When I was checking the surf forecast this morning I noticed a bold title on Wetsands.com in the margin. "Is This The Best Short Surf Film Ever Made?" While they weren't quite bold enough to say it IS the best, it still was too bold to pass up.
The following Youtube video was made by Mickey Smith, a surf photographer from Ireland who entered the video in an energy drink short film competition. While the music isn't the standard adrenaline pumping death metal, the film is nothing short of intense.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Why Mick Fanning Chose FCS
When you are the reigning world champ the industry is your oyster, and its an all you can eat buffet. So when Mick Fanning decided to sign with FCS, we had to know why. Unfortunately we don't have the means to get an interview ourselves, so we were fortunate to find an interview conducted by Tracks Magazine in Australia where they engage Mick on the subject of fins. Here's a cut from the interview:
"Firstly Mick, when signing a new sponsorship agreement, is it the money or the product itself that you consider most – fins surely has to be performance-based decision?
What happened was I went and tried different fin systems, cause I was riding glass on fins and I was so set on them I couldn’t ride any other fin system. I eventually became sick of carrying 12 boards with glass ons. What I did was I got a couple of different fin systems put on a quiver of boards and took them all on the Red Bull boat in Indonesia last year and tried all the different ones together – and the FCS ones felt the best.
So you were one of the last guys on tour lugging around boards with set fins?
Yeah, it was heavy.
Literally.
Yeah.
Mick winds-up and then releases at home at Duranbah Beach, NSW. Pic: Simon Muirhead
So, after your little test – FCS won. Why them?
It just felt like the FCS fin system had an extra bit of zing. We’d copied my favourite fin exactly (that I was using in glass ons) so I was using that as well and they felt great.
Would you consider yourself a fin expert? Or are you a bit of a novice?
It’s one of those things where the slightest little change in your fin affects the board’s performance so much. And then it keeps evolving. Put it this way, I know what I like. I have been working on a new fin by throwing around ideas and that, but it’s hard to find the exact right things.
Bit scary to get too far away from what you know and love. You might never find your way back?
That’s the thing. I guess that’s what happens when you have a board and you put the wrong fins in it – if it goes bad it can really put you off. But then you put a different fin set in that fits it perfect – and it goes completely different. Changing what initially felt like a bad board, into a good board. That’s what I like now – the options.
With all your boards Mick, and all these fins, you could rattle yourself at an event with too many options?
I tend to use the same fin for all my short boards then change up for my guns. On my guns the fin I use is a little smaller and pivoty.
So, it’s not the bigger the board, the bigger fin? But more rakie?
My bigger board fin has got a good base with a bit more rake and more sort of bend through the back. Allows you to still have the drive, but if you wanna turn it – it will turn on a dime.
Is this fin that you had set in all your boards previously going to become your signature fin?
We were going to do a signature fin but we’re still working on which one to go with. It’s like I said before, you think have something, then something else comes along, and then that feels better, then something else comes along and then that feels better – or worse – and you go backwards. It’s forever evolving. We’ll have a signature fin out by next year and that will be the fin that I ride 95% of the time. And then we’ll have something else out after that. Something more diverse I’d imagine.
That makes sense. A smaller fin that allows you to turn a big board in big waves and a bigger fin that gives you drive in an already lose small board.
That’s what we do. I have a fin now that is nice and even through the whole way. At places like Trestles you want that drive but when you throw the fins you don’t want it to be out of control. You want it to grab when it hits the deck again. And you also want to be able to draw out your turns and mix it right up."
If he doesn't have credibility on how a fin feel, then no one does. Here's a clip of Mick surfing back in home at D Bah, showing the rest of us how it's done.
"Firstly Mick, when signing a new sponsorship agreement, is it the money or the product itself that you consider most – fins surely has to be performance-based decision?
