Attempting going flipperless...suggestions?

Bintang Bob · Post by **Bintang Bob** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:53 am

I'm 6'2" tall and I find that my 6'2" Blast fish is as long as a board can be and allow my knees the freedom to work the swim fins properly.... I'm all for "4 wheel drive" take offs & I wear paddle gloves to further level the playing field with reguards to the longer board lenghts in the line up.... these assessories give wave catching advantage, same as a surfer using a longer board.... as I see it, if a product exists that helps you get waves or extends time spent in the water, take advantage....

ezak · Post by **ezak** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:54 am

It took me a while to get used to wearing fins because I used to only standup surf. Well I did bodysurf or bodyboard the womp at Marine Street and wear fins, .... sometimes.

Sometimes I paddle out on my twin fin fish and both standup surf and kneeboard in the same session without fins. That's fun but sometimes a little confusing when taking off on a wave.

I have a pair of UDTs and a pair of Churchills. I like the Churchills because I like the short fast burst they give me on take off and don't get in the way while I'm surfing. I've worn the UDTs on big days and they help when the current is strong, but for actually paddling into waves I like the Churchills.

I never wear fins when I'm kayaking.

So to make a long story short, do what you want to catch waves and have fun even if it's different or the same as anyone else .....
and of course as with anything have respect,
Oh and I wouldnt recommend eating a lot of bacon or other pork products before paddling out

stemple · Post by **stemple** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:34 pm

Face it, flippers give us an advantage. You might call it an evolutionary advantage. As the surf industry grows and more and more folks take up surfing, breaks are getting crowded. Fins help you stay in position, catch waves sooner, and generally allow your average fit person a great advantage. If you have a competitive advantage why not use it.

When I paddle out in the winter at my local break, there are generally with two types surfers; older guys (35-50) riding mostly 7'0" and above or under 30 thirties guys (pretty, darn fit) riding 6 to 6' 6" boards. There is lots of current and at least a couple rows of white water. In my mid forties, family, work etc., I am lucky to surf once a week (usually 1 to 2 hours) on average, this is not enough water time to maintain a level of fitness that would make it possible or safe to surf on sizeable days without fins on a 6 foot board. This is one of the main reasons I use fins. Fins allow me to surf safely and longer at a higher level on larger waves and this directly translates into more fun!

If you surf finless, I salute you!

Man O' War · Post by **Man O' War** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:11 pm

Hart, I've got another mantra for your ribs

Om mahy gahd aiym old Om mahy gahd aiym old

weirdo · Post by **weirdo** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:25 pm

Of the 4 finalists at santa cruz didnt 2 wear flippers and 2 not?...equilibrium?...

Shelfbreak · Post by **Shelfbreak** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:11 pm

One small plus for flippers is your legs get a bit of a workout. Never wore them until recently when I entered a local comp and found I seemed to be taking more time to get back out than the flipper wearers.
As others have commented if you not super fit it's handy to call on that under-utilised muscle when your arms are tired.

I like EQ's suggestion as I'm just at the stage now where if I surf without flippers (in decent surf) I feel a bit underdone.

Sprocky · Post by **Sprocky** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:57 pm

I started going flipperless about 15yrs ago so I could stand-up surf my kneeboards when the conditions were less than ideal for a kneeride. I found it to be a lot more fun than riding a longboard. I like having that option to kneeride or stand up depending on how the wave's going. But I've still got my Vipers for when it's really big, or a there's a really strong current, or a really long paddle out.
Flippers, flipperless, knee ride, stand up, ride on your head like Steeno, ride backwards like Jeff Meyer.

Do it all, variety is the spice of life.

eqKneelo · Post by **eqKneelo** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:17 pm

I suggest to anyone who is curious about this, especially you bigger riders with longer legs and bigger shoe sizes, to get and old pair of flippers and cut 'em, just like Gigs and Baden, and make sure there is NO DRAG!
Sure, it'll feel weird, but it'll improve your boards performance and you might just want to take the next step.
You'll never know if you never try.

ShaunMurphy · Post by **ShaunMurphy** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:30 pm

Last summer on a small 2ft swell, warm waters, I said to myself today is a good day to learn to stand up surf. I paddled out on my stub vector 5'7" (me being 6' 1" back then) and paddled out easy enough, arms feeling the burn a lil bit. about 15 min into the sesh my arms were really burning because i had tried going for about ten waves and failed, just couldnt get into the wave, BUT i changed where my chest pressure was (closer to the nose) and when sometimes put my head down to simulate regular swimming and cought alot more waves. first kneeboarding cus it felt super wiered then standup. I learned that day. The next day the swell got a bit bigger and guessed I would be better off with the flippers. But even though i had my flippers on i would only use my legs half the time, like every other wave. I slowly just got used to useing my arms and legs. But when the big s*&^ rolls through I always like to have my flips. or like previously said long paddles etc. So basically if u want to go with out flips go for it, but know what level your at and better to reteach yourself on smaller stuff and build up.
-Learning to not use your fins comes in handy too, like at Steamers i fergot my flippers in EQ's van and went out. Didnt get into asmany as i would like to have but got still dropped in on some of the sets and had tons of fun.
- Thats my 2 cents

Shaun

ShaunMurphy · Post by **ShaunMurphy** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:33 pm

hahah they replaced a word

Bill E. · Post by **Bill E.** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:52 pm

I found with a longer board 6-5 to 6-9 that it is either paddle or kick.

