I watched an interesting video. He talks a bit about the origin of 4 fins and does a little shaping. Some nice insights into kneeboarding on Sydney's northern beaches in 60's and 70's. A similar story to what I've heard from California - kneeboarders in those days tackled waves that were tricky for standups.
The level in the beer doesnt change much, though.
Good god don't start another "who did it first thread". It can only descend into madness.
"It was a dark night, I had little else to do… …and I thought, "If 3 are good, then 4 must be better…!" and so it began."
The "I was the First Club" = essential fodder for upwardly mobile new age internet bloggers and marketing strategists , with a dream of attracting interest from the corporate sector , via strategically placed key words and a deep understanding of google analytics…
EVERY BODY
WAS FIRST
except me
I always thought
inside of me
that I was a kook
and the fin was the proof.
…ambrose…
and the fins
were on my feet
first.
save is the new post
decend
decend
into hypo
epithet
cool video ,sent a link to lunchmeat
he's making knee boards for himself.
…ambrose…
and needs some fin input…
I seem to always read Glenn Winton (sp) is somewhat given credit for the four fin…??
its like most who's on first threads, I am sure somebody put 4 fins on a surfboard a long time ago
you said who 's on first…
do you realise abbott and costello said that?
…ambrose…
There's a theory called "the hundreth monkey" which, if I'm correct, states something to the effect that while someone onthe planet is conceiving an idea or design, there is someone somewhere else doing the samething simulataneously.
Perhaps Winton was doing 4 fins in OZ around the same time the late Mike Croteau was experimenting with them in Santa Cruz.
Either way, both these guys were famous for thinking outside of the box…
Nice video, thanks for posting.
a guy down the end of my street shaped glen Wintons boards, jack knight, when he was on the tour. jack was also around the northern beaches in the 70's so I wonder if there is a connection.
i just got a fun little quad fish from dick van straalan which in his own words is based on a knee board. My favourite feature of this board thus far is the concave deck, it puts the toes of your back foot at a nice angle to a) hang on! & b) push through turns.
the fins, placement and cant are all specific for this board which is worth noting in this day and age.
I can't say who first, but I'll throw the names up for John Mills and Rod Stock right up there with the movers of quads in the early '80's.
Mills in Noosa made the quad to die for when I was a kid, with channels. And Rod worked out of bayside Hampton in Melbourne, Aust - I had 4 and 5 fins as a grommet from him, before I'd seen them anywhere else.
JD
by the way ,
happy birthday josh speedneedle !!
it says you have been a member for '8 years 12 months ' . Well, I don't know how it works in america [and elsewhere ?] , but , by aussie reckoning , that would roughly equal nine years , I'm thinking ?! 
cheers
ben
who's first , who's last , old school , new school blah blah blah …who CARES ? ride what you like , and have fun !
ahh john mills i remember that skinny kid when he came to starjamer
** bumtail channel quads oh so long ago **
** cheers huie**
Both sharks and dolphins have 4 fins…but no internet connection…(lol)
Oh yes it does, like the tides…
Four fins, is ground that got well plowed in 1970 and 1971, if you knew where to look. So did three fins, five fins, even seven fins. Fashion is held in higher esteem than function, among the current crop of shaper/designers, as far as I can tell. Oh well, I guess it's all about what you grew up reading in the magazines.
Going well. 15 posts and no train wreck yet. About 10 more than I expected. Is this the new, improved, sensitive Sways?
Brookvale on Sydney's northern beaches was (and still is) an incestuous mix of shapers and ideas so it's interesting to read that there is some consensus about one of the quad threads originating there. I have little doubt that people in other places were also originating such innovative concepts.
PS Kneeboard fin placement? Anywhere from 16 to about 18" from tail for side fins. 17 1/2" is a good number for speed and turning. Rear fins up to you. For a thruster just half the side fin distance for a good traveller (this is about how I set up boards for local beachies and also Indo and Hawaii). Further forward can get squirrely at times. Further back is hard to turn. The wide apart side fins compensate for their forward placement - a brilliant thing about modern 5'8" to 6'+ kneeboard design.
Yup, just saw a 70s Rory Russell Lightning Bolt for sale with an original quad setup.
What about Herb?
IIRC, he says he did and I have no reason to doubt him