Whew! Glad you specified Portugese! (mulato is Portugese for small mule)
Here in the US that word “could” have had a racist conotation used in that manner. LOL
By that logic, almost all domestic animals would be considered “man made” though, as almost all have been selectively bred for specific purposes throughout human history…just saying;-)
Actually, that fin has been done. I don’t know anything about it or it’s performance…and I can’t seem to find the picture of it now…but I saw it within the past couple of days. I seem to recall it was in reference to a design from the 70’s or something like that…but I’m not completely sure.
Of course now that I want to find it, I can’t. Figures.
Unfrotunatley, that one has been done as well. There is a picture of a custom set on one of the ProBox threads.
There is also a production fin from FCS called the CRV that fits that description.
True that the surfboard’s not a creature of nature, but it’s a lot closer than a car! …and I remember seeing a video on studying the hydrodynamic qualities of… cowfish I think it was… not 100 % certain, in order to apply those principles to a car’s body. There’s no more logical place that I can think of to draw from than things existing in nature designed to function similarly in the very element our boards are intended for.
I wonder what the foil is like on the little jet part of a cuttlefish …maybe it’s got some similarities to these tunnel fins.
Not like Greek’s version and with all due respect, not like Roy Stewart’s. Roy has likely done more in the way of actual design and testing than anyone that comes to mind.
Larry you suprised me today? I just got back from Mainland Mexico and walked into my bay and their it was a LOCK BOX Fin set up with all I need to get started.
So stoked to finally get to try them out. I will make a quad this coming week with your set up. I may even do some Turbo Tunnel side fins on a Mini Mal for 3 Point Scorpion Bay. By the way the Dora Fins you made me were a big hit!
Nature is the starting point. Planes do bare a striking resemblance to birds, submarines bare a striking resemblance to some fish, but the designs all have to be modified and adapted…to accomodate man …not necessarily to improve on the design.
As I stated earlier…If you actually compared things like speed, agility, and effiency of movement…some creatures in nature are far superior in overall design. Most aircraft and marine designers will agree.
All of the designs we talk about have to do with accomodating us in an invironment that we are not “natural” to.
EVERYONE…I am not trying to argue for, or against, anything here. I just think it is important that we are clear about the OVERALL facts of the situation we are discussing.
Thanks Todd - I share the same points of view, but was feeling a little too lazy to get into all of it.
For me, one bottom line is, application. Here we are arguing about nature v. engineering, and straying way off from what one wants to do whilst riding a wave(Granted there was some initial talk of lift.), yet that point keeps getting overlooked in the quest to decide if my fins will work like a humming bird in flight… which is just like, well, comparing surf board fins to humming bird wings in flight… about like apples to rocks.
And, just to shove my ace in the hole in faces… fish physiology has been panted for air/space flight, and works wonders on surfboards.
IMHO the key is experimentaion. Study what does work or has , what doesn't work or hasn't, the situations they were used in etc...and experiment...try a diffferent shape, different situation, board, blah...blah...blah.I plan on doing lots of that...tunnels and all!
Mahalo
Well - then you better give a detailed report of how the tunnel works…
I think I read a post once from a guy in NE OZ who did lots of tunnel stuff… Memory isn’t clear…
I’ll say this again… and not MVG - Ha! Lift can be produced w/out fins.
And, maybe I’m just another horn blowin’ kook, maybe I’m deluding myself, or maybe I’m just fortunate to live in a place where I mostly don’t have to worry about the quest for additional lift/speed… I’m more concerned w/control. Granted, I loved the lift in my summer quad w/the big cant up front… gonna do it again.
With all due respect to those involved, I don;t think there has been much of a ‘evolution’ of fin design and it appears that the present trend lies in simply sticking more of the same fins on in apparent development.
I’m not saying multiple fin systems are wrong but it seems that they have evolved for want of a better idea.
Perhap fin design is driven by the pro circuit and therefore constraint to competion style surfing (and surfers)
There is “some” merrit to your statement here. As with many industries…automotive immediately comes to mind…many advances are based on striving for a competitive edge. In the auto industry, most of the advances in performance and safety are a direct result of Formula 1 and Stockcar racing.
Since almost every “style” of surfing has a competitive curcuit now, I would imagine the same applies.
Of course there are ALWAYS exceptions.
I have seen footage of “tank tests”, Computer modeled tests, and stuff like that…but I couldn’t tell you where any of it is for reference.
I have always wondered if they have done things like mounting sensors or cameras to actual surfbaords during surfing…but I don’t know if any of that exists.
You might want to ask guys like Larry and some of the other guys on here to see if they know of any.
I’d be REALLY interested in something like that
I have an idea for something like that…but I have no clue if it will work or not.
The original question was about Tunnel Fins. Was it not?
Anyway from personal experience and being a friend of Bob Bolen (Greek)
I would say they are pretty interesting. I had a session during a big south swell dredging into the pier on the south side. The Turbo tunnel fin really worked well and made my high performance longboard hold on the pocket and threw the pier. I personally think it’s cool to have a quiver of fins and enjoy life. Thinking too much doesn’t not give answers. Doing something actually gives the most knowage. Living knowlage by doing is most valid.Book knowlage can be limiting!
Put a Turbo Tunnel in your Quiver!
You can get them at 5th street surf shop in HB - ask for Tom
Here’s an alternative take on a hoop. Same one as on the abstract pigmented bellyboard but on a different board with rectangular (kind of) hook fins. A “concept vehicle” if you will. No one got to ride it this way and the hoop was broken off running aground on a shallow sandbar - never to be retrieved.
Here is a pic of my first hoop. On a bellyboard, there is little at stake. Whaddaya gonna do if it “fails”… fall off? LOL
I thought this one worked really good (for me) but without a removable system to compare to standard fins, it is impossible to say if it is the shape or the fin. It was one of the more rewarding experiments I’ve tried and it was shaped from a recycled dumpster dive retrieval… I think it was, in a former life, a Stewart longboard.