What happened was I went and tried different fin systems, cause I was riding glass on fins and I was so set on them I couldn’t ride any other fin system. I eventually became sick of carrying 12 boards with glass ons. What I did was I got a couple of different fin systems put on a quiver of boards and took them all on the Red Bull boat in Indonesia last year and tried all the different ones together – and the FCS ones felt the best.
So you were one of the last guys on tour lugging around boards with set fins?
Yeah, it was heavy.
Literally.
Yeah.
Mick winds-up and then releases at home at Duranbah Beach, NSW. Pic: Simon Muirhead
So, after your little test – FCS won. Why them?
It just felt like the FCS fin system had an extra bit of zing. We’d copied my favourite fin exactly (that I was using in glass ons) so I was using that as well and they felt great.
Would you consider yourself a fin expert? Or are you a bit of a novice?
It’s one of those things where the slightest little change in your fin affects the board’s performance so much. And then it keeps evolving. Put it this way, I know what I like. I have been working on a new fin by throwing around ideas and that, but it’s hard to find the exact right things.
Bit scary to get too far away from what you know and love. You might never find your way back?
That’s the thing. I guess that’s what happens when you have a board and you put the wrong fins in it – if it goes bad it can really put you off. But then you put a different fin set in that fits it perfect – and it goes completely different. Changing what initially felt like a bad board, into a good board. That’s what I like now – the options.
With all your boards Mick, and all these fins, you could rattle yourself at an event with too many options?
I tend to use the same fin for all my short boards then change up for my guns. On my guns the fin I use is a little smaller and pivoty.
So, it’s not the bigger the board, the bigger fin? But more rakie?
My bigger board fin has got a good base with a bit more rake and more sort of bend through the back. Allows you to still have the drive, but if you wanna turn it – it will turn on a dime.
Is this fin that you had set in all your boards previously going to become your signature fin?
We were going to do a signature fin but we’re still working on which one to go with. It’s like I said before, you think have something, then something else comes along, and then that feels better, then something else comes along and then that feels better – or worse – and you go backwards. It’s forever evolving. We’ll have a signature fin out by next year and that will be the fin that I ride 95% of the time. And then we’ll have something else out after that. Something more diverse I’d imagine.
That makes sense. A smaller fin that allows you to turn a big board in big waves and a bigger fin that gives you drive in an already lose small board.
That’s what we do. I have a fin now that is nice and even through the whole way. At places like Trestles you want that drive but when you throw the fins you don’t want it to be out of control. You want it to grab when it hits the deck again. And you also want to be able to draw out your turns and mix it right up."
If he doesn't have credibility on how a fin feel, then no one does. Here's a clip of Mick surfing back in home at D Bah, showing the rest of us how it's done.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Nose Riding Fins
The defining characteristics of a nose riding fin are the greater depth and larger surface area of the fin tip. When nose riding is the highest priority in surfing, the standard equipment is a longboard (9 feet or more), with soft rails, a wide tail, a wide nose, and a single fin. These are a few different styles of nose riding fins:
Pivot fins are shaped similar to boat rudders. They have an upright posture and a relatively uniform width from base to tip. By minimizing the fin's rake, the pivot fin is very responsive and able to turn easily at low speeds. This is also allows the surfer to make small directional adjustments from the nose. Longboards are most responsive to turning when the surfer has their weight over the tail of the board, and respond poorly when flat in the face of the wave. Pivot fins are usually about 10 inches deep. A deeper fin anchors the tail into the face of the wave, preventing the board from spinning out. The standard fin placement for a pivot fin is all the way back towards the tail. Move the fin forward half an inch at a time until the sweet spot is found. Pivot fins are best suited for waves that are 1-3 feet, and will loosen up a longboard without giving up stability.
Rake fins are shaped like a dolphin's fin. They are more swept back than the pivot fins, but still maintain width out at the tip. The wide base mikes these fins very stable at low speeds and in the white water, while the longer fin rake give the fin more drive and control when going fast. They are not as loose as pivot fins, but for that reason provide more control in larger or faster waves. Rake fins are great first fins for an entry level longboarder, because they are very stable for learning, but surfers will not out grow the fin as their skills improve. The size rule of thumb is one inch of fin per foot of board; for example, a nine inch fin for a nine foot board. When selecting a nose riding fin addition depth is usually a good idea. Rake fins are best suited for waves that are 2-6 feet, and will offer stable nose rides in a wide variety of conditions.
