finless...

Quote:
I have a 6'6 Alaia that trims, turns and cuts back as well as any finned board I've ever owned. But I kind of agree that making foam boards without fins seems like riding a bike with the front wheel removed just because you're good at doing wheelie!

Wooah … statement of the year.

Either you’ve had some really shit boards or you need to learn to turn.

Fair dinkum !!!

Reality check please waiter.

Cheers

Mooneemick

Follow up to the above post.

I want to see the photos of these massive hacks on finless boards.

I think it’s great to experiment and have a little slide or two , that’s fun.

But keep it in perspective.

Cheers

Mooneemick

Well first off, humbly, I am not claiming anything original or “one-up” on anything that has been done before.

The first humans surfed with out fins; modern man has also. I am not trying to take credit for finless surfing.

Actually very thankful for the others who have, for the monumental inspiration.

I love to watch boogies in the surf. Rode one myself when was just a little guy floating around my local white wash beach.

To see M. Stewart on videos is a lovely way to to experience wave riding.

The Wegener clan on the alaias is another.

Also modern super men surfers are amazing in the water.

Surfing done right, on whatever type or lack of type, is fun for me to watch.

I am experimenting for reasons complete and to myself. Fun.

Yes, it’s true, I am having fun riding my boards without fins; sliding slipping 360 blah blah blah

The above boards that I have made with B. Miller have been made for me after riding almost all of boards without fins.

Then making the channel bottoms in evolution of what works for me and where I want my surfboard to go.

That being said, here in Santa Cruz we get a large spectrum of waves to ride.

I am not taking these boards to The Lane or heavier waves up north.

Just enjoying the many mellow right hand points and reef breaks.

No attempt to break performance barriers or pull in on the gnar waves of the world.

No pictures or video as of me as of yet.

I would like to see some too…

Mostly just wanted to share these boards to others who might be interested.

Oh, yeah. Got the new epoxy giant gold fish of a slab of soap out the last two days and it works really, really well. That parabolic curve in the tail really seems to hold in the pocket. First of the finless boards that can come around a section through the wash, actually wanting to pass friend longboarder who was in front of me in the wash. Later in the session same guy was on his hull and was really enjoying coming up behind me with a lot of speed and flipping me over or flying underneath me, laughing, in his bottom turns. So it actually was going slow in comparrison to his board but, for me I was enjoing just trimming at the speed of the wave right in the pocket the whole time.

brian has been blowing my mind with his finless surfing- just ripping!


Hey motif

I was’nt trying to denigrate anyone for experimenting with finless boards, like I said it’s fun and I say good on you for looking outside the box. I’ve watched some very talented surfers riding finless craft including a local guy Sage Joske who rides them as well as anyone. Having seen him surf on all manner of boards from thrusters when he was at WQS level to the fishes and his amazing old mal act , I am yet to see him or anyone else turn or cutback a finless board as well as a finned board. I will admit they have great trim speed and can be turned quite hard, it’s just when claims are made, (not by you I know) that they turn and cutback as well as any finned board I’m inclined to call BS on it.

I have seen photos of Sage, Harley Ingelby and Rasta doing some turns which are impressive when put in the perspective of what’s being ridden.

Anyway … enjoy the ride

Cheers

Mooneemick

Hey bjis

Guess it’s one of those things that feels more than it looks. That’s what surfing is about after all… chasing a feeling.

I give credit to anyone who can ride those boards.

Now if you could just bring that cuttie all the way around for a big foam bounce…

Cheers

Mooneemick

“Guess it’s one of those things that feels more than it looks”.

Made me think straight away of a DVD someone just gave me to watch of a bunch of middle aged guys on their Indo boat trip.

All riding regular thrusters and geez did they look slow and their turns were 1/2 arsed.

They really should/could have been on longboards to at least have nice flow. (nothing wrong with longboards)

No doubt they thought they were ripping from their own point of view.

