42 COACHING FUNDAMENTALS
Plastic composite fins
Plastic fins, for example on beginner boards, can be basic.
UK-based K4, however, are the world leader in plastic
composite fin technology with a whole range of robust, high
performance fins, iconic in bright yellow and now also found
in orange on new RRD wave/freewave boards. K4’s original
Dynamic Flex material makes it ideal for wavesailing
performance. The alternative Super Stiff material compares
with the stiffness of G10 and makes it suitable for stiffer
wave fins as well as freestyle, freewave and freeride.
Carbon fins
The varied styles of plastic composite fin technology: K4
Fang, 3SW, Bubble and Shark II fronts
Pimping your board with a carbon fin means getting the best and
lightest fins around yet being typically custom made, hand-layed
and wet-sanded by hand, the bill for a set of top-end carbon
slalom fins would be enough to make most people pass out.
Pre-preg carbon and fibreglass composite fins blend materials to
balance the performance and cost of G10 and carbon.
Fin success
Look after your fins. These two freeride 38s have (had!)
exactly the same profile until one got a little unloved…
Fin bag
Here are my top 10 tips to avoid fin-related failure:
1) Always take your fins with you when you go windsurfing.
Rigging up in perfect conditions only to discover that you
have left them at home is a serious drama.
2) Put fins in the right way round with any sweep to the
back!
3) Love your fins and keep them in great condition,
smoothing them off from time to time (especially on the
leading edge) gently with fine sandpaper (180 grade)
then wet and dry (300, 400 and 600 grade) to reduce
drag and spinout.
4) Invest in a fin bag or padded box to keep them together.
Return them to their fin covers when rinsed and dried.
5) Select the most appropriate fin size you can for each
session.
6) When coming into the beach always stop the board and
get off before the fin stops you in the style of a plough.
7) Carry spare fin bolts and nuts and use the right
screwdriver to tighten them securely (usually Phillips
size 3 or large flathead for Power box, Tuttlebox and Slot
box and medium flathead for US box).
8) Check your fins before every session to avoid wobble,
dropout or failure at sea.
9) Always remove the fin cover before sailing. When you set off
and feel the fin flutter you will know what you need to do!
10)Wear shoes when windsurfing or focus really strongly on
correct foot positioning, especially when waterstarting, to
avoid a finjury (foot slicing).
That completes the third part of kit setup. Now it’s up to you
to try different fin setups until you find something that feels
right for you…maybe even heading to your local windsurf
shop to buy some new fins. If you missed either of the first
two articles in the series then head to the WSUK website to
order or download previous issues and to subscribe for future
FUNDAMENTALS articles.
Fin covers
uk
WIND
SURFING
Thanks to:
Dietrich Hanke www.mauiultrafins.com
Dave Gollick www.windsurfingfins.co.uk
Steve Thorp www.k4fins.com,
Matt Wright and Sam Ross