New Fin Technology

The new fins of SmartFins automatically adjust to the perfect profile under the influence of the water pressure. This gives extra power, therefore the fins are smaller than standard fins and give less resistance in the water.

A smaller fin also gives more control and comfortable surfing, which is more fun, and automatically also more speed. A crucial advantage in competition, and most of all: an incredible sensation !

Conventional windsurfing fins have a symmetrical rigid profile in order to produce the same lift when sailing either at a starboard or portside course. A symmetrical profile however is a compromise with considerable limitations of fin performance !

Smartfins have been proven in test and in competitions (a/o 1st place Worlds Slalom at Bonaire 2009). The advantages can also very well be technically explained. And without any exceptions all our customers are very happy with the excellent performance.

E.g. natural fins of water animals also have an adjusting profile, fins take a camber shape in the required direction to increase performance. This is similar to e.g. the wings of an airplane are curved more on the top to increase lift and to reduce drag.

SmartFins should be compared to much longer standard fins. E.g. the 32 cm SmartFin is a perfect alternative for any standard fin of 34 cm length. It is even better than a standard 37 cm, since SmartFins are much less sensitive to spin-out (depending on speed the limit of spin-out is as much as 10%-45% higher).

In the table on the right this can also be seen in e.g. the combination with a sail area up to 7.8 m2 and a board volume up to 130 liter. A normal 32 cm fin is much too small to combine with sail of 7.8 m2. Pointing your mouse on the table shows a performance graph for variable speed.

A better performance in the table is the ratio of fin load (F) and fin drag (D); e.g. 14% better performance means that at the same fin load the drag is 14% less.

The graphs (that pop-up if the point at the table) show the differences between SmartFins and ordinary fins (reference is the usual NACA 0010-64 profile, thickness 10% and typical “planform”).

At about 30-40 km/hour the difference is largest, 10%-14% more performance, which is good for acceleration. But also at top speed the resistance is 5% lower, which on the water means that you go about ca. 2-4 km/hour faster with the SmartFin.

Perfect Control & Top-speed

In practice, high performance means that a smaller fin develops more pressure. Your first ride with SmartFins will be a completely new experience !

The smaller size reduces drag and all tests have shown that this also increases the stability of the board. That is an extremely pleasant and easy feeling. It allows you to use a larger sail and also an overpowered rig becomes much easier to handle !

The result...

Perfect Control & Ultimate Top-Speed !

New Material

A new advanced composite material with an extremely high filling of glass fibres is another unique aspect of SmartFins.

The flexibility/stiffness of this material is similar to the commonly used G10 (epoxy & glass fibres), but it is much stronger, lighter and can also be produced much more accurately than the standard CNC technology allows today.

Bending test set-up

Camber of SmartFins

R&D

SmartFins are based on the idea that the fin profile automatically adjusts. We have successfully developed this idea further into a working design and the international patent was applied for in 2004.

The development of SmartFins is also possible thanks to the enthusiasm and expertise of top-surfers and amateurs, who intensively tested a large number of prototypes in the range from 25 cm to 50 cm as, starting in 2005.

All prototypes are designed by using the latest computational techniques, resulting in the optimum hydro-dynamical profile of the fin, optimum strength, deflection and twist (FEM-analyses). Also the production process to a large extent is optimized using computer simulations.

The combination of calculations, strength test and the experience from tests on the water finally enable us to make this revolutionary product.

The introduction on the market in 2009 was an instantaneous success supported a/o by first and second places in Juniors Slalom Worlds Bonaire (News >>)

   Competition results read the  News >>

   For technical questions click  FAQ >>

   You can contact us, select   Contact >>

You can also try the fin at Surf Center Funsport Van Vliet in Zoetermeer (email >>)

The delivery time for the new 30 cm , 34 cm and 37 cm  fins will soon be given on this page (colors blue-green-orange)

Speedsurfing & Formula

New models for Speedsurfing (23 en 27 cm) and Formula (45-55 cm) are under development. We will let you know when these future fins are available.

Copyright © 2011 SmartFins

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Very important is also that a SmartFins performance remains optimal in a much wider range of wind conditions, boards and sails. This means that you don’t have to change your fin as often as you used to do with ordinary fins. The 32 cm delivers the power of a normal 37 cm fin, but in strong wind you will keep the same control as if sailing with a normal 32 cm fin.

The risk that the wind increases unexpectedly, especially when you already started with “overpowered” sail area, can be killing in competition - but not with Smartfins.

And if you sail in shallow water the shorter length of the fin is also an advantage.