You do get some personal height by having flippers. The resistance from your finger tip to the opposite tip of the swim fin, if both are at the same time.

The contact area that the fins give on the board when riding is a bonus when the wave gets slappin on your shoulder. And I think the added support to the top of the foot and the ankle is good.

Churchill fins dont give me bumps on my feet, where UDT/Voit did. But then again it has been a long time since I went without booties.

And they do protect the feet/booties from the sharp rocks and barnicles.

Oh, and did I say they really make you go like a ......

alfredo zavala · Post by **alfredo zavala** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:49 pm

THIS IS A GREAT FORUM PIECE!!
REALLY GET A FEEL FOR THE VARIETY OF US OUT HERE!
CONCERNING RESPECT FROM STAND UP SURFERS : THIS LAST SUMMER I WAS SURFING MY FAVORITE HOLLOW BEACH BREAK AT DAWN.NOTHING BUT BARRELLS. THERE WERE SOME ABSOLUTE JERKS OUT IN THE WATER (3 ) AND ME.THEY WERE TOTALLY SHOULDER HOPPING ME BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO TAKING OFF WHERE I WAS THANKS TO FINS AND KNEELO CENTER OF GRAVITY.
I ENDED UP PADDLING UP THE BEACH BY MYSELF(QUICKLY WITH MY TRUSTY UDTS) AND WAS HAVING THE SESSION OF THE SUMMER AND THEY WERE NOW IN POSITION TO SEE ME GETTING LATE TAKEOFF SHACKS ONE AFTER ANOTHER!
LONG STORY SHORT, A FEW WEEKS LATER I SAW ONE OF THE SHOULDER HOPPERS AT ANOTHER BREAK( I COULD NEVER FORGET THAT FACE) AND AS HE WALKED PAST ME HE RECOGNIZED ME AND WITHOUT ME SAYING ANYTHING HE RECALLS THAT MORNING AND TURNS TO ME AND INITIATES CONVERSATION BY MENTIONING HOW HE REMEMBERS ME TOTALLY GETTING SHACKED OUT OF MY HEAD THAT DAY! - THEY WERE EATING CACA!
I FELT DEFINATE RESPECT .
MAYBE ITS MORE THAN JUST WEARING OR NOT WEARING FINS. . .
AND DO WE REALLY CARE WHAT ANYBODY THINKS?
FINALLY, @ 45 YRS YOUNG IT DEFINATELY HELPS TO HAVE THAT EXTRA 'CRUTCH' WHEN NOT AS IN SHAPE AS 18! SAD FACT - BUT TRUE!
BETTER THAN RIDING STRAIGHT ON AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER!
POWER TO YOU 'HE MEN' WO FINS! YOU ARE AWESOME!
MAHALO
FREDO Z

El Nino · Post by **El Nino** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:01 pm

webbed gloves AND fins? you should be competing with Lairid's hydrofoil.. not longboarders..

ross · Post by **ross** » Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:07 pm

i guess it all depends on the way you want to surf.

around my way we surf alot of rockshelf style waves.some of you may have seen shots i have posted of my regular rock jump.try that with a pair of flippers

my conscience would really bug me if i knew deep down that my arms weren't strong enough to paddle and that is the main reason i put the flippers away.(at age 12)

and as far as not needing the respect of stand up surfers? around here if you dont earn the respect of standup riders your pretty much a spectator in the lineup. or your surfing B grade waves in the middle of the beach. Thats not my cup of tea.

having said that, California waves are "flatter" than ours,they move differently, so i did find myself taking a couple of extra strokes to get in to em. So i concede that older guys over there could use the added boost.

personally, i was overjoyed to drop the footwear/clobber after Santa Cruz to spend the following 2 weeks in Tahiti in nothing but boardshorts and sunscreen.

halbs · Post by **halbs** » Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:00 am

hello guys I saw this topic and just had to post because it is an issue that has frustrated me for years, since taking up kneeboarding some 25 years ago I have worn flippers/fins and they have worked a treat, however, as my surfing has progressed and I have travelled I have encountered many more breaks that require jumping off keyholes, stepping over reefs etc and therefore I have wanted to be rid of the flippers. On a few sporadic occasions I have tried surfing without them generally when it is small [3or4 feet] and I have felt like an absolute kook. One of the hard things to adjust to is actually just siiting out the back chatting, with the slightest movement I would feel like I'm about to topple, the other more important thing is attempting to catch waves, I really struggle!! However having said that I am detiremined to be rid of them and will put some work into it. Just before christmas I towed into some waves and as fins weren't required I didn't have them and it felt great, mind you I did end up in hospital but that had nothing to do with not wearing fins!!! So for my trip to the Telods Islands in June and my next trip to Nor West WA I vow not to be wearing them, geez good thing I just bought some top of the range Hydro Pods, maybe I can put them on ebay!! Cheers guys and great thread.Grant