The swim fins that pop up most among bodyboarders are Viper, Yucca and DaFin. Brett liked Voit Duck Feet.
I use DaFin. Unlike most, my issue is wide feet. [When I wear shoes, I have to wear NB 2X wide walking shoes (928v3).]
I also use neoprene fin socks to minimize rubbing and digging in. Makes things more comfortable
This looks nicer than the shape I saw on the original post. See how it goes, it looks like you could retrofit some rail wings if required. As for flippers, 100% personal taste, I hate some brands others love. A softer rubber is kinder on your feet. Different ones also work different muscles, especially symmetric versus asymmetric. I suspect you’ll need flippers for edge control.
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I appreciate all the input on swim fins. Seeing as how its been years since I wore swim fins, I’m pretty much starting from scratch. Its a lot to digest, and I don’t really know how this is all gonna play out, since I’m exploring SUPs as an option also. Both are wave riding tools, but remarkably different from surfboards each in their own way. Only time will tell if I’m gonna get proficient enough at either to have a decent bit of fun out there.
Here’s some of the other kind of fins. I found a mismatched pair of ProBox fin plugs in my miscellany box, so that saved me a few dollars!
Am I gonna need a breather vent plug? I guess I might as well add one.
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Huck i would try a real bodyboard, with flex and edge rails. Flex projection is the key factor of how bodyboard work to take speed.
35 years ago i was an high school national bodyboard competitor, guy try to make some hard fiberglass bodyboard never work right because no projection flex. May be fins will help you here.
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Thats the idea. I have tried boogie boarding its not my cup of tea. Might try a real mat but theyre kinda expensive. Today I caught my first wave on an SUP. It was a small sh!tty wave and the board was a lake board but dang thats progress and I got all excited about it lol. But thnx for a little daily dose of pessimistic negativity it keeps me grounded in reality. Plus yes that is a whole nuther field to check out, its good to have options. I just had a wild hair to try this design.
Bellyboards and Kneeboards don’t typically have any significant flex.
Just sayin’
Like learning to fly different aircraft — each with its own appeal.
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Fins- as in not-the-kind-you-put-on-your-feet. That’s…different.
Then again, copying a flexible inflatable mat in very definitely not flexible foam and glass is going to result in something definitely different. I am reminded of when the show Top Gear tried to replicate a Space Shuttle using a Reliant Robin.
Different, not least because a surf mat is typically used without being inflated to rigidity. They conform to the shape of the wave, flattening, curving and generally adjusting to it. You either wedge a corner in to track along or let it out to sideslip and skitter down the wave face.
How this will work, I have absolutely no idea.
At least the fins are removable. I think you’ll want to do that, in time. As well as consulting Paipo - bellyboarding around the world
hope that’s of use
doc…
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Yes, for me knee board work like a surfboard, no body drag in wave, use fins and rails to turn with projection. Bellyboard for me is like alaia, no projection most of time just guy’s that fight to stay in trim line to follow wave. But why not there is no better way than an other, everyone can like what he want, fortunatly.
Personnaly i like what allow me to go faster than the wave when needed, like fins, rails, shape of modern surfboard or projection flex of bodyboard. I try and don’t like alaia, bodysurf, i stop bodyboard when i start to standup on it more and more. Easier and far more potential with a finned surfboard make for that. Just a point of view.
I think it’s a great effort on your part. Good shaping. Unique and something that probably few if any have attempted. How will it ride? I don’t know. Will it meet any expectations you might have? Don’t know. Definitely post a ride report. If it doesn’t work out, take it down to the Board Room Show and sell it. There are people who collect knee boards, paipos etc. Mike Hirscher at Wavelengths Morro Bay used to have quite a collection. Nicely done. I think you cold make a few $$ on it for it’s uniqueness.
Like surfboards, distance of fin placement from the tail on Bellyboards affects performance.
My “guess” is your current placement will favor speed and tracking.
Like many others, you have an original design and nothing /no-one else to learn from. It is likely to take a while to learn what waves it is suited to and how it really surfs.
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Bottom line, ride what you like…
Thnx for all the input & commentary, I always learn a lot from everybody’s shared insights & observations. And any kind words or encouragement hits like a cool drink in the desert sun, in the middle of a heat wave.
The design is random in a sense, as it is just something I envisioned in my mind, not based on any kind of technical approach.
But I wanted something kinda thick & high volume for a belly rider. The waves I have in mind are softer point break waves, not hollow beach break whompers. I imitated a mat because of the way they ride high and fast in trim, down the line.
I added fins and a grab rail for turns, since it won’t have the flex of an inflatable. Twin fins seemed natural for this vehicle, and with the probox I can switch fins & change the cant. My first twin was a fish, short wide and stubby, with a wide tail. Probably around 1976. I remember getting funny looks and “where’s the rest of your board” comments, but I absolutely loved that board.
Since I had almost nothing to base fin placement on, I just went with what looked right to my eye. I gave it about 3/16” toe in each fin, and I have inserts for 0, 3, 6, or 8 degrees cant. I don’t have twin fins to fit this plug, but I have several different quad fins to pull from, and I can also make some fins too. Because if the softness of the EPS I added some 3/16” plywood reinforcements either side of the fin plugs, about 5” long by 1” deep set in edgewise.
I don’t have high expectations, as it is experimental, a prototype to test an idea. I’m not aiming to be a serious belly boarder, I just want to be able to pull this out and have some fun in certain conditions. That’s my highest expectation.
I will say shaping was a challenge, but far and away glassing has been the biggest challenge. I need to buy a few things to finish it up, but hopefully I can finish up soon.
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You touch on a lot of the concepts I sought to incorporate. Thick & high volume so very little body is dragging in trim, fins for some projection in turns, rigidity should be better for down the line point break surfing, turns and cutbacks are secondary importance.
While most the spongers are at the beach breaks, this will be a board to feel at home among longboarders in point break surf, where you seldom see prone riders at all.
That’s the target I was aiming for.
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Tesr will say the trurth… have you tried, think kneeboards, is it possible with your ankle problems? It’s a nice way to play in waves for me.
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After further pondering,
The ice bath approach is solid.
Allow resin to cool to Inside AC temps first (don’t want chilled viscosity too thick for thorough mixing), mix resin and hardener, then place in ice bath while laminating in hot weather.
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A cutback into an “El Rollo” and come back down to the bottom with the crashing lip. Visualize. I can see it. Huck does the El Rollo in the barrel.
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This sounds like an instructional video on how to break your ribs!!! 
Not a very soft landing surface.
Back in the day I did something similar with a Newport Paipo Concave Vector and (years) later on with 5’0" x 19" Gordon and Smith kneeboard. Though the maneuver wasn’t voluntary. Still, a good paipo will get ya through some very interesting situations.
Ribs were okay, I cracked those a different day, encountering a $#@&* idiot with a longboard. Funny, when you’re young it takes a pretty good bang to break something. Now, well, put it this way, getting a bone density check next week.
doc… somewhat more brittle these days
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Back in the day I did something similar with a Newport Paipo Concave Vector and (years) later on with 5’0" x 19" Gordon and Smith kneeboard. Though the maneuver wasn’t voluntary. Still, a good paipo will get ya through some very interesting situations.
I love that Doc, sounds like me watching Freestyle BMX, double backflips etc …Pfff I’ve done that by accident!!!
Hope the bone density check goes well!
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