Related to the Surfer Mag thread, I have seen lately that a few manufaturers offering a developmental tri-plane design. I know this has been tried before but, I’m seeing a concave starting from the nose continuing to just before the side fins…then using vee to tail. The amount of releif of the tri-plane seems to be extreme as well as the overall width…before generational refinement… Any input would be appreciated. Thanks
Related to the Surfer Mag thread, I have seen lately that a few > manufaturers offering a developmental tri-plane design. I know this has > been tried before but, I’m seeing a concave starting from the nose > continuing to just before the side fins…then using vee to tail. The > amount of releif of the tri-plane seems to be extreme as well as the > overall width…before generational refinement…>>> Any input would be appreciated.>>> Thanks This design was highly common in speed oriented sailboards of the early 1990s. Mostly used to generate quick planning. Down side was they tended to bounce the nose in chop, as with any multi surface hull (surf or sail) the dynamic totally changes when the board is healed over in a turn – somewhare there is a give back in the turning performance – ie, the first 50% of the turn rocks; the last 50% of the turn the board stalls or becomes unstable. A design I like for surfboards uses a more “U” shapped nose concave that stops just forward of the center point. Then flat to the last 12" – using a slight tail “V” – I call it the “Mongoose” model - usually in a 7’4" fun length. Gives for good takeoffs but turns are, primariy against the flat center and V in the tail – I like to go easy on “V” tails. Too much, and it will cavitate or be hard to pull out of a lip smacker. Ricky-ticky-tommy http://users.leading.net/~shine
Related to the Surfer Mag thread, I have seen lately that a few > manufaturers offering a developmental tri-plane design. I know this has > been tried before but, I’m seeing a concave starting from the nose > continuing to just before the side fins…then using vee to tail. The > amount of releif of the tri-plane seems to be extreme as well as the > overall width…before generational refinement…>>> Any input would be appreciated.>>> Thanks Won the U.S Championships in 1982 riding a tri-plane. Flat bottom to the wide point. going into a vee that was from stringer to tail corner wide. The bottom looked like a pin tail outline, with the vee panels on the outside making it a full squash tail. I was a tri fin with all boxes.
Related to the Surfer Mag thread, I have seen lately that a few > manufaturers offering a developmental tri-plane design. I know this has > been tried before but, I’m seeing a concave starting from the nose > continuing to just before the side fins…then using vee to tail. The > amount of releif of the tri-plane seems to be extreme as well as the > overall width…before generational refinement…>>> Any input would be appreciated.>>> Thanks A number of us have spent many years testing and refining successful triplane designs… George Greenough being the primary catalyst behind this concept. For additional information: (George Greenough) http://www.georgegreenough.com/ (Bob Duncan) http://www.wildernesssurfboards.com/ (Paul Gross) or through http://www.blasthawaii.com/ (Charlie Coffee) (John Mellor) http://216.15.61.234/swaylocks/boards/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&Validated=Yes&Category=experimental&view_records=1&nh=5&mh=1 (Dale Solomonson) http://216.15.61.234/swaylocks/boards/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&Validated=Yes&Category=experimental&view_records=1&nh=3&mh=1
When is that Greenough website going to be updated???
When is that Greenough website going to be updated??? ajl, There have been a few significant changes since it first came back online… what are you specifically referring to?
I was hoping for more information on George`s fin designs, surfboards, kneeboards, surfmats, etc.
I was hoping for more information on George`s fin designs, surfboards, > kneeboards, surfmats, etc. ajl, For the most up-to-date info: contact Harold Ward, webmaster of the Greenough site at or or as another reference, Charlie Coffee at I can probably answer most of your questions about high performance surfmats, as I have been designing, custom handcrafting and testing them for over 20 years, with the first of the 2nd generation ultralight nylon ones made for George in 1982. Dale