Fins

Here are some random thoughts and opinions on the subject of fins.  Our supplier sells Select so most of us use these fins.  As stated previously the old SL7 (now the S11) is a firm favorite providing a good mix of upwind ability and straight line speed.  In rough water we use the old Evo Lightning which has a bigger rake and is therefor more forgiving.  I suppose the current equivalent is the S09 which I have yet to sail but which I'm sure is a great fin.  Select's SRX Free Slam which replaces the old SuperX looks like the ultimate freeride fin for our conditions.

I think we all need two lines of slalom fins - one line for flat and the other for rough water.

Deboichet has the SL2 for power and the SL4 for control in rough water.  I have tried these fins and was very impressed with both of them.  Class products and fast fast fast.

C3 has the Venom for rough water and the Sting for power sailing.  Peter Volwater was raving about the Sting when he was here last year.  The C3 fins really look the part as well.  Boogie is one of the design stars of our sport and strikes me as one of those gifted but meticulous and uncompromising individuals who need to get everything 100% right.  Probably not the easiest person to work with but so good for pushing continuous improvement in windsurfing fins.

I have not ridden Black Project fins but hear good things about them.  They are G10 fins and from the look of it the Type R will be easy to control at speed (a nice rounded tip).

An interesting fin which I have been keeping an eye on is from Smartfins.  These are two part fins which flex along their length and they claim that this makes it possible to get the same power from smaller fins.  They have only had their 32cm model on sale for the last 2 years however so I'm suspecting that there may be problems with the other sizes.  Their racing results were good in 2009 so the concept looks as if it works but where are the other sizes?

Sonntag Fins is a brand that I have always wanted to sail.  They just look right to me and I have to say that if I lived in Europe I would have tested them long ago and would probably be using nothing else.

My friend Pit from Switzerland uses Hurricane Fins which he rates quite highly.  I borrowed 2 sizes from him last year and I agree - they are great fins.  They are really thin and extremely light so I am always a bit nervous about damage.

OK that's enough for now.  Cheers and speak to you soon