Like everything, the products in the windsurfing market have proliferated to the point where it feels like you need a degree to make a choice.
What are the best fins for going fast on a slalom/freeride board?
Select to expand quoteSputnik11 said..
Like everything, the products in the windsurfing market have proliferated to the point where it feels like you need a degree to make a choice.
What are the best fins for going fast on a slalom/freeride board?
Tribal
BLACK DIAMOND FINS : www.blackdiamondfins.at/en/
BLACK PROJECT FINS : www.blackprojectfins.com/
C3 FINS : www.c3-fins.fr/
CARPENTER FINS : carpenterfins.com/products.html
CHOCO FINS : www.chocofins.info/
ELK FINS : elkplus.lv/fins1/news/
ERD FINS : www.erdproducts.com/
F-HOT : www.f-hot.com/
GASOIL FINS : ailerongasoil.free.fr/
HURRICAN FINS : www.hurricanefins.de/
I FINS www.ifins.eu/
KASHY FINS : www.kashyfins.com/
KING FINS : www.king-fins.com/index.html
KW FINS : kwfins.wordpress.com/
LSD FINS : www.lsdfins.com/
MAUI ULTRA FINS : www.mauiultrafins.fr/fr/
MAKANI FINS : www.makanifins.com/collections/windsurfing-fins
MB FINS : www.mb-fins.com/f/home.asp
MXR FINS : www.mxrwindsurfing.com/finoverview/
SELECT FINS : www.select-hydrofoils.com/fr/
SMART FINS : www.smartfins.com/technologie.html
SONNTAG : www.sonntag-fins.com/
TECHART FINS : www.techart.it/
TECTO FINS : www.tectonicsmaui.com/
THE BOSS FINS : www.thebosscustom.com/?page_id=186
TRIBAL FINS : www.tribalwindsurfing.com/
WINHELLER PROTOTYPES : new.winheller-prototypes.com/?page_id=640
Z FINS : zfins.eu/
Good luck
About right...
Could check the gps challenge website to see what they are using. You'll find some of the fastest using Lockwood and Vector, both with local WA connections And not mentioned on that looooong list.
Select to expand quoteSparky said..
Could check the gps challenge website to see what they are using. You'll find some of the fastest using Lockwood and Vector, both with local WA connections And not mentioned on that looooong list.
good thinking 99
Depends what sailing you do mostly. If you have access to super flat water, just about any old speed fin will do - particularly an assy for optimal conditions.
If you want to go fast in flat water and slightly choppier, tricky conditions and want good upwind performance on an assy, then Tribal or old Lockwood designed KA fins stand out from the pack. I've got a range of fins and nothing comes close to a Lockwood design for control, safety, top speed and reliability in tricky conditions.
C3 are also good in trickier conditions but not so good upwind.
Slalom performance again I'd place C3 up there but MXR, Maui and others are also really good. My C3 Vipers are reliable under load and rough conditions and keep good board trim. C3 have a clear out sale at the moment so might help you decide.
Anything that is full carbon is going to be way better than G10 every day of the week, and weekends too. lol I've tried heaps of G10 fins and they don't stack up against the carbon fins.
Sonntags are a good start, but the Clockwoods are the best IMO.
Look at all the PWA slalom guys, all carbon. If $ is a problem then I would get Tribal G10 fins. But I would save and get carbon anyway.
I think the Tectonics Fury's are going to change things a bit. It's CNC'd but not exactly G-10. Had very few brief chances to test so far but it seems to me they behave very very close to (good) carbon moulded fins, at a fraction of the price. Probably more true in smaller to medium sizes.
juet my two cents l think a lot of fellow watermen & women are thinking by strapping a fast fin to there boards are going to fly pwa guys will but not the average sailor.theres so many other parts of your whole setup that could make a person go faster.board shape sail design mastfoot pressure just to add a few all of the above will work in unison with your desired setup.l remember when hedgie (mark henderson) came down to safety bay (the pond0 a few years ago he was very helpful of throwing in some very good advice on trimming sail setup strap placement footwork fins weedfin in my case & l found l was going a lot faster on my slalom setup.
Wisdom from a legend of windsurfing:
Only when your technique is sooo good that you’re hitting the upper echelons of the fins performance could you consider changing a fin to further your potential.
It is really only the professional windsurfers who reap the benefits of a bag full of fins.
The average windsurfer has a speed restriction due to a combination of lots of factors, a minuscule one of which is fin size, a massive one of which is technique,
a medium one of which is tuning.
