FAQ

 

“What about spin-out behavior ?”

 

SmartFins are not sensitive to “spin-outs” - the effect that the fin suddenly looses grip and “slides away” to the side.

The reason is in the pressure distribution around the fin, which has a very sharp peak at the leading edge of the fin.

 

The pressure distribution of SmartFins is much smoother - it is more equally distributed over the entire fin area.

SmartFins are therefore very spin-out-proof, even if you put full load on it, which is super important on the water !  

                                                                                                                                       >> read more

 

 

“There is a gap between the two fin segments.

Could this disturb a smooth flow ? Does this cause an increase of drag ?”

 

The gap is less than 0.5 mm wide at the low pressure side and the camber closes the gap at the high pressure side of the fin. It does not affect the streamline and it’s size is too small to have an effect on water flow.          >> read more

 

 

“Is also a version with powerbox head available ?”

 

Sorry, not yet, but we are working on it ! The new powerbox head will be exchangeable with the present tuttle head.

 

 

“How does the fin perform down wind ?”

 

The fin can be smaller especially because of superior up-wind ability. And at down wind courses, at high speed, the main advantage is also that the fin is small… This gives minimum drag and maximum control over the board and sail.

 

 

“Does it behave differently in jibes ?”

 

Your jibing technique will not be different, its only easier to control. This is an important issue – you would not like to be forced to change your technique.

 

 

“What about malfunctioning of the camber mechanism due to sand or dirt ? “

 

Smartfins can be disassembled without tools, in few seconds, to wash out sand or dirt easily. This is very handy, but normally not necessary.

 

 

“Can you repair damage if you hit bottom ? Can the material be grinded and polished ?”

 

The same will happen as any fin: damage to the tip. Not good, but… you can repair it, similar to G10 material.

 

 

“Standard fins will flex and twist. Smartfins are shorter and stiffer than standard fins. How does this affect the dynamic behavior in choppy conditions ? How does the camber of Smartfins affect load changes ?”

 

This is a very good question – the answer is as follows. Smartfins are indeed shorter and stiffer, and also the steel shafts will increase stiffness. The pressure distribution of a camber profile though is smoother and has lower pressure peaks, while it can deliver more power. The beautiful thing is that, even at an angle of attack of zero degrees, a lot of side force is generated, in contrast to normal fins. On the other hand, the variation of the side force is directly related to the fin area, and is therefore smaller. The result is a very smooth ride in choppy conditions.                                 >> read more

 

 

“Does the amount of camber change with the load you put on it ? Or does it suddenly change from one side to another ? If the profile gets more camber/curvature if the load increases at high speed, this would not be desirable ! More likely, higher speed requires a smaller camber ?”

 

It’s a “clap-fin” (like the “clap-skate”). Camber will change between two extreme positions. It does not change with loading or speed. Sailing in one direction this position will also be “locked” hydro-dynamically, in other words the camber can only reverse after a jibe. The locking of the camber (by the way) does not disturb your control during the jibe at all. The locked position ensures stability and avoids unintentional reversal of camber (e.g. at down-wind course).

 

 

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