A different kinda minimalism.
The argument over glass-on fins versus box fins has been as emotional as the debate over the place of competition in the pure art of surfing And here’s the next argument for the (fin) box theory: it has to do with a minimalist approach to point breaks.
How many of us surf breaks that are one-way streets? Spots like Rincon, Swami’s, Sunset, Hanalei, Malibu, Jeffrey’s Bay, and Padang come to mind. Now, how many of us surf with the same fin setup at these spots as other breaks in our area? What would happen if we took off the outside fin, or at least changed it to a smaller dimension/outline? Do we need the outside fin? What kind of straight-up surfing could we do without a fin on our outside rail? What if just the back, outside, small quad fin stayed to supplement the regular inside rail fins? What if? What if?!
Have we experimented with this dynamic? Drive vs. drift, where we decrease the drag coefficient or eliminate it altogether? Will it help or hinder the aerialists? Another quirky idea: How about an asymmetrical tail with an asymmetrical fin setup? Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, and others have an open mind with their equipment, maybe this could develop into another dimension of design philosophy.
Perhaps point breaks will support some interesting fin dynamics in the next year? This could be marketing bliss for the fin companies and experimentation at its best. Something new to play with…and correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t it all begin as fun and play?
Experiment away.