Hatchet fins are shaped like, well, a hatchet. The most defining characteristics of these fins are the straight leading edge and diamond shaped tip. They typically have a little more rake than a pivot fin and less base than a rake fin. These fins were first made popular by Dewey Weber on the Performer model surfboard. Hatchet fins handle similar to pivot fins but provide more hold for big, heavy, soft-railed longboards. This is a “retro” fin and could be frustrating for surfers who want a responsive and agile fin. Hatchet fins are best suited for heavy longboards in waves that are 1-4 feet
There is a large variety of nose riding fin is the Waveriders Fin Gallery. As you browse, try to stay focused on the traits you want in a fin, and look for the qualities that will produce them. Deep, upright fins are better suited for slow, mushy, small waves. A fin with more rake will be a better “all around” performing nose riding fin. Start with these fins all the way back in your fin box, and adjust them in half to quarter inch increments until you find the sweet spot.
Pivot fins are shaped similar to boat rudders. They have an upright posture and a relatively uniform width from base to tip. By minimizing the fin's rake, the pivot fin is very responsive and able to turn easily at low speeds. This is also allows the surfer to make small directional adjustments from the nose. Longboards are most responsive to turning when the surfer has their weight over the tail of the board, and respond poorly when flat in the face of the wave. Pivot fins are usually about 10 inches deep. A deeper fin anchors the tail into the face of the wave, preventing the board from spinning out. The standard fin placement for a pivot fin is all the way back towards the tail. Move the fin forward half an inch at a time until the sweet spot is found. Pivot fins are best suited for waves that are 1-3 feet, and will loosen up a longboard without giving up stability.
Rake fins are shaped like a dolphin's fin. They are more swept back than the pivot fins, but still maintain width out at the tip. The wide base mikes these fins very stable at low speeds and in the white water, while the longer fin rake give the fin more drive and control when going fast. They are not as loose as pivot fins, but for that reason provide more control in larger or faster waves. Rake fins are great first fins for an entry level longboarder, because they are very stable for learning, but surfers will not out grow the fin as their skills improve. The size rule of thumb is one inch of fin per foot of board; for example, a nine inch fin for a nine foot board. When selecting a nose riding fin addition depth is usually a good idea. Rake fins are best suited for waves that are 2-6 feet, and will offer stable nose rides in a wide variety of conditions.
Hatchet fins are shaped like, well, a hatchet. The most defining characteristics of these fins are the straight leading edge and diamond shaped tip. They typically have a little more rake than a pivot fin and less base than a rake fin. These fins were first made popular by Dewey Weber on the Performer model surfboard. Hatchet fins handle similar to pivot fins but provide more hold for big, heavy, soft-railed longboards. This is a “retro” fin and could be frustrating for surfers who want a responsive and agile fin. Hatchet fins are best suited for heavy longboards in waves that are 1-4 feet
There is a large variety of nose riding fin is the Waveriders Fin Gallery. As you browse, try to stay focused on the traits you want in a fin, and look for the qualities that will produce them. Deep, upright fins are better suited for slow, mushy, small waves. A fin with more rake will be a better “all around” performing nose riding fin. Start with these fins all the way back in your fin box, and adjust them in half to quarter inch increments until you find the sweet spot.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Single Fin Placement
Fin placement is not universal for board types or all riders. When you decide on the fin for your board, the most common place to start is in the center of the box. After surfing with the fin in the center for a few sessions, move the fin in quarter to half inch increments to achieve the desired performance. Move the fin forward, toward the nose, to make the board turn easier, and move the fin back toward the tail to stabilize the board and draw turns out. When surfing bigger, faster waves, move the fin back for better control at high speeds.
