I've mentioned the In-Line fin design I've been working on many times before. I started playing with and designing fins on my first board 34 years ago, and after trying pretty much everything I ended up with the in-line design.
I'm not the first to do it and I'm not claiming that. But I've been refining this for over 15 years now, in my head, my hands, on boards and in the water.
Due to circumstances, lack of pics, lack of boards, lack of living near waves, and actual lack of fins, I've never really been able to share here. Well, I'm now in a better position to show them, share info on them, and try and answer any questions people may have.
First a couple of older ones from about 6 months ago. Then the latest ones on my little 508 with the little side fins.
(Not sure why the pics don't display, they did on the other thread)
i tried my hand a laying up a fin panel with bamboo veneer offcuts yesterday - went to foil them today and the layers seperated some while cutting them out. i plan on trying it again with some fiberglass between each layer. i will have to take away a couple layers to compensate for the thickness of the glass. i did not put them in the bag - just put some weight on the panel - maybe that had something to do with it also.......did you put glass in between layers or just resin?
Everysurfer, the ride is pretty smooth, something I've always liked about single fins. Problem was to try and turn easier you put the fin forward, which made the board spin out with the extra area created behind the fin. So logically another fin helps. I'm into putting the centre-of-effort under my feet, not at the tail.
I haven't tried the little side fins yet. Feedback was that guys felt the rail wasn't gripping, which I think is people being so used to rail fins these days. And I just have to get over the fact that side fins have a function, I just don't want them dominating the feel.
I'll be in SoCal in a bit over a month and looking forward to some long overdue waves under my feet. Hanging out to try the little module with all the fins.
I glued (epoxy) and vacuumed about 13 layers of 0.6mm bamboo veneer, which gives about the thickness of a box, give or take. Then just cut them out, foiled them, and laminated 2x4oz cloth both sides, not on the flange tabs. Then sanded and coated, and fine sanded and waxed to finish.
The bigger ones I wanted thicker so bonded on a 3mm layer of hd foam on each side. Then just did the same as above.
Sizes.......the big ones are about 200mm (8") deep, and 225mm (9") rake, give or take about 13mm thick. The smaller rear centre fin is about 130mm(4 3/4") and 140mm(5 1/2") rake, about 7mm.
The side ones are asymetrical so 90mm(3 1/2") by 100mm(4") and only about 6mm thick. I made a couple of different sizes in each one with some variation. Splay is about 10 degrees, toe about 2 degrees.
Positioning is variable, these boxes allow over an inch in movement. Big fin about 300mm(12") back fin about 75mm(3") and sides about 280mm(11")
The board is 1.5lb eps, nothing hidden internally, nothing difficult to make, just the bamboo panels as you see them. I wanted the bigger spring on the bottom and the other section on the deck to keep between my feet stiffer. Sealed and glassed 2 x 4oz on the deck and 2.5oz + 4oz on the bottom. I wanted it light, ended up at just inder 2.2kg.
Actually I tell a lie......the top two boards were different construction. They were both reject blanks I cut down. The first one just has the bamboo panel, the shape on the bottom.
The other one had carbon tubes inside, where the pin-lines are.
Both of these were 1.5lb eps, 4+4oz deck, 2.5+4oz bottom. No, not really standard FW construction at all. I just looked for the simple way out, quick and easy.
Have you tried the smaller fin in front and larger one in the back yet?
Post those on the Firewire forum and you’ll have the converted frothing.
I’m still having enough fun trying out fins on my 6’6" Addvance.
Edit: Just scrolled back up the page after posting and in the column to the right of Wildy’s post is an ad for “meet pretty Thai women” which I thought was ironic considering Greg’s location.
Oh man those look nice Greg. I’ve been dreaming about making another in-line since I snapped my 6’1 in 2008- I don’t think you were around when I made that one.
They go vertical very smooth but also feel so good in the tube. I felt
like I could stay deeper in the tube sometimes because the foam didn’t
hit the side fin and knock me off.
Riding in-lines improved my surfing so much because I learned to use the rail. You have to keep your foot centered over the fin, not depending on the rail fin to hold you up on steep parts of the wave, though the back fin helps with that. I think tucking the rail more in the back 1/3 of the board compensates
slightly for the lack of rail fin.
If you need help testing them, maybe in some uncrowded northern Baja reefs, let me know
[img_assist|nid=1049702|title=6'1 balsa in-line single fin|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=373|height=258]
Cuttlefish, a friend tried one big fin back and liked it. Depending on conditions you can do whatever you like, but I prefer the centre of effort under my feet. As for the forum, not a bad idea. Not the internet variety, some of the girls working here not only do good work, they look good while doing it. Can't say that for 100% of the other boardmakers I've worked for. Blokes mostly.
Wavewrangler, your comments ring very true with me. I plan on getting to northern Baja one day, although the loco bandito danger element seems a bit deterring at the moment.
I've just had such good sensations on this fin set-up, in both perfect and junk surf. Happy to hear more people are trying variations. Designed right, made right and surfed right the performance has surpassed anything else I've tried, drive, hold, speed, manouverability. But I am already converted so don't listen to me.
..."I'll be in SoCal in a bit over a month and looking forward to some long overdue waves under my feet. Hanging out to try the little module with all the fins.
Greg"
mate , i hope you can take a few boards and fins there , and get a few guys STOKED [herb , resinhead come to mind ...maybe rooster , too?]
those saw blade fins are rad ,
just watch you don't do a groin injury like mine eh ? [it would be the wild chainsaw tiefin massacre, relived!]
keep up the experimenting : while the boss is away the finrats do play!
cheers mate
ben
p.s. - maybe you can try to convert simon and he could bring a board and fins with him , for moonfish and chipfish to try out ?!
This might be asking to much. But, Gee i’d love to see one in action.
You can almost feel how they’d go by looking at them.The leading fin would have to always be the bigger fin I would think. although, I have never even see one, letter loan ridden one.
Really like these fin designs, also the boards look great with your "oriental" minimalistic approach. I saved some of your pictures in my personal archive. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Yorky, I was hoping people like yourself would take a look at this and have some sort of understanding of how it works, even if it's just by looking at it. And good luck with the shop by the way. You'll probably end up having a love-hate relationship with it for sure.
I only have a few average small waves burned on dvd, I was lucky, a friends girlfriend took it. That's one of the problems with travelling alone without a camera most of the time. I'll try and post it when I get home in a month or so. And in the early days making and testing it, there were many early morning surfs with no-one around, so no pics.
I know the straight edges on the fins freak some people out, but I'll eventually explain the reason behind everything.
This is not just a board with a different fin set-up. It's a combination of board design and fin design, with lots of elements contributing and overlapping.
