Weird new idea

Anyone ever stick a fin on each SIDE of the tail? Pointing straight out from the rail? A friend of mine is trying it. Hes got a real small center rudder fin thing (like 3 iches tall by 6 icnhes long) and then a 6 inch long one thats straight out from each rail in the back. He loves it so far!

I can’t recall the guy’s name at this time, but he moved from Ventura area to pismo in the 80’s -anyway he made "eagle wing"boards-the tail had fin like srtuctures sticking straight out similar to what you are describing.Suppossedly they surfed well, though I never tried one myself.

I’m sure Steve Walden had some trapezoid shaped fins that stuck straight out from the rail at least 10-12 years back. I tried some shaped reverse wings on my 10’4" nose rider #285.

I had a Rick James Star tail back in 1980 that was basicall a round pin with thin winglets sticking out right at the turn of the tail. But, it sounds like he’s describing something along the lines of trim tabs. Can you vary the angle of attack?

What about the guy from SB/Ventura who modeled boards after swordfish. I think he had fins going off the sides.

What works better is a traditional twin fin set -up with rear-tail bonzers SHAPED into the board…like a bat-mobile. Only bad part is they are difficult to glass and keep intact

Weber did one at the time the Cambell Bro’s came out with the Bonzer called the Bonza. I guess Dewey was just predating the whole gangsta movement. An innovata for sure.

There are still some Steve Walden Boards with these … I saw one in a shop somewhere in Melbourne , FL

Steve Walden made some longboards in the early to mid 80’s that incorporated rail fins about 6" to 8" up from the tail. They were about 21/2" in size and they followed the vee panel off the rail line. In addition he also came out with the shovelnose (a stinger type wing in the nose area) at about the same time.

The fins weren’t off the sides on the Swordfish, they were shaped off the swordfish fins. It is a little more complicated than that, but I hate math and calculus was a long time ago. Sluggo

Howzit Sluggo,the guy who came up with the swordfish fins is named Vogel(first name ?). I’ve done a few installs of these fins. In my opinion the fins are to big and you need to do some fine tuning before glassing them on the board.Aloha, Kokua

Rick Vogel.

He too may no longer be with us…

I talked to a friend of Rick’s a while back and he’s living in Palm Springs with his dad and has a bad drinking problem these days. He and his wife Jane divorced this last year and he let her take him to the cleaners in the settlement. Aloha, Kokua

The end of another long run. That guy would charge big surf. I have seen his sword fins on some big wave guns @ ur beach.

Howzit*, Yeah Rick liked to surf Middles at it’s max. Aloha, Kokua

Anybody got pictures of these boards? Thanks Dee

Howzit Dee, I have 1 or 2 pics, but I need to find them.Aloha, Kokua

what’s the max @ middles?

See the Groundswell Society for detailed information on the Swordfish.