do fins really need to be so sharp?

[Toby]

ouch, hurt my finger on a fin, which is dangerously sharp. If you would crash on it, it will just slice into your muscles like nothing else. The sharpest fins I ever had on a board...
Riding on a buggy back from the lagoon, I meet another guy, who had a deeper cut in his hand from a fin.

Do they really need to be so sharp? I will sand it off, since I think they are way too dangerous!

[Ludmil]

North?

[Peter_Frank]

The sharper trailing edge, the less drag

Does it matter ?

Only those "few" doing board offs would have a problem with that, right ?

Otherwise you never land on your board upside down

So seem natural to go for the best "performance" here

Those who want "blunt" fins, can just sand them down - it wont hurt speed (drag) that much really, only a small amount, so IMO they actually DONT need to be so sharp

Its just, that for most surfers, it does not matter really, so the sharper the better

- Peter

[Kamikuza]

Got a scar on my ankle from a fin cut too ...

[TommyDuotone]

Most of the FCS or Future fins are not that sharp, however, I almost took off a finger with a glass-in fin back in the late 80's(still have scar). I immediately started lightly sanding all my fins as soon as I got the board from my shaper(trailing edge). This was back when all fins where glassed in. As stated, the FCS and Future fins don't seem that sharp so I haven't done this in years. But, if it feels sharp to you Toby, I would lightly sand it. You will not notice any difference in performance.

BTW, why don't all kiteboard directionals use either Futures or FCS(like the Rawson)? Not a big deal since most of the ones on the market don't perform like a real surfboard anyway.

[longwhitecloud]

Probably the ones coming out of Slovakia. I emailed and told the manufacturer as i needed 500 but still they are way too sharp - would go through your skull i reckon if head hit board hard with it... crazy!

a bruise and you can stay on the water, a cut and you are off water or up for septicemia!

[longwhitecloud]

for most surfers, it does not matter really, so the sharper the better

Surfers blunt down their fins if they get sharp from wear. A fin cut can stop you surfing in the tropics due to coral or regular infection. It is easy to kick the fin hard while sitting on your board paddling around.

I guy in Perth sliced his neck with the fin of his kiteboard while kiting - he did live but i think lost a lot of blood.

[zerogee_ca]

I have been using these Pro-Teck Power Flex fins. The edges are rapped in a flexible material to protect you from cuts. They are available for FCS, Future and Lokbox fin systems. They seem to work good in my Underground Freewave (which has Future boxes). They have a cool factor too, they are clear fins with translucent colored edges. I have been told they look great in the sun

[windmaker]

F-One is coming in 2011 with a new fin system for their TT called unibox. They fit on the board without screws, the idea being to reduce the thickness of the fins which is limited by the thickness of the screws.
So these fins will be thinner and probably more prone to cutting through "things".

Any real advantages ? Maybe for speed sailing.

[Peter_Frank]

Future fins are for waveboards - I assume you were talking about TT fins Toby, or have you switched to surfboards now ?

Anyway, the bigger the fins, the bigger the problem with sharp fins

And the smaller the fins, the less problem you have if you sand them down to be really blunt, so just do that..

On a TT they are so small that sanding them down would hardly be noticeable for anything but pure speed riding (but on the other hand, as said - you would hardly ever come in contact with your fins unless you do board offs)

But TT fins are also sharp on the "bottom" and not just the trailing edge - and I have even seen some with a sharp leading edge.
Can be very risky regarding getting cut, when no on the board, true
So as said - just sand them down if they appear "threatening"



On a surfboard it is more critical, if strapless - as you can easily land on the board jumping or doing aerials
Strapped there is only a smaller risk, when the board tumbles in the wave with you - but the risk is there

On a raceboard it can also be very annoying - as eventhough you never "land" on your fins - you will very often come in contact with the fins because of their very size and number
So you can easily get small cuts or wetsuit cuts even when just waterstarting and placing your board if not very cautious
So blunt fins would REALLY be a good and practical thing here
BUT, those racing seriously would usually aim for any speed (less drag) gain possible, so many would have really sharp fins


Just my view....

Peter