In my experience with the RSX where the fins are 'one design' but every single fin is completely different, it is crucial to have a good fin. It sets the board up so much better and makes it feel alive. In my opinion, this leads to better technique, as you are riding the board how it is supposed to be, not just making do. That may just be a course racing thing, but I figured Id chuck in my 2 cents worth..
Select to expand quoteka43 said...
Powersloshin is spot on.
And its Mark Pedersen.
thanks l forgot his surname mark pedersen awesome sailor is he still around.
Select to expand quotepowersloshin said..
Wisdom from a legend of windsurfing:
Only when your technique is sooo good that you’re hitting the upper echelons of the fins performance could you consider changing a fin to further your potential.
It is really only the professional windsurfers who reap the benefits of a bag full of fins.
The average windsurfer has a speed restriction due to a combination of lots of factors, a minuscule one of which is fin size, a massive one of which is technique,
a medium one of which is tuning.
I'm not sure I agree with that entirely...
I have tried many brands listed above. But then I tried some carbon fins from Chris Lockwood (Tribal). The consistency and control from the fins allowed me to get distinctly better feedback which allowed me to be a better sailor. In other words, I could forget about managing the fin and focus on technique and the fins allowed me to read technique changes better. For a hack like me that makes a huge difference.
Hi Paddy, I posted those quotes not to devalue the discussions about fins, but to put it into perspective. I myself have lots of fins, and sails etc. because I blame the equipment for my shortcomings... 
I think you reached a technical ability that allowed you to take advantage of the better fins...
Just to add another into the mix, Meanline Fins.
these are designed and hand made by Kai Hopf (the North Sails designer). They can be fully custom or according to team rider models. meanline.com/
Select to expand quoteNZL252 said..
Just to add another into the mix, Meanline Fins.
these are designed and hand made by Kai Hopf (the North Sails designer). They can be fully custom or according to team rider models. meanline.com/
Shame on you cuzzybro (Laurence Carey #NZL-252 Date of Birth: 25 Feb 1994). I think that you should mention that you are a team rider or sponsored by them before suggesting some random fins that no one else has heard of.
Shame on you.
Tricky subject really as it'd be difficult to do a test of all available on the market.
If you judge by what's used in the PWA or Luderitz you may have the following (I could be wrong):
- SLALOM:
Kashy
Carpenter
Z fin
ERD
Tecto for smaller sizes
- SPEED (The guys who went to Luderitz last year can probably comment):
Gasoil
MXR
Select to expand quoteremo81 said..NZL252 said..
Just to add another into the mix, Meanline Fins.
these are designed and hand made by Kai Hopf (the North Sails designer). They can be fully custom or according to team rider models. meanline.com/
Shame on you cuzzybro (Laurence Carey #NZL-252 Date of Birth: 25 Feb 1994). I think that you should mention that you are a team rider or sponsored by them before suggesting some random fins that no one else has heard of.
Shame on you.
hahaha just putting some info onto the forum for fins.
Select to expand quoteBonominator said..
Depends what sailing you do mostly. If you have access to super flat water, just about any old speed fin will do - particularly an assy for optimal conditions.
If you want to go fast in flat water and slightly choppier, tricky conditions and want good upwind performance on an assy, then Tribal or old Lockwood designed KA fins stand out from the pack. I've got a range of fins and nothing comes close to a Lockwood design for control, safety, top speed and reliability in tricky conditions.
C3 are also good in trickier conditions but not so good upwind.
Slalom performance again I'd place C3 up there but MXR, Maui and others are also really good. My C3 Vipers are reliable under load and rough conditions and keep good board trim. C3 have a clear out sale at the moment so might help you decide.
I'd second the C3 Vipers that replaced the Venoms, great in rough conditions, a low lift fin and quick off the wind. Another low lift fin with great control is the Vector EX.
Select to expand quotegavnwend said..ka43 said...
Powersloshin is spot on.
And its Mark Pedersen.
thanks l forgot his surname mark pedersen awesome sailor is he still around.
Hedgehog
Yeah - the more I read here, the more I am reminded of why I posted in the first place.
Am I good enough for good gear to make a difference. I think so, but I am never going to be more than a fast recreational sailor. Maybe I'll spend the money of some beer....
Select to expand quoteSputnik11 said...
Yeah - the more I read here, the more I am reminded of why I posted in the first place.
Am I good enough for good gear to make a difference. I think so, but I am never going to be more than a fast recreational sailor. Maybe I'll spend the money of some beer....
spudnik 11 we dont need a phd in fin dyamics to gain the upper limits on custom fins.if you can control your gear with a speed fin go for it .you pay for what you get in this sport so $ 2-300 isnt bad for a after market fin.
