Finless

[ChickenTikka]

Question:

How well does your average twin tip work without a fins? I'm going kiting with the GF this weekend in Sri Lanka and the spot I'm at basically does not have extra board screws and I'm short a few for one of my boards. I'm gonna give the GF the board with the fins.

There's flat water and also ocean.

This website seem to tell me that I don't need fins at all really.
http://www.kitesurfingschool.org/finless.htm

Do you think I'll miss them?

[jumpjet]

It is actually a fun thing to try, but if you find it too challenging for you then I suggest you use only 2 fins on your board making sure you put them on the heel side (basically behind your heels.. )
Have fun in Sri Lanka is a great place!
.

[ChickenTikka]

Heelside, got it thanks.

[tautologies]

if you have a board that is made for it then no problem. I guess it would work pretty well anyhow, but boards like the arcade has channels that are made for riding finless, and it is definitely not hard.

[pj sofine]

Just have to be more aware of foot pressure, you'll be able to push rear of board out and you'll go into a little slide.Might not go upwind as good until your figure it out. Good time to try some surface 360's.

[KiteboardingTampaBay]

FInless is a blast! We get lots of shallow water (3-4" deep) on low tides that is too shallow for fins. I like the surface 360's and the butter slides on the tip.

The surface 360 is a matter of getting unhooked, pulling yourself forward, and take a bow while passing the bar.Weight shifts from heels-toes-heels. Look either down left or down right when you enter the bow, and look downwind as you exit. It's fun and easy.

For the slide, just ride powered heelside, start leaning out, and shift like you're going toeside but lock into your stance 1/2 way. All your weight is far off to the side with front leg stiff and toes pointed up.. As you go into the trick, you can shift the rear tip downwind a bit more to get sliding and dial it back to 90 degrees. That will help you not go over the top

BTW, put some stickers over those screw holes- they are calibrated specifically to spray the rider in the eye.

Have fun!
www.kiteboardingtampabay.com

[Saami]

The last time you saw me riding, I had removed the fins (no special reason, just for some variety)... And my board did not have any channels or special outline. So sure, you can ride almost any board finless without much difficulty once you get used to it.

It would be a good time to work on surface tricks, like pj sofine says. Surface spins, butterslides, and reverse butterslides are easier when you don't have fins on, and can feel really nice and smooth.

Where in Sri Lanka will you be riding? In the Kappalady lagoons again? Good choice for finless riding right now - the waterlevel is unusually low so the main lagoon is butterflat for hundreds of meters now, not just at the deepwater trick spot by the sandy point where its always butterflat because of that upwind sandbank.

[pj sofine]

Just don't catch your heelside in 6" of water . Ouch That's a 180 on your backside!

[KiteboardingTampaBay]

HaHa I have a pair of Nitrous shorts that suffered that fate. The rip in the ass goes from the waistband to the bottom of the leg, don't think it could get any longer...

Here's my favorite 'finless board' at my favorite spot on a super low tide- East Beach- Fort Desoto Park. The kiter in the far distance is still inside the sandbar...
www.kiteboardingtampabay.com