If you are new to surfing or you want to work on nose riding, then start with the fin all the way back in the fin box. By moving the fin back, the fin will hold the tail securely while nose riding, and be easier to control. Placing the fin further back also stabilizes the board when you are riding the white water.
To get more performance out of a single fin board in punchy surf, you may want to add side bites. Side bites are the side fins to a 2+1 fin set up, and tend to be significantly smaller than standard thruster side fins. For this fin configuration, the best place to start is with the leading edge of the center fin aligned with the trailing tips of the side bites.
If you are new to surfing or you want to work on nose riding, then start with the fin all the way back in the fin box. By moving the fin back, the fin will hold the tail securely while nose riding, and be easier to control. Placing the fin further back also stabilizes the board when you are riding the white water.
To get more performance out of a single fin board in punchy surf, you may want to add side bites. Side bites are the side fins to a 2+1 fin set up, and tend to be significantly smaller than standard thruster side fins. For this fin configuration, the best place to start is with the leading edge of the center fin aligned with the trailing tips of the side bites.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Make a board based on a fin set?
The other day we were discussing how to choose which fin system to use in a new board, and the question was asked, "should someone have a board made with a particular fin set in mind?" As our minds wandered momentarily about how specific you could get, we were brought back into focus when Roger said, "you design the board for the wave, and choose the fins the same way."
He has a great point. If you were to make a board for a particular set of fins, why wouldn't you glass them on? After all, beyond travel function, aren't we using fin systems to enable us to switch out fins for changing conditions?
When a board is designed, there focus is on what type of waves we will be surfing; fast and hollow, slow and mushy, ect. Fins are selected for the conditions. When you get your 6'3" rounded pin for juicy surf, and the waves are 4-6' and hollow, you'll pop in a medium size performance fin. At 8-10' and hollow, you'll be stepping up to a larger fin with more drive and hold.
Same with a longboard. Our local break is pretty slow and mushy most of the time, so most of our boards are long, flat and have fairly soft rails. When it's small I see most of the dominant surfers using pivot fins to keep the board loose at low speed. When the swell jumps up a bit, they ride the same board with a fins that has more rake and a wider base.
Pivot Fin with a vertical template
Rake Fin with a swept back template
He has a great point. If you were to make a board for a particular set of fins, why wouldn't you glass them on? After all, beyond travel function, aren't we using fin systems to enable us to switch out fins for changing conditions?
When a board is designed, there focus is on what type of waves we will be surfing; fast and hollow, slow and mushy, ect. Fins are selected for the conditions. When you get your 6'3" rounded pin for juicy surf, and the waves are 4-6' and hollow, you'll pop in a medium size performance fin. At 8-10' and hollow, you'll be stepping up to a larger fin with more drive and hold.
Same with a longboard. Our local break is pretty slow and mushy most of the time, so most of our boards are long, flat and have fairly soft rails. When it's small I see most of the dominant surfers using pivot fins to keep the board loose at low speed. When the swell jumps up a bit, they ride the same board with a fins that has more rake and a wider base.
Pivot Fin with a vertical template
Rake Fin with a swept back template
Friday, May 21, 2010
Fin Materials
After sifting through countless thruster and quad fin sets, it becomes apparent that several sets have incredibly similar templates and foils, but have substantially different descriptions due to the material they are made from.. The base models are generally made of plastic or a composite. These are typically the fins that come stock on a new board and are adequate for getting familiar with the board, but are designed to work on any board, not your board. Stock fins are like driving a sports car on cheap tires; they work but you'll never realize the boards potential without an upgrade.
Wood laminated with fiberglass is a classic fin construction that is light weight and always a classy look. Many fin manufacturers now make bamboo fins that can be glassed on or make compatible for the major fin systems. At waveridersfingallery.com we will be offering custom and pre-made wood fins by Cherry and Torres.
