A great and wicked design by Chris Lockwood. I'd like to highlight this fin as it's based on a free thinking excercise and it has massively paid off. The fin is super neutral, easy to sail and blistering fast on open courses. Because of the sweep it also functions up until a given amount of seagrass. It looks like this will be one of the favorite fins to use in my quiver. The "bulb" built into this fin can truly be felt. It's noticeable the board tracks better and stays at a given (optimum) angle because of it. And when you accidentally push too much (extremely hard, even with the smallest sizes) it's super easy to get back. Equally important: it has been built to perfection by the extremely high quality manufacturing plant set-up by Peter Weitenberg. I applaud him for putting in so much time and effort into profesionalizing G10 and Carbon fin manufacturing. The craftsmanship can be felt when being there and it's no surprise quality stands out (as with some other brands that manufacture for all riders, not just the very top), with quality, not quantity as the standard to work from.
It's solutions like this why I love the dedication of designers and manufacturers so much. Thinking out of the box, never satisfied with the options at hand, open to learn from the past and using the latest design treats in other parts of the gear development. Modern sails and boards give new opportunities. Amongst them mastfeet that can be placed further back. The sweep in the fin supports the ride with mastfoot placed far back while maintaining speed at cross wind.
This fin in the larger sizes could be a PWA killer for Fuerteventura against the now well accepted Carbon fins. I will gve them a true spin to find out about the potential and wouldn't be surprised if gybing speed, control and pure topspeed are better compared to well accepted top Carbon fins when racing on full chop.
I put the pic on the side as the bulb is what I mean to show. Feel like the water is feeling this fin. I can see where Chris was coming from and I love his freethinking spirit, even when he might say: "the computer calculated this model". What I can feel in the water is added stability as the water at the base is compressed close to the turbulent water state. A briljant thought by ChrisL. The thick section is the power section, just like with a sail. The tip section is the release section, again, just like with a modern saiil.
There has been put quite a lot of 3D/visualised thinking into this design. I am thrilled to explain a little and honour yet another artist bringing fantastic products to the market.
I might be able to try a 27 on Friday. Fingers crossed that it windy as forecast. I'll post what I think vs Tribal WS.
was trying to remember what thickness of a fin affected ...
checked my fin discussion on my blog ...
joewindsurfer.blogspot.com/2012/03/fins.html
quote from Gonzalo ...
A fin with a thicker foil gives you more power, upwind angle, but sacrifices top speed. A thinner foil gives you better top speed, butt in lighter winds you lose early planing and upwind angle. A fin that has the thickest point of its foil forward creates a smoother, more controlled riding sensation. Moving the foil back gives you more speed, but it's a more technical-riding fin - especially when going upwind."
Sounds very interesting.Can we see more photos from different angles?
BSN101 - I'll be very interested to hear comparison to the Weed Speed.
I like the look of the new delta too.
Bugger! Like I need more fin's.
Select to expand quoteDag said..
Sounds very interesting.Can we see more photos from different angles?
BSN101 - I'll be very interested to hear comparison to the Weed Speed.
I like the look of the new delta too.
Bugger! Like I need more fin's.
Too weedy at GH today. Used WS29 on 66wide and WS25 on 55 wide. 35knots on the WS29. A rough session
Select to expand quotetryharder said..
What board is that?
X-Step hulled Rockstar 44. This time fitted with Tirbal Weed. Works great when going broad. The fin helps to track the board, the board, after getting onto speed, sits comfortably on the tail. I don't understand and will never understand the way the current boardbrands are using cut-outs. With normal cut-outs you need fins to stabilize the board in a way that it makes the board slower, not faster....
I have the Tribal Sym Speed fins in 25, 23 and 21. Have only used the first two to date and absolutely love them. They feel super safe at speed, predictable when bearing off (no excessive rail lift) and get me back upwind better than expected. My only negative comment would be that at lower speeds, when they let go... THEY LET GO, and are very hard to get biting again without coming to a near stop... but this could be my lack of skill!
(Just my 'un-expert' opinion. )
