Thread about Surfboard shape/fins for river surfing...

MKHR · Since 28 Aug 2007 116 Posts Hood River Stoked

There was a thread earlier in the summer about a river swell specific board.

Clearly this is J-bay and not river swell, but check out the video of Derek Hynd riding a finless surfboard in double overhead surf. His ability to flatspin and make carves reminds me of modern whitewater kayaks with planing hulls. The carve comes from the chines, as they have no fins.

Anyway, curious if any board makers are thinking about finless surfboards for kiting (other than the Naish Aila)?

Anyway, the video is worth watching......

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Ffeature%3Dplayer_embedded%26v%3DECqlbimpaUI&h=dAQEz4Wfx

$ociopath · Since 28 Nov 2007 523 Posts Twilight Zone Addicted

Yo b take yo fins off

ldhr · Since 21 Jul 2009 1489 Posts Hood River XTreme Poster

Surfboards without fins? for kiting? they're called skimboards.
A proper surfboard shape without fins is no good for carving turns and going upwind.
This video is cool..... i notice he never stands up and does a proper bottom turn or any cutbacks. cuz he has no fins?
all he can do is go straight and flat spin (pretty cool).

pkh · Since 27 Feb 2005 6549 Posts Couve / Hood Honored Founder

There's a few wakesurf type boards out there that you can use for kiting, they all have smaller surf fins.

Skimboard would probably be better than surf with no fins at all since you can still edge the board to control it.

splaterwin · Since 17 Nov 2005 165 Posts Vancouver Stoked

Just back from Oahu late Monday. Kited 5 out of 7 days at Kailua beach. Got a chance to ride a fin-less board that was quite fun. Nash has a kite tv video featuring Tony Groman riding one of the boards I tried. I have a skim and it is fun in flat water but not so much in chop or waves. Tony's board was easy to ride in all of the above and easy to go up wind.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/26098016?TB_iframe=true&height=500&width=768[youtube]