surfresearch.com.au   sailboard fin catalogue

1979 Original Windsurfer Fin Jim Drake and Hoyle Schweitzer, Molded plastic,  Based on Wave Set system

1979 Original Windsurfer Centreboard Jim Drake-Hoyle Scheiwser sp Laminated timber

1979 Original Windsurfer Wave/High wind Centreboard,  Jim Drake and Hoyle Schweitzer  Laminated timber

1980 Boomerang fin Bombora by Mark Paul Laminated fibreglass

1983 Football fin Bombora by Mark Paul Molded plastic

1985 Football Fence fin Doug Mann  Molded plastic

1983 Strata fin Graeme Attey Graeme corrected the previous attribution and commented, June 2009: "I designed the Strata Fin in 1982 and licensed it to Multi-Fin Systems.  I think it hit the market in 1983." Molded plastic Photo : Alex Williams  Credited to Doug Mann in xxx (find relevant text).

1986 Football fin Laminated fibreglass

1986 Slotted Salom fin, Laminated fibreglass

1987 Jimmy Lewis Cutaway with Canard Clip Molded plastic, Multifins

1987 Jimmy Lewis Cutaway  Molded plastic, Multifins

1987 Fence fin Molded plastic, Multifins

1987 Wave fin  Molded plastic, Multifins

1987  Salom fin  Molded plastic Multifins

1987 Race fin Molded plastic Multifins

fin area  : surface of the fin, usually one side only, rarely quantified for surfboards but often calculated
on modern sailboard fins.

fin base  : length where the fin intersects with the board.

fin box : fabricated structure inserted into the board that allows fin replacement. Later models allow the
fin position to be adjusted. Some experimentation was done during the solid wood era, but the first
production models appeared in the early 1960’s in the USA. At first fins were not universally
interchangeable as each manufacturer used a different locking system, but in 1965 Tom Morey
developed the TRAF system of molded fins, available to a small number of Northern California board
makers. In 1966 the design was improved by the introduction of thr Wonder Bolt system, again by Tom
Morey. In February 1968 Morey-Pope introduced the Waveset box and a range of molded fins for general
use. This design was essentially copied by the Safe Set system. During this period fin/finbox
experimentation was extreme, eg Midget Farrelly's Side-Slipper, and in 1970 Bill Barnfield (USA)
introduced his Fins Unlimited fin box, that became universally adopted/copied and still has current use.
Further developments in the 1990’s include bolt-through (Tuttle, USA and others) boxes for sailboards
and the plug system (FCS and others) for surfboards.

fin cam : finbox screw, hinged with a finger grip and fitted with a rubber grommet that allows fin
adjustment by hand, as opposed to the normal method with a screwdriver.

fin height : the length of the fin measured perpendicular to the bottom of the board.

Fin index : a list of significant fin designs to be catalogued, italics indicate unlisted designs.
Tom Blake Keel/Nub
Bob Simons Round/Radius
Simons Twin
Matt Kevlin Raked Round/Gun
(Dale) Velzy-(Hap) Jacobs Dee-fin
Velzy - Jacobs Vee/Butterfly
Square/Angular
Phil (Edwards)/Reverse/Pixie,
Nose-fin
Dave Sweet  High-drift
Ski and Dive Tunnel/Tunnel Hustler
Greenough Stage I
Dave Sweet Bat-fin
White Owl Flow-Thru
Mike Hynson Dol-fin
(Donald) Takyama Blade
Greenough Stage II
(Reynolds) Yater
Dewy Weber Hatchet
Greenough Stage III
Migdet Farrelly Cutaway
Richard Harvey F-fin
Greek Surfboards Tiger Tail
Skip Frye New-E-Free
Gordon and Smith Hy-Performance,
Rick (Stoner) UFO
Greenough Stage IV
Mike Eaton Twin Fin #1
Steve Lis Fish (twin)
Tri-fin
Pat Morgan (Australia)/D. Barnham (USA) Keel
Malcom and Duncan Campbell Bonzer Keel
Jeff Ho StraightBack Radial-cut Flex
Michael Cundith Radial-cut Flex
(Dick) Brewer Wide Base
(George) DowningTrailing Edge
Mark Richards Twin Fin #2
Boomerang
Bob McTavish Fence
Wave-ski Cutaway
SimonAnderson Thruster
(Cheyne) Horan/(Ben) Lexan Keel/Winged Keel/Star
Jimmy Lewis Cutaway
Canard
Glen Winton Four-fin/Quad
Bobby Owens Football
Slotted-fin
757-fin

fin placement : measured as the distance from the rear of the fin base to the tail or back of the board.