Enhancing fin performance

I'm not astute enough to foil my own fins, and I love the convience of Futures. Greg Loher and Rich Sanders recently said, when you're on rail, fins 'crab'... thicker foils keep the flow around the fin better attached during this crabbing...better flow attachment, less drag, easier speed.

In a conversation with Eric Roush he talked of "feeding" the Vector force based Futures fins.

It occured to me that when one is trimming high along a wall, you're "on rail" too. That's how we ride, virtually 100% behind the boat.

So, thicker foils, but also, I think this a channel that directs water flow to the low pressure side of the fin.



It's also a GREAT way to cause your glasser to hate you

maybe something like channeled tails of wakeboards

jeff just got some vector 2 future fins 4 my board and the ride is so much better it rips

Hey Petr,

I've messed with channels out the back and - I don't know...increases drive, but steals some of the looseness of the tail. I'm looking to increase squirt and drive without sacrificing anything in the process.

Hey Vince, I've been meaning to call you, I keep forgetting! Those black stix are sweet, so light and responsive! I think all of the Future's Vector series are worth the price of admission.

intresting..my team ryderz working with FCS just started to test a new 80/20 foil..these things are way fat..i thought they would be anchors but actually increased drive as a twin set up..when we put the 80/20 center fin in,the board was way slower.my team guyz and gals like um.im going back to custom glass ons..i feel like glass ons are faster than all of them put together.if anyone has got an old destroyed early 90's board with resin tinted triple color glass ons..cut um off,i will buy all of them.any size shape or color.

yep Jeff I rather refered to small channels around fins than channeled tail which is stiffy

Enhancing Performance?

Ed! I can't believe you posted up that picture. He's proud of his fin, or the direction of flow to the low pressure side?

Billy, I'm with you, the fat fin concept seems so counter-intuitive, but ride reports always seem to bear out what your riders are saying.

Petr, I think I got lost. Are you talking just about a small or maybe short length of channels around the fins? Would they exit the tail or just stop after the fins?

Well...we'll see how it works, next prototype ready for fins. I think that surface indentations can be molded in more effectively than shaping it in.



Which means more molding!

Its great to read so much on how important fins and fin placement contribute to the performance of your boards. I have recently found a radical fin system that allows you to adjust all four critical areas of fin function. 4 way fin system. I was blown away at the difference just a small adjustment makes. Check them out. www.4wfs.com

Hey Adam, welcome to the board. I've always been intrigued by 4 way, but to be honest the installation process seems quite dauting.

Matt S detailed an install in one of his boards and Jerry Price of Shred Stixx is working with them in his quads and SWEARS by them.

For those not familiar, the fin system has inserts to allow a change in cant also called splay, the fins can move fore or aft and they also can rotate to allow adjustment of the toe-in...plus they are removable.

Picture of a Shred Stixx prototype quad with 4 way fin ystem installed on the sunpad.



(Message edited by surfdad on July 17, 2008)