In the previous post I discussed my fascination with the homemade freestyle fin phenomenon...in particular how small they are compared to traditional fins, and that commercial freestyle fins were ignored by true freestylers. All the responses were along the lines of "are you nuts...OF COURSE you must have a super short fin!"
So here a photo of mine. I've found it challenging, but it works. I like Mike Burns' suggestion of the fin being wrist to middle finger length (kind of like harness lines being elbow to wrist length) but my fin is too short for that.
Now that looks better for a freestyle fin but not quite sure about the shape!
Posted by: Bunty | October 21, 2007 at 11:54 AM
I tried a fin about that size in Bonaire but the winds lightened up right after I got on the water so I never really gave it good go. My first impression was- slippery, hard to get upwind but it works I think, and it is probably great for new style arials, of which I'm mostly a beginner. Maybe I won't feel like a beginner if I make a fin like this. Hope it works for you. Let us know how it sails.
Posted by: scooper | October 21, 2007 at 08:04 PM
Bunty, my fin shape is a pattern of Andy Brandt's (see the previous post) and he does brilliantly. Of course he is also an outstanding sailor. Andy told me that he things using gradually smaller fins is the way to approach tiny freestyle fins...don't jump to a tiny thing like I just did. Oops!
Scooper, I hope to have a report on the fin in a day or two. Unless the waves are good, in which case I'll be on different gear!
Posted by: Michael | October 22, 2007 at 08:16 AM