Not so new ideas... Somebody else is usind them allready...
When i started to say that i am using 3 fins -which (for me its the way to go faster through less drag)
people were using 4 fins-and still are (the most of them).
3 fins is faster in any aspect.
regards to everybody
Aris Evdos
viewtopic.php?f=159&t=2361013&start=10
Last edited by ELLINAS on Wed Apr 21, 2010 6:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mahalo,
from the dust covered Europe, not even thing to have chance to fly around,
the brain reactor at dr.Lojz is working with full power.
On the point to have decision of four or three fins, I go step forward with design and
shape! The future race board will look like this one, not to be part of
2010 Corpus Worlds for some reasons, but the time will
show the way!
I wonder if anyone has tried using a removable dagger-board, placed right under the rear footstrap, so that the rear footstrap is the handle, used to pull the dagger-board out for the downwind leg. With this arrangement, the kiter would "ride the fin" upwind.
Now that the boards are being sailed flat with vertical fins, for light winds they may end up like smaller versions of windsurf Formula boards, with a single fin, but with the fin and straps in different positions. If the board is flat, a single fin can provide the same lift, but with less resistance than multi-fins. For stronger winds, I think the quads will stay.
This one just won the Worlds - note the inboard rear straps for downwind control ( I think they should have angled them slightly for facing forward.). The front footpad deck is also tilted up at the toes for better comfort/control.
ronnie wrote:Now that the boards are being sailed flat with vertical fins, for light winds they may end up like smaller versions of windsurf Formula boards, with a single fin, but with the fin and straps in different positions. If the board is flat, a single fin can provide the same lift, but with less resistance than multi-fins. For stronger winds, I think the quads will stay.
This one just won the Worlds - note the inboard rear straps for downwind control ( I think they should have angled them slightly for facing forward.). The front footpad deck is also tilted up at the toes for better comfort/control.
I believe in this, a kiteversion of a formula windsurfing board, one fin!
right now it seams that the four fins setups are the best compromise between performace and stability. the bigest problem i see is, that leeward finns always produce a huge amount of drag. when the board hits the water, the water will be squeezed to both sides. since the board goes a bit sideways through the water the windward fins will not be effected. but at least a few cm of water will flow against the leeward fins in a very bad angle. and this produces a very noticable drag.
the tri fin board at least gets rid of one of the leeward fins.
at the moment i am experimenting with a fin setup which features two fins lined up on the center line of the board plus one additional retractable fin on the windward side. the handling ist bad, i know. but if this works i can think of better, easier to use solutions. for example two fins that pivot completely into the board.
h.
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if i used a setup with one or more leeward fins i would at least modify the fins to reduce the drag in the upper part. in addition of cutting away a good amount of the fins i would sand em so their profile point more to the centerline of the board the closer to the board.
hey, i might give this a try. when i get sick of changing the retractable fin on every jibe or tack.