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True Ames
Channel Islands Tri
The Channel Islands thruster set in solid fiberglass, Futures compatible, in three sizes.A three-fin set drawn with the Channel Islands team around Al Merrick’s shortboards, and one of the longest-standing templates in the True Ames range.
★★★★★5.0 (63)
In Stock
$128.50
new customer discount · applied automatically at checkout
Fin SystemFutures
Size
Color
Designer: Al Merrick
The Fin
The Channel Islands thruster set in solid fiberglass, Futures compatible, in three sizes.
A three-fin set drawn with the Channel Islands team around Al Merrick’s shortboards, and one of the longest-standing templates in the True Ames range. Flat foil, balanced flex, and a size run — small, medium and large — so the set can be matched to the rider rather than bought one-size-fits-all.
How that reads
A clean flat foil and moderate flex give drive that arrives smoothly rather than all at once, and let the tail release at the end of a turn instead of holding on past where you wanted it. Size is the decision to make here: the larger the fin, the more area holding the tail down through a bottom turn and the more effort it takes to break free; the smaller, the looser and the less it will anchor in a steep face.
Who it suits
Shortboards with three plugs, in everyday surf through to good waves. It is a general-purpose set rather than a specialist one — speed, control and smooth turning across a wide range of boards and conditions, which is why the template has stayed in the line so long.
If this is not the one
Want the bigger, higher-rake CI template for FCS boxes? The True Ames CI Channel Islands Tri Large - FCS Compatible (Solid Fiberglass). Want that one lighter? The True Ames CI Channel Islands Tri Large Hexcore (FCS).
Specifications
ConstructionSolid fiberglass
ConfigurationThruster — three fins
FoilFlat
Made byTrue Ames, Santa Barbara CA
SizesSmall – Large
Colors2 options
Price Range$128.50
AvailabilityIn Stock
From True Ames
Lively yet predictable — enough drive and hold to commit a turn, enough release to come off it cleanly.
Our take
This is the thruster you reach for when you want responsive, conventional performance surfing across everyday conditions: it drives, holds, and releases without locking you into one kind of turn. If your board is a glider or mid-length and you want long flowing trim, the Boomerang Tri is the better-matched set.
More About This Fin
The True Ames Channel Islands Tri is a thruster set built around the CI template, Futures compatible in solid fiberglass. It has moderate rake, a clean foiled section, and balanced flex. The set comes in Small, Medium, and Large, sized by rider weight and board, and is intended for shortboards and performance hybrids.
Similar Fins
Mentioned in the review — Boomerang Tri — not something we carry.