sunday 24th july , 2011 ....4.30-5.55pm [nearly dark]
waves .... empty . slightly nor-norwest . [waist high mainly, but ...with the odd freak head high bomb ?? [of which i caught two !]
test ride... 9'4" mal
fin ....10 3/4" up from the tail [ yikes !! ....the furthest up i have EVER had a single fin !]
waves caught ...10
7 rights ,
3 lefts....
impressions ...
my first right , all the way to the beach ....yewww !! [it ended up being my best wave , all evening ! often the way with me , for some reason ?? ....]
it was r ibcage high , a nice right with a run to it , breaking off a rip .
the takeoff felt really nice , a 45 degree angle in , then , a delayed bottom turn , a crouch trim / glide , another bottom turn , and a puffy rollercoastrer type end "manouevre" , as the wave ended up in very shallow water !
the fin ....
it felt FAST !
i was a bit concernened with such a narrow base , and such a lack of rake , that it would lack drive . it certainly is a pivotal turn type fin !
i think , on a shorter board , with much less than at LEAST 8 1/2 foot of rail in the water [!!] , that it will become clearer what is the fin's performance , as opposed to the rail's hold , during tuns .
on one of my lefts , i definately noticed the same feeling off the top backhand i have previously experienced with the other winged tip fins i have ....the cheyne horan winged keel / "star fin" , and the smaller 'red tip' type [but finboxed] template i also use ...specifically , unless the wave has a lip that is a bit powerful / throwing out , i often feel a loss of speed / hangup in thelip .
i experienced the same sensation with 'surfoils' 'cornchip' side fin attachments on my G3 side fins too....
.... that said , though , i have YET to ride any of these fins in a 6-6'3 narrower , and more rockered thruster ...if i did , the results may well be different , for sure ...especially in good , head-high , hollow waves ...bring it on !!
one pigdogged left felt REAAAALLLY fast , mark !
.....i'd like to have some video footage , though , because you know how when you get older your mind can play tricks on you ? eg: you think you are going fast , and "ripping like curren" , or something , but then when you actually get to watch the footage ...well, it kinda looks like you've got the handbrake on ?? [or am i the ONLY one on sways , EVERYBODY else here really DOES rip , except me ?? who knows eh ? ...that's just "one of life's little mysteries" , perhaps , eh ?!]
anyways , mark , thanks again for the fin ...i'm hoping to get it out there again soon [schoolies have gone back now , yay !] and when i do , i'll update here ...
cheers !
ben
