I’m not a hydrodynamicist but I do recall reading about two good surfers who did some experimenting with speed foils. George Greenough and Nat Young come to mind and both guys have at one time or another reportedly used thin foils for maximum speed… GG on a windsurfer and NY on a surfboard at a world contest where he said he added bondo edges and foiled his fin thinner to maintain control and drive in unexpectedly big conditions. I have a photo of GG from a magazine where he is shown foiling a fin cut from stainless steel panel - thin but stiff… again, on a windsurfer where change in angle of attack would not be as important as in surfing in general day to day conditions.
I believe, as has already been stated in this thread, that some elements of fin foil design may have been compromised to some degree based on ease and expense of production.
I’m not a hydrodynamicist but I do recall reading about two good surfers who did some experimenting with speed foils. George Greenough and Nat Young come to mind and both guys have at one time or another reportedly used thin foils for maximum speed… GG on a windsurfer and NY on a surfboard at a world contest where he said he added bondo edges and foiled his fin thinner to maintain control and drive in unexpectedly big conditions. I have a photo of GG from a magazine where he is shown foiling a fin cut from stainless steel panel - thin but stiff… again, on a windsurfer where change in angle of attack would not be as important as in surfing in general day to day conditions.
I believe, as has already been stated in this thread, that some elements of fin foil design may have been compromised to some degree based on ease and expense of production.