More surfers should take a look at themselves on video. A humbling experience because the turns that can feel so great may not look quite so radical from behind the lense.

Quote:
More surfers should take a look at themselves on video. A humbling experience because the turns that can feel so great may not look quite so radical from behind the lense.

True statement of the year. It would likely calm things down in the water considerably and make it more fun for everyone…esp the humbled! Been there and done that myself…

I am in complete agreement with you. It is a big part of the trip, at least for me; no cutbacks.

So far I have found that tail can slide up, back and redirect but; in no way is it the same as a finned board on edge.

For me it can’t be the same; that’s why there are fins so you can turn and direct yourself through the water on them.

Not taking anything away from others who believe so or do so. This has only been my experience on my finless boards.

I am trying to learn new ways to get around and move through the water without that fin or fins.

Just like riding a modern thruster changes your ability to noseride.

Not that it cannot be done; I have seen plenty on guys hang five off their 6’2’’ chips.

Just that it is nowhere near a guy on a 10’ hog really dangling everything off the end of the board.

It is just different way of approaching the wave.

Maybe we just need some new surf terms.

Slideback… Bottomslip… MyboardisslidingasssoI’lljustdoa360turn…

Whatever the case may be, like you said, enjoy the ride.

Quote:
No doubt they thought they were ripping from their own point of view.

More surfers should take a look at themselves on video. A humbling experience because the turns that can feel so great may not look quite so radical from behind the lense.

With all due respect cuttlefish, that quote blows goats.

Howzit motif, Last week we had the annual Volcom contest here which I judge. A good friend brought down a 10 ft finless wood board and a Tom Blake hollow replica, Danny Fuller and Kamalei Alexander rode them and had a ball. The Tom Blake has a small rudder fin and seemed to work the best. Talked to Kamalei the other dya about riding the finless and he said he would love to ride it more so he could figure out how good it really rides. Aloha,Kokua

http://www.wetsand.com/videos/v/20081107/walkin__blues-5955.html

Don’t forget skimboarders?

They’re making fools of us.

Nice piece of design work…looks like it should penetrate the boundary layer.

Glad you brought up boundary layer…ther is new research information.

"Why a Speeding Shark is Like a Golf Ball

Sharks Raise Their Scales to Dimple Their Skin Like the Surface of a Golf Ball…

Shortfin mako sharks can shoot through the ocean at up to 50 miles per hour (80 kilometres an hour). Now a trick that helps them to reach such speeds has been discovered – the sharks can raise their scales to create tiny wells across the surface of their skin, reducing drag like the dimples on a golf ball."

[Mako Shark and golf ball]

(ABC News Photo Illustration)

The minute scales – just 200 micrometers long – are made from tough enamel, such as that found on teeth, giving the skin a rough texture like sandpaper. Lying flat, they had previously been found to reduce drag as the shark swims.

more

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=6209299&page=1

Hey don’t ruin my fun!

Ridiculous exaggerations are part of the surfing life! That’s why overhead waves are only called 3 foot in Hawaii, and why most surfers ride plain white 6’2 thrusters (so they can come out and say did you see my awesome hack?..yeah of course that was me!!!)

I admit…maybe not as good as ANY finned board, but it’s still a cutback! If I get overenthusiastic you’ll just have to forgive me!

It’s all in the name of fun, the last thing I want is to ever take it seriously!

Cheers,

BJ.

Whether you like to think of your surfboards as serious recreational sporting equipment, life partner or just a toy…it should always be fun.

As far as the boundary layer and shark skin doing what not…cool. Sharks are fascinating creatures but dolphins are my buddies.

…had a seal ride a wave with me once and that was fun for both of us.

Long may you ride.

funny,

I just brought my finless board to bed with my girlfriend and she did not like something coming between us.

Even tried bringing in the hull for all those great curves…

Freshly oiled alaia… maybe, baby…

nah. didn’t go so well.

but she let me leave my swim fins on

all in fun

without that?