Finned and finless surfing: some footage

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bgreen
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Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#1

Unread post by bgreen »

John Kovar (Malaroo) took this footage on a recent trip where I caught up with him and his mates.

Here is the finless board :

https://youtu.be/WlvHCGMeh8U

It handled steep take-offs, turns and has some speed. I didn't tend to take it out at spots that needed a long paddle, but it does catch waves well.

Different waves on a twin fin: https://youtu.be/lFjqLZDCYzI


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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#2

Unread post by Nels »

Makes a case for fins, writes the guy who almost always goes finless

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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#3

Unread post by soulglider »

fun stuff bob. what happens when you pull yourself a little more towards the front of the board (more arch in your back)? and film proves (maybe) that feel isnt always real-finless feels faster but is it really and board number 2 is definitely faster than board number 1 and for sure faster than a mat.
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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#4

Unread post by bgreen »

Nels and Tim.

The finned board is fast (but not quite as fast as an earlier flatter bottom version). Due to my dodgy editing it may be less noticeable, but on part 1 at 1:35 the finless board really scoots from behind the rocks.

After watching some earlier footage Larry Goddard mentioned that I should arch my back more. This probably is my arched back - the product of years of misuse, sitting and bad posture. I was watching some footage of Jeff Quam, whose back was arched more and he sort of weighted his body forward and back, his upper body stable but his lower back swinging. I don't think my lower discs would deal with this. This action certainly allows the body to be a bit more forward (though this was a finned board). On another finless board, once you go too far forward the tail spins around (handy way to pull out of closeouts)

Bob
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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#5

Unread post by nomastomas »

Great footage, Bob. Our surfing styles on finned p-boards is very similar. The speed comes from holding a tight line in the upper third of the wave. Its not just the speed you get from fins, but the quicker/snappier turn, and the ability to stay high in the pocket and not get washed down the face when in the critical part of the wave. I've noticed that I'm riding more and more with my chest off the deck and back arched, which keeps weight on the fins. However, that position also causes some leg drag on my 48" G4 which I'm hoping to correct with my 52" TBX.
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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#6

Unread post by bgreen »

Nomas,

Rod's initial comments were about leg drag slowing down the finned board - however, watching a higher resolution copy of the videos, my leg lifts and lowers during the rides, though would drag at other times.

There has been limited discussion regarding the technique involved in riding these boards (and inevitably there will be quite a bit of diversity - which is some of the appeal). Watching video is one way of opening up this discussion.


Bob
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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#7

Unread post by Cuttlefish »

thanks for posting the footage Bob.
I enjoyed watching the different boards in action.
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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#8

Unread post by bgreen »

Pete,

A pleasure & chance to work on my editing skills. Did you ever get to do that trip south of Sydney?

Bob
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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#9

Unread post by krusher74 »

I'm not sure if this is really the finned to finless difference an i'm seeing it as somthing else, but the major difference I saw between the two was the arm position.

On the finned board you have the handle making your hands close together and elbows stick out, it looks like you have lost leverage to turn the board easily, the turns are fast and tight but you dont flow out of them like when your on the finless.

On the finless you are holding it by the rails wider hand hold and inside elbow planted on the rail.

I guess I will maybe never fall far from the tree of my 20 years on bodyboards, But think the longer board does not allow you to get you chest off the board.

I don't do many turns when surfing, but maybe that's the shortfall of my short wide boards (do more 360's where people turn)

Its great to see footage,the finless really seems to squirt speed when it get in the powerpocket. :D
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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#10

Unread post by bgreen »

Krusher,

The finned board is 53" x 21 1/4" x 1 7/8". At the longest section of the crescent tail it is less than1" longer. The handles allow plenty of leverage and my elbows stick out, but not as much as when they used to send spray everywhere. The last few weeks I had been surfing finless and the first surf in the video, I realised I wasn't surfing the board as tightly as I could. So it took a little time to get used to the fins again. Not so much the drag issue, but rather turn timing and ability to get more up on a rail (especially in cutbacks).

The turns reflect my (finned) stand-up surfing background.

Boards comparisons-
PaipoCompareTails2.jpg
PaipoCompare_rails2.jpg
PaipoCompareDeck2.jpg
PaipoCompareBottom2.jpg
The red board is a lot lighter. It's also thinner so a little more work kicking along. I need to test it in a broader range of conditions but this test shows a finless board of somewhat comparable design, rides similarly. Probably not quite as fast but in waves with some power, the speed is there. Rides the tube (you'll have t take my word on that) . Performance in whitewater will always be different. I could have taken the blue board out in the last surf and done a more direct comparison, but I was having so much fun, didn't go in.

Bob
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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#11

Unread post by krusher74 »

cool 8-)

When I was riding today, I realised I don't really do through the lip turns very often at all, its a very tricky thing to do in the prone position, as you cant rotate at the waist like a stand up surfer, and i guess i dont have a fin to pivot off.

How would you describe the surf conditions, there looked to be chop that was disturbing the rail.

Looks like a fun break. :D
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Re: Finned and finless surfing: some footage

#12

Unread post by bgreen »

Krusher,

A really fun part of the trip was that the seven surfs were all at different spots. The two clips include two rocks shelfs, an offshore bombie (the still photo), point break, two reefs and a beach break. The waves were largely cross-shore, or offshore going cross-shore.

Top turns are readily done on finned boards, though as you said, largely without the same pivot - there are a few different types that can be done - long walls allow for a long swooping version with a more vertical inverted U based around a big bottom turn, then there are hit the lips which often involve a free-fall - these are often a more parallel to the face move - like a stretched out reverse S, based around more drop and climb moves. These latter turns can be done on finless boards.

Others no doubt have may different views about turning. Coming from a BB background, who may also go seeking waves that tube more than I do. Those reefs you surf are likely less conducive to turns.



Bob
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