I read earlier today that there is a company that has been researching how to improve airfoil technology by studying the fins of humpback whales. They're looking at incorperating it into wind turbine blades, as "Compared to smooth surface fins, the bumpy humpback ones have 32% less drag and an 8% increased lift in their movement through air or water."
This is the website of the company.www.whalepower.com/drupal/?q=node/1
Reckon this would be of any use on windsurfing fins? One problem I can see is that for use on our fins, the bumps would have to be so small they would turn the leading edge into a serrated knife.
EDIT: I can't find the source of that quote on the actual whalepower.com website. The quoted text comes from number 4 on this website www.brainz.org/15-coolest-cases-biomimicry/
Maybe Japan has a secret windpower project going on..... a pole with a car alternator on top with whale fins strapped to it???
i seem to remember Curtis fins pattern their fins after the orca whales fin a decade ago never took off though![]()
i cut off a few baby whale fins in previous seasons(rest of whale great sashimi BTW!)
and rammed them into my tuttle box with self tappers on the top........but to be honest they didn't plane early and felt like my dick would feel covered in warts.
i've been considering growing oysters on my car seats for something to do when i'm bored.