I want to sail shallower areas more. I have some 18 + 21cms makani fins
18cms + 21cms is one of these
www.makanifins.com/collections/windsurfing-weed-fins/products/naia-weed-shallow-windsurfing-fin
+ I have a 18cms although I think its a US box so I can only use it with my smaller boards anyway..
www.makanifins.com/collections/windsurfing-weed-fins/products/mano-weed-wave-windsurfing-fin
If I'm powered up with smaller boards ( 95 + 78ltres) in 20kts + wind I can go upwind etc ok .Due to lack of decent wind lately I'm thinking of trying to use my 7.5 /6.6m sails on my 115 ltre 75 wide board and use one of these little fins..I'm not sure I could get upwind or not spinout with that combo? It would be in 10-20kts odd gusty.
How would these compare to delta fins and can you get Powerbox deltas?
Also I suppose they need a different stance to get upwind - a more upright waveboard type stance?

Mobydisc said..

You can get powerbox delta fins. I have one and if you go to Canton Beach on Saturday you can try it. I think its an 18cm model.

Thanks Karl! I am aiming to go there on Sat so that will be great.. If you're still interested and it doesn't blow you can have a go on my 115 Xcross

Do they make them for US boxes? I realised last night that all my small boards are waveboards and US? Id like to try one before I commit as I already have the other fins in 18-21cms and have used them at peel st.

At the moment I'll just have to do the best I can with the waveboards. If I stop sailing the lake I can swap for speed boards..So would a delta fit the waveboards? Its not so much the speed advantage - I want to be able to get into the shallow spots but also point to get back and was wondering if the Deltas would be any better than the ones I have for that?
The few times I have struck mirror smooth water and speed were unreal and I'd like more..- even if it's on a waveboard..I only want to try and get to 33kts or so -a waveboard should be able to do that?

Just remember when using smaller fins in shallow water.

Yes, they can get you into shallow water, but if they grind to a halt then you are in some seriously shallow water which is not fun to crash in

Glynn Merrit said..

elmo said..

Just remember when using smaller fins in shallow water.

Yes, they can get you into shallow water, but if they grind to a halt then you are in some seriously shallow water which is not fun to crash in

Just ordered a Maui 18cm Delta Slalom for shallow flat water sailing at Wello we have no weed but some flat bottoms areas but am worried about hitting as the water is mostly muddy so hard to see how shallow it is I have a good idea were to go & were not to but this opens up areas I would not venture in the past I will just have to be sensible if it looks to flat don't go there but so tempting at times. Once I got tempted & hit broke my boom, mast, sail, uni & gashed my fin & very lucky I was ok just got a few cuts from walking back over the reef n a bad bruised shoulder.
When I was at Lake George I asked Jacques Kint for some advice as I was new to LG he said if it looks too flat don't go there this has stuck in my head but as I say its so tempting when you see flat water too head towards it.

Yes that worries me. Just wondering if the shape of the fin has any effect on how bad a crash is..are the deltas any more forgiving in mud with their slanted entry than the makani ( rounded wide base but more normal 45 degrees fin shaped).
I didn't try Moby's Delta on the weekend as it was quite choppy and we had to work back upwind so I used my 30cms weedie..Will try and test one another time. Thanks for the offer!

for me 55deg is to loose off the wind and you loose pressure on the fin ,that can be very scary especially if you don't have consistent water, even the flattest of speed spots you will be sailing into and out of chop with varied wind pressure , you will also notice the drop in wind pressure more with the deltas , you will also notice your board sitting much flatter to the water and get a cruiser feel, rather than that nice crisp feeling like sailing off the fin you are use too,
fin companies have picked there act up on weed fins in the last couple of years, have a look at what's available at 50 to 47deg, they still have enough rake that if you hit something they will ride over it rather than a throughing you off the board and doing serious damage
if your going to be sailing shallow water for the biggest % , you mite need to get your self an old school narrow tail slalom or a speed slalom with some tail cutouts , these new style slalom boards aren't suited for shallow water sailing

Hi Sue, On Saturday I was sailing my Stbd Atomic 110. I wasn't far behind a full on slalom sailor who was doing 36kts so I guess I was doing 33 knots. I have done 33 knots before but it was on a Fanatic Hawk and a bit scary. As you say spitting around all over the place. I was interested to read in the latest May edition of Windsurf that was reviewing slalom boards that the Isonic was very stable at speed compared to the other slalom boards. The atomic is a free move board but has an iconic rocker line. Still getting over this board the thin rails really dig in when going for a full on gybe, yet at 75cm wide I can still gybe it next to no wind and still stay dry. When sailing on Saturday I was thinking faster, faster, where as on the Hawk in my mind I was going "Meow Meow" I want to slow down. First sailed the Atomic on the Port Phillip Bay chop in 25 knots so can confirm this board can handle the chop.

How do you pick the size needed as compared to the slalom fin normally used on a particular board/sail setup. I notice they give area of the fin on the website but I have no idea the area of my other fins.

gh said..

How do you pick the size needed as compared to the slalom fin normally used on a particular board/sail setup. I notice they give area of the fin on the website but I have no idea the area of my other fins.

If you email maui ultra fins and tell them what board and sail and conditions you want the fin for they will recommend the right size fin.