One of the most common fin materials is fiberglass. The fiberglass cloth has a perpendicular weave that can be laid at different angles relative to the fin base, producing different flex patterns. Different resins, finishes, templates, and foils also play major roles in a fins flex. While fiberglass fins are typically very heavy for their size, they are very durable and can be easily reshaped if the owner feels the need to make adjustments or experiment.
Another very prevalent fin technology is Hex Core construction, also called Resin Transfer Molding. To make these fins, fin makers sandwich lightweight honeycomb foam like structure between layers of fiberglass and polyester resin. This process makes an incredibly light fins with increased flex.
The next step in finding a light weight, high strength fin material is carbon fiber. These fins are extremely light and can make stiffer fins for power surfers, heavy surfers and big wave surfing. This is probably why Sunny Garcia uses carbon fiber for his signature FCS fins.
Those are just a few of the materials being used currently in fin production. One of the most innovative material applications found on the market today is the use of both resin transfer molding and carbon fiber by Futures, on the Black Stix fin line. Since Futures developed the technique, I'll let them explain it:
"Black Stix combines various processing techniques to produce a strategically designed flex structure, created by a crescent shaped, carbon leading edge fin. The inlay of the two materials creates a torsional flex pattern for storing potential energy and releasing kinetic energy into whip-like turns. Light and strong, this highly designed fin has a patterned flex rebound to take your surfing to its full potential. Constantly pushing the envelope of what a fin should be and do." -From futuresfins.com
Now as you shop for the perfect fin for your new board, pay close attention to the fin construction. With so many materials being used in production, be sure to read the manufacturer's description or consult our fin forum for advice on what material will suit your style best.
Wood laminated with fiberglass is a classic fin construction that is light weight and always a classy look. Many fin manufacturers now make bamboo fins that can be glassed on or make compatible for the major fin systems. At waveridersfingallery.com we will be offering custom and pre-made wood fins by Cherry and Torres.
One of the most common fin materials is fiberglass. The fiberglass cloth has a perpendicular weave that can be laid at different angles relative to the fin base, producing different flex patterns. Different resins, finishes, templates, and foils also play major roles in a fins flex. While fiberglass fins are typically very heavy for their size, they are very durable and can be easily reshaped if the owner feels the need to make adjustments or experiment.
Another very prevalent fin technology is Hex Core construction, also called Resin Transfer Molding. To make these fins, fin makers sandwich lightweight honeycomb foam like structure between layers of fiberglass and polyester resin. This process makes an incredibly light fins with increased flex.The next step in finding a light weight, high strength fin material is carbon fiber. These fins are extremely light and can make stiffer fins for power surfers, heavy surfers and big wave surfing. This is probably why Sunny Garcia uses carbon fiber for his signature FCS fins.
Those are just a few of the materials being used currently in fin production. One of the most innovative material applications found on the market today is the use of both resin transfer molding and carbon fiber by Futures, on the Black Stix fin line. Since Futures developed the technique, I'll let them explain it:
"Black Stix combines various processing techniques to produce a strategically designed flex structure, created by a crescent shaped, carbon leading edge fin. The inlay of the two materials creates a torsional flex pattern for storing potential energy and releasing kinetic energy into whip-like turns. Light and strong, this highly designed fin has a patterned flex rebound to take your surfing to its full potential. Constantly pushing the envelope of what a fin should be and do." -From futuresfins.com
Now as you shop for the perfect fin for your new board, pay close attention to the fin construction. With so many materials being used in production, be sure to read the manufacturer's description or consult our fin forum for advice on what material will suit your style best.
Monday, May 10, 2010
The Evolution of Fins
This is one of, if not the best video on the evolution and current state of surfboard fins. The video was made by FCS and can be found on youtube.com. It is nearly impossible to get every contribution to fin design in one place, but they did a great job of finding highly influential people in surfing and getting their insight on how things have advanced. The clip is a bit long at 16 minutes but definitely worth the time. What else are you going to do in the next 16 minutes, check you facebook for the tenth time today?
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