Donald Takayama's Halo Fins

This is a youtube.com video of Donald Takayama describing his Halo Fins, a design where the leading edge is straight. There is also a thread on swaylocks.com that reviews these fins. The best report is from a surfer who accidentally put them in backwards and thought they worked great! Unfortunately he didn't think they were as exceptional when installed correctly.




We are not set to carry these fins yet, but we are setting up to carry Guy Takayama's fin line. Here is a picture of the Manata to get you mind surfing.

The Value of Fins

One of the factors that prevents surfers from experimenting with new fins is the price. The $50-100 for a fin set is more than a drop in the bucket for most of us, especially in this economy. So how can we justify pulling cash away from our "New Board Fund" to invest in fins?

How can we afford not to? If we only have one or two fin sets for our quiver, there is no way we are getting the best performance out of all of our boards. Surfers will spend $80-100 on a board bag to protect their $650 board, so why settle for the base model fin set? That would be like getting a car cover for your Porsche but buying cheap tires. You select your board based on performance, right? So give it fins that will perform!

Another motive to invest in fins is to re-invent an old board. By switching up the fin on an older board you can breathe new life into it and fall in love all over. The best part is that the fin will be with you long after the board is put out to pasture. Fins will last you a lifetime as long as they are not left on you bumper, surfed without a fin screw, ridden into a reef, sold, or "borrowed" by your son's friends.

The surf conditions are constantly changing, why wouldn't you want to adapt to those changes? Here is a fin set that Futures has developed to help you get inspired.

Beautiful Stained Glass Fins

I just got off the phone with Sarah over at Rainbow Fins and we were discussing the stained glass fins they have been making. They have produced over 870 of these stunning works of art and are only in their second season of producing them. While the technique remains somewhat of a mystery, it is obvious that each fin is a unique piece that can be admired with or without a surfboard. These are functional pieces of surfing equipment that your wife won't make you keep in the garage. The fins can be custom made to match a board, and some surfers/art collectors have had boards made to match the fins. Sarah told me that they have made a special stained glass fin piece to be used as the open sign at Surfy Surfy, a surf shop in Leucadia opening May 1, 2010. I think I'll have to make a morning run to Beacon's just to check that out.

Here are a few of Sarah's favorite fins.

What fin is right for my surfboard?

There will never be a hard and fast formula to perfectly match surfboards with surfboard fins. Surfing is an individual sport that is purely based on personal preference. That being said, there are a few rules to know when attempting to narrow your search.

1. A large, wide fin will generally be more stable, but be difficult to turn.

2. Narrow fins with a vertical temple will generally be easier to turn, but less stable.

3. Single fin surfboards have less drag when travelling in a straight line.

4. Side fins which toe in toward the nose of the surfboard will turn easier, however this creates drag when travelling in a straight line.

5.When sizing up a single fin, the general rule of thumb is one inch per foot of board length. (9ft board, gets a 9 inch fin)

These very basic concepts should help you narrow your fin search, but remember, there is no substitution for trying new fins.