Twin Fin vs. Tri-Fin

[~~~~~4j~~]

I'm gonna outfin winddoctor...

http://www.witchcraft.nu/trifin.php

But seriously, it seems like a good idea. It would be fun to try.




I think the best benefit would be in the smallest boards and highest winds. Comments?

Edit: Holy cow, I just found this huge discussion:
http://www.boards.co.uk/forum/forum_pos ... 12820&PN=4
47 pages! I'm not sure if we could add anything new...

[~~~~~4j~~]

Edit: Added some good theory articles (from Bouke at Witchcraft)

The Return of the Tri-Fin

The Evolution of the Rail

[downwind dave]

hey some dude named CAN555 has the same board as doc!

[winddoctor]

I looked into the Witchcraft a few years ago. To get one shipped here was going to be insanely pricey. They look like really nice boards and have the trifin design wired apparently with bomber construction. The boards forums have had lots of good design info on twins etc if you care to dig. Yeah, that CAN555 guy is a poseur.

The trifin rips upwind and allows for really hooked up turns. The Witchcraft nose shape is the most interesting aspect to me though. The boards are very stubby with a bulbous nose shape.

I hear next year the new mono-fins are gonna be KILLER

[~~~~~4j~~]

Yah, after perusing that Boards site I found that this topic was discussed EXTENSIVELY. Interesting read though. I love all the people ripping their production boards apart!

Custom/Prod Twin fin experience?
http://www.boards.co.uk/forum/forum_pos ... 24230&PN=3

Anyone who prefers singlefin?
http://www.boards.co.uk/forum/forum_pos ... PN=1&TPN=2

Big fin or tri fin?
http://www.boards.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24163

I too thought the Witchcraft "snubby" noses were interesting. A much different tri-fin design than the Open Ocean gorge boards http://www.openocean.com/oo.swf

I'd like to play with making my own fins...considering CB rocks got my favourite fin last January...a tri-fin would risk getting unbalanced. I'm also tempted to make a whole new board again too...thinking tri-fin and evoish or pocket wave outline with lots of rocker...<70L. For my weight I think I can build something strong/light enough.

"in my spare time" ahem.

[more force 4]

4J - you didn't find this one too? One of the longest (and most amuzing)


It’s official, twin fins are so last year
http://www.boards.co.uk/forum/forum_pos ... year&TPN=1

[JL]

I found the first twin I ever observed: http://www.tonix.net/xanario/xanario_pi ... f3be33f063 Look @ the board 32 seconds into the clip !!! It's the Mistral 'Take off' ... I remember seeing Al Kahoule (sp.) launching @ J.R. into outer space on the thing ~ 1983 ...

[frank]

Seal eat fish....

http://www.a-h-d.com/boards/windsurf/20 ... =undefined
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/393700/seal_party/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9blNIf8cgFU

[frank]

but the whole family might enjoy more a Sea Lion...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt_V1V4Z ... re=related

[downwind dave]

its nice to see the sport over there seems to be pretty big, if you can judge by the # of internet chatters...
theres a guy named 'downwind dave' on that forum that is not me.

I have had a little experience with multi fins - i can put 2 extra side fins on my RRD but i generally leave them off as there is a substantial trade off in speed.
I have experimented with toe-in (and out) but cant seem to find a sweet spot, plus i am quite happy how it goes as a single.
I use the taped over holes to display inspirational messages to the sea lions.


My feeling is RRD put them on for eye candy..but possibly im just not skilled enough to 'get it'.
I would assume that someone like Witchcraft has their thruster system pretty dialed in.

In surfing, a "twinzer" is actually an arrangement of 4 fins, i have this system on my surfboard.
There are two main fins and a couple smaller ones out front.



It seems like some windsurfing brands are calling a twinzer what is really just a twin.

This will only lead to confusion when the windsurfing boards inevitibly reach 4 fins or more; just as the shavers are now up to 5 blades
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33930

[~~~~~4j~~]

Thanks for the terminology correction, Dave. I changed the topic title. Best not to perpetuate incorrect terms.

[KUS]

I would concur, DWD, same with my tri-fin Protec Wave, nice board but substantial decrease in speed and no noticeable change in carving so I too taped over the holes

[downwind dave]

Thanks for the terminology correction, Dave. I changed the topic title. Best not to perpetuate incorrect terms.

now just go tell Mistral, RRD and JP and we are all good!

[KUS]

My OES brand is no slouch either.....some great wave pix in this forum debate

https://secure.seabreeze.com.au/forums/ ... C_ID=44754

[winddoctor]

For anyone who is curious about how a twin fin (or at least mine) feels to ride:

I've only had a couple of actual side-on wave sessions on my twin plus a few bump'n jump sessions with 4.7-5.6 sails. So far these are the initial impressions I'm getting from the twin:

1. The board feels a bit slower to plane than a comparable single fin, but I'm finding that this feeling is becoming less as I become more efficient at finding the board's sweet spot for early planing. The extra width and volume (57 cm and 85L) is really nice for slogging around in wind that would have me up to my eyeballs in water on a 74 L board, but it still feels balanced even fairly overpowered. You get more range out of one board.

2. Once up and planing, the twin feels pretty conventional, ie no nasty habits or tendencies. You wouldn't know you are on a twin. It sails much like an Evo in the way you sail with more front foot weight than, say, an Acid or more traditional wave shape. The board feels smoother through our local ugly chop than most wave boards I've sailed, partly due to the narrow tail. Upwind feels at least as good as my single fin boards.

3. Jumping the board feels really compact, controlled and lofty; really nice for looping! I haven't noticed the twin fins slipping on take-off like some have reported. Speed into jumps feels good as well. If you know how to sail fast, the board will run for you. If you sail it with a heavy backfoot it will feel like a dog towing a bucket in the water.

4. Jibing feels a bit more technical. The board feels less directional so it will "hunt" for a line if you aren't leading the board through a committed arc, making it initially feel squirrelly. It wants you to give clear input to come out of the turn with speed or it will stall with less lift offered by the fins around the corners.

5. Turning, banking, and slashing is what the twin is best at! The lower fin bites and more of the rail gets engaged to carve deep gouges even off of swell or chop. To me, this is the special part of the twin. I can't wait to sail it on the Oregon coast!

So is the twinny better than a single fin? Well, mostly it is just different. For my taste, the twin does everything that I enjoy doing in windsurfing (carving/slashing/looping/wave riding) in a really engaging and responsive way. This all being said, I still think the single-finned Starboard Evos (esp. the 74 and 70 L Evos) are way ahead of their time as they feel the closest to sailing a twin fin of any board I've sailed. If you don't like the feel of an Evo or sail with an especially heavy back foot, a twin fin may not suit you.

I'm betting that the twin fin design knowledge will only serve to freshen up some of the rocker lines and outlines of newer single fin designs (or trifins or quads etc, etc). It's all one big circle, but it's fun to shake up our sailing by riding new shapes as they are developed once in a while!