So I want to get some ideas from fellow Swaylafarians about what would be a more user friendly fin setup and board for a favorite spot of mine where the kelp can sometimes bring my single -fin, 7’10" egg to a dead stop. (I, of course, continue my forward momentum until "sticking my landing " with an ungainly faceplant!) Let’s just say I’m "hooked " on surfing this lovely Monterey Bay spot despite that drawback, if you get my drift. 
I also enjoy a couple of other spots where the kelp can be heavy enough to be an impediment.
An additional challenge is that I can’t pop up as quickly as when I was younger, and that little delay often puts me right into a kelp paddy as I’m getting to my feet. (At least it’s a frontside wave for me.)
What do you think? A fish -type template with shallow twin or quad fins? Something like a Bluegill or mini Simmons but with increased volume? A finless board with deep channels? (I just saw a very cool one at the San Diego Surf Film Festival.) I’ll be very interested in your opinions, thanks in advance.
Besides whatever suggestions that will be more relevent to your expectations, if you’re open minded, you might consider a mat.
A very pure waveriding experience! And a really challenging and rewarding learning curve.
Have you tried a quad or thruster at this spot? Single fins the worst for kelp. Good to see you back posting, art4peace.
Can you comment on how well your combo works and whether you think the concept could be carried over into the longer lengths?
Kelp beds tend to slow waves down.
I had Doc make me a 6’6" USO finless specifically for heavy kelp areas. Works perfectly, doesn’t react to kelp noticeably at all.
And what is the solution to the leach problem? No leach?
Let the blood letting begin… don’t worry, leaches don’t like salt water.
How about a 3’ waist leash? No hanging ten tho’.
How did you arrive at fin placement on this board, and how does it perform differently as a result of the fins? Are those bonzer runner fins?
Any more pictures / description of this one?
This would work…
Here’s another pic of the tail. Rides great, takes a bit of getting used to how it turns, have to ease it from close to the middle. It does not like steep waves, better on waves with some slope, and catches them with ease probably due to the amount of foam in the tail. Can’t imagine anything better in kelp. For the leash, what I do is put a bungee around my waist and pull a loop of leash up into it. Keeps the leash agains my leg and I have my knee bent up with my feet close to the rail. When I pop up, the leash easily pulls out of the bungee, never notice it.
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It isn’t mine, found it on Kneeboard Surfing USA forum over 10 years ago,
1991 - Shaped by randy walker[thats him]out of pearson-santa cruz.Team riders all said it worked quite well in juicy waves.6 deep channels-the spines [fins are hand laid] Says it’s a bitch to get it right .not very practical but…bit narrow to be Knee’d.
I made a fish around that time and used that layout,
Small wedgey keels right on the rails, growing out of deep thru channels.
Went well in glassy conditions and tailslides were a blast (if intended), skipped out badly on chop. Fixed that by grinding off the centre fin and putting one an inch taller. Was my fave board for a long time, want to revisit it sometime.
---------EDIT----------
Had to do a fair bit of digging, but found some photos at last.
Build thread here, http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/78091#comment-78091
Found a pic of the fins it had when it died,
