Making my “new” Tri fin design :-)
5’11" x 22" x 2 7/8" for Peter who is 6’7" tall
5’2" x 20" x 2 3/8" Mini Griff for Matt
Matt having fun .
5’2" x 20" x 2 1/2" Mini Griff for John in Canada
Eps Greenroom epoxy
Thos look awesome especially like the blending of the rails to the deck. How do these things ride?
Peter’s feedback
He is getting another , this one is in Costa rica and the new one will be in Calif.
heya Greg
just came back from my surf trip. 1st things first, Volume: absolutely spot on, wouldn’t change a thing. feels good under the arm, paddles easy, nice nose flick. duck diving does take a bit getting used to considering the volume up front. tucked rails all the way as expected but what you did to the edge in the tail area is very very clever. got a ton of ‘wtf’ comments as you can imagine from ‘look at that’ to ‘whoa bro’… first day I took the board out was in 6 to 8 beach break with quite a strong sideshore lump on it. fins all the way back. was able to get into waves with ease, the speed it reaches right at take off is unbelievable. it makes close outs a whole new playground. effortless, goes where you look, so much fun. in glassy offshore conditions I got a whole new sensation. flying down the line you get the feeling of hovering. a bit hard to describe but its like the board doesn’t touch the water surface any more. really weird. and the 3fins/placement work as we expected - or wished for - you can lay it on rail as hard as you want, there is zero sliding out. whatever you’ve crafted into this puppy, it not only delivers but gave me mad grin paddling back out. you said this is the only one and if it works you make yourself one. well Greg, go ahead, it’ll shave half your age away.
Thats awesome I was going to ask if it has a hydrofoil type feel to it. That third fin adds so much stability to the tail in line like that, it looks like it would plane like a speedboat, also sounds like it does. You have peaked my curiosity on that what inspired the fin layout with that tail style?
This comes from the Brewer Tri Fins in the early 70’s and my versions back then.
This is what inspired my 5 fin designs created in the 80’s
Nice Gregg! Great looking boards as always!
Those first 2 5fin fish you made for me and Bernie are still my favorite short boards. I’m always amazed at how good they are when I take one out. Everything Peter says about his board is how I feel when I ride them.
This new one looks interesting.
**Don’t want to bust your tread however been meaning to bring this up as there is trouble in paradise. Hey 1st understand like you OPS only makes what you can’t buy! LOL & HA.**
**The photo of your quad set up answered a burning question, been refining a flex tail quad for a while and have progressed to narrower tails until #6 ! (bitch) ****initial surf was stiff and figured to much fin, mind you the set up was Mc Kee w/ 7 degree cant front 5 degree rear. It looks like your set up puts the rear closer to the rail. Am i being dumb???**
**Please see photos…**
**Planning on going back to thruster and retrofitted a box and going to get this wet. What this old salt is asking is any advice on quad set up or am I wasting my time (&money) on the quad.**
**How does that Tri fin set work?**
**Mahalo and Aloha!**
Greg - That inline thruster…
I’m going to cite a dreaded ol’ shapers cliche -
"I was gunna do that, 20 yrs ago! "
I mean to say I see the sense in it and remain keen to try it - I want the stabilised twinfin but without the drag of a fin behind my back foot.
JD
Greg You Oldphart and Dead Shaper need to set up a think tank surf design team. All of you are moving in he same direction with each bringing a different and unique perspective to the concept.
Maybe bring in Tom Morey to act as moderator for the meeting.
You’re right about the difference in the fin placement. The McKee setup puts the rear fins closer to the stringer and the board is a bit stiffer as a quad. I think it’s closer in feel to a thruster versus the way GG or Robin Mair’s boards feel. Greg’s 5 fin setup is a blast. It is loose, but it also has tremendous hold and drive. Those 3 inline fins seem to be the key. I’ve made a couple of quad boards using Greg’s layout and I like them. Haven’t added the 5th fin to those yet. I also have not tried using GG’s boards as a quad, always ride them with 5 fins.
Bottom 3 pics would make nice 4 fins
Both fronts and rears set 1 1/8" off the rail
I am not to familiar with the fins out there
Large Simons in the front and smaller Simon fronts in the rear in those placements may work well .
4 fins will do everything well when you get them correct so don’t give up .
These Tri Fins are my answer to the Mini Simms twins .
**Thanks Greg, Shark, and Artz!**
**Fin spec, words of hope and humor **
**Aloha!**
I made something that most would say will not work or even imagine.
Not much interest on both design forums of something that works so well .
19 days till 65 :-) I am armed and ready for my trip to Europe in April :-)
Dang, using Sways has gotten funky. What I thought I posted is, that board looks great and I would surf it as is at 5-9 and 175( 55 years old, too). Mike
Beautiful and intriguing as ever, Greg.
all the best
Von snake away 
On Instagram now
Watch out all you 7 year olds !!!
These look like a blast! What is happening in the bottom to manage the wide tails? They look pretty flat through the fins.
This one has my Mod Fish 2 template - more curve
Al likes it setup this way .
He has sold many to get more 