: embossed R (right), L (left), C (center) — 2 mm tall, 0.8 mm relief. BIG WAVE L is geometrically identical to DRIVE L (same FinParams) — differentiation is exclusively marketing and catalog.
Materials
Built for extreme conditions
PA-CF (carbon-fiber nylon) with epoxy coating and carbon fiber reinforcement. FCS II system. Engineered to withstand the extreme forces of big wave surfing.
Extreme grip
175 mm height (XL) with 22° rake and 8° sweep. The combination of larger area and aggressive angles provides unmatched traction on vertical faces.
Directional stability
Deep rake and high sweep keep the fin locked into the wave. Where other fins lose grip and slide out, BIG WAVE keeps tracking.
For big waves
Not an everyday fin. Built for serious sessions, consequential waves and surfers who need absolute confidence in their equipment.