Chris Christenson and planer taking on a humungous wooden stringer…no skimping on materials here..the small number of Christenson Surfboards we have ordered should be in the shop by September..sweet..
Solid..
August 15th, 2012The Future or Fantasy?
October 13th, 2011Amazing looking asymmetric quad from the Campbell Brothers
Stubbie
August 26th, 2011Michael Cundith’s Stubbie
Share on Facebook30 years of the Thruster design
April 27th, 2011This Easter at Bells marks the 30th Anniversary of the famous 1981 Bells event when Simon Anderson redefined surfing and surfboard design, taking the world by storm with his innovative ‘Thruster’ design.
As a shaper/competitor Simon was always looking for an edge, being a large a guy and powerful surfer, there was something missing in the single fins and twin fins that were being ridden. This inspired Simon to place the third fin into his surfboard designs and it was not long after that his surfing began to dominate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBt7DB4HDHQ
Share on FacebookSingle fin verses multi-fin surfboards
July 5th, 2010The first obvious difference is the single fin runs through the water easier than a multi fin board.
Since there is only one fin set at 90°to the bottom shape and sitting parallel with the stringer, these two factors minimis the drag aspect of the fins function allowing the board to pass through the water with minimum drag opposed to all the multi fin set ups where all side fins are set at an angle to the stringer both fins towed in to wards the nose and also splayed out to the rail.
This in turn causes the fins to plough through the water creating more drag than the single fin set up. This can only be relived when the board is turned constantly.
Example of a hull shape (surfboard bottom) repeated five times exactly the same, leave one with no fin and then a single, a twin, tri fin and four fins put them in flat water and line them up then give them all the same thrust from behind. The board with no fin will run the furthest followed by 1 then 2 fin then the 3 and finally the 4 fin set up.
Why? Simple, drag added to the hull, no fin no drag, as each fin is added to the hull so the drag factor increases.
It really is simple logic when though about.
Shane Horan on a McCoy Surfboard
How does this effect performance?
Quite dramatically in terms of performance, regardless of hull shape the fin set up determines the style of performance obtainable and there is a correct way to surf the various set ups as each one needs to be surfed differently to obtain maximum performance.
In terms of performance keeping it simple.
Hulls with side fins will rotate from rail to rail and with side and centre fins a quick short burst of speed is the effect, more a stop start performance.
The single fin gives smooth longer arcs with more overall flow and if the rails are designed correctly through the tail area much greater control in the hollow parts of the wave, tubes and steep walls.
When contemplating a surfboard design keep in mind that each fin combination will surf differently from the other and each combination requires an individual approach to how best to surf the board.
It is not a matter of which design is best, it is a matter of how you wish to surf.
Keep surfi`n
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