Other Fads

Post by **Patto10** » Tue May 29, 2007 1:26 pm

On another fad-ish topic, did anyone ever ride a winged-keel fin setup?

Apart form Cheyne Horan I can't recall any pros ever doing well on them.

How did they go? What where they meant to achieve? I haven't seen one for a while but given the retro approach to boards including fish, eggs etc, could they ever make a comeback?

Post by **austeve** » Tue May 29, 2007 3:41 pm

Isn't the FCS Red Tip just a reincarnation ... looks pretty similar to my untrained eyes

Post by **lambert** » Tue May 29, 2007 4:13 pm

the fcs 3d carbon thingo ^^ ive heard that its acutally reallly good when its fat surf, geuss the 'lift' reduces resitance??

Post by **Nick Carroll** » Tue May 29, 2007 4:32 pm

I actually got fascinated by the whole idea of wing fins back in late 1982. Had a friend of mine, a skilled boat worker called Tim Martinus, make me several for use in Hawaiian boards (singlies lasted a bit longer in Hawaii). They didn't look like Cheyne's vertical big beasts, they were more like a normal fin but split about 3/4 of the way up, with two blades set at 66 degrees to the centre. I rode 'em almost exclusively in both winters of 83 and 84 in boards ranging from 6'10" to 7'8". The fins definitely added drive and distance in turns and preserved that one great asset of the singly -- its ability to ride deep in the barrel without accelerating out onto the shoulder. The 6'10" was great at Backdoor and Rocky Rights and I had a 7'4" that was sick at medium sized Sunset.

But in smaller surf the wing's drive etc couldn't match the thruster, and by 85 I had a quiver of AB six channels in Hawaii and that put an end to messing around with wing fins.

Interestingly the fins came back from Hawaii in 1984 in a bag with a bunch of other surfing gear, and guess what, the bag didn't come out on the Qantas carousel in Sydney. I registered it with their lost luggage and nothing happened....until six months later, when a cab pulled up outside my place and the cabbie ran up with the bag in his hand! But yes, sure enough the fins were no longer in there.

Post by **austeve** » Tue May 29, 2007 4:51 pm

Nick Carroll wrote:I actually got fascinated by the whole idea of wing fins back in late 1982. Had a friend of mine, a skilled boat worker called Tim Martinus, make me several for use in Hawaiian boards (singlies lasted a bit longer in Hawaii). They didn't look like Cheyne's vertical big beasts, they were more like a normal fin but split about 3/4 of the way up, with two blades set at 66 degrees to the centre. I rode 'em almost exclusively in both winters of 83 and 84 in boards ranging from 6'10" to 7'8". The fins definitely added drive and distance in turns and preserved that one great asset of the singly -- its ability to ride deep in the barrel without accelerating out onto the shoulder. The 6'10" was great at Backdoor and Rocky Rights and I had a 7'4" that was sick at medium sized Sunset.

But in smaller surf the wing's drive etc couldn't match the thruster, and by 85 I had a quiver of AB six channels in Hawaii and that put an end to messing around with wing fins.

Interestingly the fins came back from Hawaii in 1984 in a bag with a bunch of other surfing gear, and guess what, the bag didn't come out on the Qantas carousel in Sydney. I registered it with their lost luggage and nothing happened....until six months later, when a cab pulled up outside my place and the cabbie ran up with the bag in his hand! But yes, sure enough the fins were no longer in there.

I hear a Schapelle story coming on

Post by **Shaunm** » Tue May 29, 2007 4:58 pm

What about your turns?
Do you develop more of a front foot style?

Post by **moreorless** » Tue May 29, 2007 5:24 pm

A friend used to own a mal with a winged-keel fin setting. I tried it once years ago out at small but sucky Broken Head. The wing seemed to lift the tail a bit and cause some drift. Strange feeling, especially on a mal. Couldn't really see the point myself.

Post by **Patto10** » Tue May 29, 2007 5:28 pm

Interesting responses, about from Woggo, no one seems to have ridden one at all with any level of efficiency/skill.

Interesting also that FCS has rehashed with a wing tip. Anyine riddden one of those?

Post by **revolutionsurfer** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 3:43 am

Patto10 wrote:Interesting responses, about from Woggo, no one seems to have ridden one at all with any level of efficiency/skill.

Interesting also that FCS has rehashed with a wing tip. Anyine riddden one of those?

Nicky Wood rode a modified version. He is riding it in one of the old movies...blazing boards maybe. Can't remember.

At the Amateur level....a guy won the U.S. Amateur longboard championships riding one in Texas.

Post by **bonusbeats** » Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:32 pm

salty wrote:Saw a big one on a mal down at Bondi a couple of weeks ago.. didn't see the fella surfing though.

i saw someone at tamarama over winter with a large board and strange fin. had a word with him, he said it wasn't a cheyne horan, just something that looked a bit like a winged fin - more like three find sprouting from the same point.

Post by **ric_vidal** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:00 am

Nick Carroll wrote:They didn't look like Cheyne's vertical big beasts, they were more like a normal fin but split about 3/4 of the way up, with two blades set at 66 degrees to the centre.

Ever bolt a butterfly fin in, Nickolass?

Post by **bro** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 9:51 am

I have ridden the 3D red tip in fish type boards, was supposed to give stability in broken water as well. I haven't used it for ages.

However, guys at sunset were riding the H2s as side fins and the 3D winged fin as a centre when they were first released. I mentioned this to Mark Phipps when I was living in France only for him to call out to me as he was crossing the road swing his board around with that set up about to surf very solid La Nord, I was packing hoping I hadn't put him in a bad situation. He ripped that session saying at first it was pretty loose but once he got used to it it was great.

Maybe something for you hellmen to try??

Post by **Nick Carroll** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 11:20 am

ric_vidal wrote:
Nick Carroll wrote:They didn't look like Cheyne's vertical big beasts, they were more like a normal fin but split about 3/4 of the way up, with two blades set at 66 degrees to the centre.
Ever bolt a butterfly fin in, Nickolass?

Nup...I always thought they were a bit like thruster side-fins joined in some unnatural Siamese-twin trip.

Post by **countrybumkin** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 2:21 pm

i have a cheyne model mc coy zap with keel fin that i rode for a few years 86-ish. i thought it ripped until i stopped suckin so hard on the orchy and got a real board.

anyone wanna buy it?

Post by **bonusbeats** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 2:52 pm

countrybumkin wrote:i have a cheyne model mc coy zap with keel fin that i rode for a few years 86-ish. i thought it ripped until i stopped suckin so hard on the orchy and got a real board.

anyone wanna buy it?

i'll buy the orchy bottle.
the plastic they use in the new bottles is no good. it rips, instead of stretching.

Post by **ric_vidal** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 3:18 pm

tomtom wrote:^ Ever swung a sack of door knobs?

Arrrre, more information, TT?

Post by **Buff_Brad** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 4:14 pm

ric_vidal wrote:
tomtom wrote:^ Ever swung a sack of door knobs?
Arrrre, more information, TT?

I think he meant "Ever sucked a sack and knob at the same time?" ric because I would imagine that weirdo would be pretty much into anything pal.

Post by **Buff_Brad** » Fri Nov 14, 2008 11:30 am

tomtom wrote: It's a random Simpsons quote - Homer asks Jimbo Jones the question
before he lets him join his vigilante group

I asked because I was expecting you to say no, the same way I was expecting Nick to say no. It was my enigmatic Puurri impression.

Some advice pom pom . Stick to being the resident Realsurf creepy weirdo.

It suits you pal and you just come across just so realistically.

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