Are there any websites anyone knows of where I can get a good look at old greenough flex fins or similar flex fins? I want to make one and just need a look at the outlines, and maybe also the foil.
Here is a link. I guess true ames is making them now. You will able to get a good view of the template from this page. The foil will be a little more difficult to check out. Ajl on this site had a few for sale a little while ago. I was going to pick one up for a board I was going to do (single fin egg) but I changed my mind on the type of board I was going to do. You might want to check with him, it might save you some time and hassle. http://www.trueames.com/
Here is a link. I guess true ames is making them now. You will able to get > a good view of the template from this page. The foil will be a little more > difficult to check out. Ajl on this site had a few for sale a little while > ago. I was going to pick one up for a board I was going to do (single fin > egg) but I changed my mind on the type of board I was going to do. You > might want to check with him, it might save you some time and hassle. the fin listed as a Greenough on the True Ames site is Not a Greenough.It is a fin designed by Paul Gross, who is a friend of George,and worked closely with him for many,many years,even making boards for George.True Ames does make a fin that is a true copy of the fin George develpoed for Velo.They come in 9.75,10.0 and possibly 10.5" sizes.I believe they are called Greenough/Wilderness.I think if you look up the Velo project on the Blast Hawaii website there might be a photo of Velo with a good shot of the fin.If not I can mail you some templates along with foil design. Matt
i have a 9’0 greenough flex fin, unfortunately i dont have any templates to post or knowledge of where to find them. however, i can tell you that its made of volan, probably 20-25 layers. it has a lot of rake, its very thin, and narrow. and its HEAVILY foiled. the very tip is close to paper thin. i dont know if that helps any, but it might give you a general idea. -steve
i have a 9’0 greenough flex fin, unfortunately i dont have any templates > to post or knowledge of where to find them. however, i can tell you that > its made of volan, probably 20-25 layers. it has a lot of rake, its very > thin, and narrow. and its HEAVILY foiled. the very tip is close to paper > thin. i dont know if that helps any, but it might give you a general idea. > -steve the description you give lends me to think that you probably have a Greg Liddle fin.He and George make fins very similar in template,etc. with the only real difference being the thickness/foil of the fin.Greg’s are like what you have:very thin and sharp leading edge, while George tends to use a thick,round leading edge.Both are heavily foiled and very thin at the tip, and very flexible.
I remember reading in a magazine at some point that he (Greenough) was using carbon fiber due it’s ability to be stiff even with a thin foil. This may have been a windsurfing fin? Also remember photo of him grinding away at some sort of stainless steel fin with sparks flying - again because the material allowed a thin foil while remaining stiff? Nat Young, I believe, (who exchanged ideas with Greenough) also had a theory of thinner foils (for bigger waves.) I’ve seen some of Greenough’s older kneeboard fins on the other hand, that had really fat foiled bases leading to a thin flex tip. This is strictly from memory - maybe you can verify or help explain some of this???
the description you give lends me to think that you probably have a Greg > Liddle fin.He and George make fins very similar in template,etc. with the > only real difference being the thickness/foil of the fin.Greg’s are like > what you have:very thin and sharp leading edge, while George tends to use > a thick,round leading edge.Both are heavily foiled and very thin at the > tip, and very flexible. Hey thanks for the information. Matt, any way you could provide some insight into what a flex fin is meant to do, and whether they are only good under certain conditions? Also, what are Paul, George, Greg, etc. trying to achieve with their different templates, lengths, and foils? Thank you again.
flex fins have a strange feel. they turn REALLY quickly and then the fin “snaps” back into place and shoots you high in the wave. you can really feel the difference in turning… or even going straight for that matter, its a trip. for longboards i only like my in waist-chest high waves, anything bigger and you cant trust them completely, especially doing fin-first take offs or riding in the soup - they can get a bit squirrely. for for egg type boards and other single fin shorties, at least in my opinion, they are the best fit. also, if im not mistaken george first decided on the whole flex thing after observing a fish’s tail move through the water. he decided the fins should be able to move thru the water like that. correct me if im wrong guys…>>> Hey thanks for the information. Matt, any way you could provide some > insight into what a flex fin is meant to do, and whether they are only > good under certain conditions? Also, what are Paul, George, Greg, etc. > trying to achieve with their different templates, lengths, and foils? > Thank you again.
Hey thanks for the information. Matt, any way you could provide some > insight into what a flex fin is meant to do, and whether they are only > good under certain conditions? Also, what are Paul, George, Greg, etc. > trying to achieve with their different templates, lengths, and foils? > Thank you again. the main thing is balance-try to get the right combo of template,foil rake,flex,depth and thickness in a fin that will essentially keep the board in the wave eg, keep nose from washing out of a wave,and give it some drive. The boards we ride feature displacement hull bottoms and neutral,round rails.The concept is to surf off the rail-in essence the rail of the board is your fin.We initiate turns by banking over on the rail until the fin breaks free.Actually you wont feel the fin at all until you unload pressure on the rail, then you will feel the fin release it’s loaded up flex projecting you down the line like you have been shot out of a sling shot.The flex is designed to allow the board to bank over on rail without interferring, all the while loading up enrgy in the flexed tip area waiting to unload and balst you down the line.Base area has a lot to do with how much drive it produces,rake will affect the arc of turn and how the nose sits in/on the water.These fins work anywhere but I don,t know if you would want them on say a Mav’s gun.It is my experience that the thinner leading edge fins do well but are really great for down the line,straight out speed,while the ones with a thicker,rounder leading edge tend to be better at turning.This is a real generalized answer to your question but I hope it helps.
the main thing is balance-try to get the right combo of template,foil > rake,flex,depth and thickness in a fin that will essentially keep the > board in the wave eg, keep nose from washing out of a wave,and give it > some drive. The boards we ride feature displacement hull bottoms and > neutral,round rails.The concept is to surf off the rail-in essence the > rail of the board is your fin.We initiate turns by banking over on the > rail until the fin breaks free.Actually you wont feel the fin at all until > you unload pressure on the rail, then you will feel the fin release it’s > loaded up flex projecting you down the line like you have been shot out of > a sling shot.The flex is designed to allow the board to bank over on rail > without interferring, all the while loading up enrgy in the flexed tip > area waiting to unload and balst you down the line.Base area has a lot to > do with how much drive it produces,rake will affect the arc of turn and > how the nose sits in/on the water.These fins work anywhere but I don,t > know if you would want them on say a Mav’s gun.It is my experience that > the thinner leading edge fins do well but are really great for down the > line,straight out speed,while the ones with a thicker,rounder leading edge > tend to be better at turning.This is a real generalized answer to your > question but I hope it helps. Matt, could you elaborate some on the base area and rake; thicker and rakier will do…? And will the more modern low, tucked, hard edge rail be compatible? Thanks again
Matt, could you elaborate some on the base area and rake; thicker and > rakier will do…? And will the more modern low, tucked, hard edge rail be > compatible? Thanks again I remember seeing some pics of original greenough fins on a website called “pods for primates”, a history of australian surfing…
I remember seeing some pics of original greenough fins on a website called > “pods for primates”, a history of australian surfing… thanks.I’ll check it out.blasthawaii.com has pictures of a greenough spoon invarious phases of construction,includig the fin.Also,I was recently turned on to a web site ,out of New Zealand, that features a pretty cool collection of what is currently being coined "retro " boards, most are from late 60’s early 70’s. it is:www.highvoltage.co.nz/boards.html.