TUNL FIN hit or SH...t!!!!

[xswind]

Make that world's leading known expert then.

I suppose that it is possible that there is someone out there who has as much knowledge and experience with tunnel fins as we do, but we have been at it for a very long time and no one has surfaced yet !

If you would like to know anything about how they work then go ahead and ask.

Surely the point is this, you have been striving for years developing a product that still is not really that mainstream and it only looks like only a handful of people have ever been really interested in developing this as concept.

What has been the result of all this development, well not a lot from most peoples view point, I do not mean this in a nasty way but I have never even seen a board with a fin like this fitted let alone one in the shops for sale.

Does the hype really live up to expectations is a question I am finding myself asking, I think the industry which is always striving for new innovation and where manufactures are always looking for an edge on their competitors would have grabbed this and run away with it if it really gave huge benefits.

I am an older g1t who has been in and around the surfing scene for 20 years at least.

[Roy Stewart]

The key here is that you mention that the industry is striving to "get an edge on competitors" however there is no competion format which rewards what the tunnel finned boards can do. . . . currently the only competiition formats available are 1) The 'open' competitions which only score radical maneuvers done in the critical part of the wave and 2) 'Longboard' competions which score noseriding, and board walking, as well as shortboardesque 'performance' maneuvers.

The tunnel fin enhances pure surfing, by increasing speed, this is not scored in competitions. . . . . . don't be too quick to assume that 'they' would use tunnel fins if they worked . . . 'they' are running a fashion based industry which is based on flashy spray making surfing which is photogenic.. . . . the tunnel fin does not advance that agenda because it REDUCES drag making spray and tends to encourage fast no fuss down the line surfing, which is not dramatic, but is more functional from a wave making perspective.

It's a bit like olo boards. . . I could use your argument against the use of olo boards as there atre only a few people riding boards of olo dimensions and weight (Tom Stone, Tom Wegener and myself) . . . . using your argument that the industry hasn't taken to olo surfing, one would conclude that therefore it isn't worth pursuing. . . . however olo boards are capable of a wave riding performance which is way ahead of any other board type. . . . it just isn't flashy or geared to throwing fans of spray. . . you get my drift ?

When going for speed tunnel fins win !!

In a way I prefer the surfing masses to avoid riding olo boards and fast heavy tunnel equipped longboards because it maintains the huge advantage I have in the water. .. . however I promote them anyway. . . if I don't then sooner or later someone else will, so I might as well do it now.


PS I am a younger 'Git' who has been surfing for 42 years, including 21 years on foam shortboards. . . . I ride tunnel fins purely because they do what I want better than boards without them. . . . if they didn't I would give them up.. . . I'm ruthless about design and don't bother with stuff that doesn't work

.

[Roy Stewart]

I have never even seen a board with a fin like this fitted .

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[xswind]

Wow they are some old photos.

Just check out the ill fitting 1970's styley wetsuits.

Interesting, that last photo seems to indicate a very strange rocker line.I do not really see how a bananna rocker helps make a board fast.

[Roy Stewart]

Hi again.

That last photo shows a board made to specialise in very small wind chop, hence the extreme volume, width, and rocker. It's a very agile board and fast relative to the conditions it is designed to surf in. The board actually has similar volume to an SUP, and rules in tiny waves. In waves which are bigger than chest high it isn't the go as the rails are so fat that it is impossible to hang on to ! Also the board is designed to do controlled sidfeslips which is fun in little stuff but not ideal when it gets bigger. Just thought I would show the board for interest.

Re. wetties: I like a bit of room in them, can't stand tight fitting wetties in the upper body area, it constricts the blood flow to the muscles and lungs and reduces paddling performance.

PS Lower rockered banana rockers ( circular arc rockers) can be fast

[BLADE HAG]

:party:
Nice pics

[surf patrol]

Posted by MQZ

Hi, a have been designing tunnel fins for years, Im 55 and sufing since 1964 in Argentina ( Mar del Plata), now I am building poliestirene- epoxi strinless boards, and tunnel fins are xxx foam thermoformed an glassed.
(Sorry inglish is not my native language)
Posting some pictures of latest design.
godd surf to everybody
MQZ

[Roy Stewart]

Hi brother MQZ, here's one of our latest tunnels, I have also been doing them for a long time. We prefer ours not raked, but i like yours a lot !

Do you have more pictures of your earlier tunnel boards ?

[MQZ]

This is my fist design, much more wider, because i was afraid it woud be some sort of lateral slipping. See a finn floating. Now i am streching the limits and much more thinner thesign is on de drowingboard, but I steel need wide contact with the surfboard because Idont fix fins in a groove, but "glued" them with sylicon rubber.

Remarcable coincidence in "fast back" tail in our surfboard design!!
MQZ

[CLINT]

Looking at these U shaped tunnel fins make me think that maybe the center horizontal part is the essentially active section and that the rounded sides are just there to hold it in place? No?

[Jimi]

Wow resurrecting an old post!

I think you'll find the sides are the parts that stop you slipping sideways on the face (giving grip and drive), and the horizontal part will give trim control (nose up/down) depending on the angle of the fin to the surface of the board. A little like a hydrofoil wing on a small scale. I'm sure Roy will correct me though.

[CLINT]

I just saw these fins of Roys and I think they have something going for them. Or maybe not. Theres some pretty cool new fins around so these might be something cool too ? I researched a bit on tunnel fins and found a US guy named Deese did it first. Im about ready to make some myself. Do you reckon Roy will mind ? He wont care will he ?

[jaffa1949]

If you want to find out what Roy thinks you have only one genuine option open to you.
Talk to him directly! Either by PM on this site or going to his own site. (I don't alway agree with Roy but his site and his take on innovative ideas is outside the circus and well worth the visit).
IMO people like Roy have the best chance of generating something beyond the norm.

[CLINT]

Thanks man, Ill chase him up and see if he can lend a hand.