:: Fin Free

Just about every major advancement in surfing performance in the last 60 years has come from the variation or addition of a fin.   Watching Jack McCoy's "A Deeper Shade of Blue" last night really highlighted the parallels between fin technology and advancement.  Tom Blake adding a keel; George Greenough shaping his, Mark Richards and Ben Aipa advancing the twin-fin and Simon Anderson inventing the thruster; it's an obvious connection. Then comes Derek Hynd - no fins at all!  Advancement through simplification? The section in the movie that really blew my mind was watching Derek Hynd surfing fin-free at Jeffery's Bay in South Africa.  This is some of the fastest and free-flowing surfing I've ever seen, it'll blow you away!  See the film just for that!

This morning I got to watch Derek Hynd and friends surf a little know reef break near Bellingen on the North Coast.  Pretty amazing to watch the way Hynd approached the wave and where he position his finless board on the wave.  Backwards, sideways, rail buried or skimming;  it's refreshing and exciting all blended together.

Heard Manly is magic today!  Sorry I'm missing it - be back on Monday! If you're in Manly and looking for a deal, check out the new deal on The Manly Deal - heard it's a meaty one!

See you Monday!