One board quiver-formula

[atlas.wave55]

I agree a formula board would be a good choice for me. The lake that I sail on is Balsam and it actually is not too bad for weeds, only when the wind blows hard from the south Then you might seen the odd weed patch. Because there is a little bit of swampy area in the south bay. But other then that it's pretty good. I like the lake because it has different places to sail around because of the weird shape and the island witch is 1000 acres, beats sailing on the neighboring Cameron lake witch is a little more boring. And if I wanted to go somewhere with some serous weeds, just south is lake scugog.

Why do weed fins not run that well with formula boards?
I know you can get them in similar formula fin sizes. Is it because they do not plane as early with the fin running back on a angle.

[bred2shred]

Formula boards are (obviously) very wide and you stand way out on the edge of the board when planing in the straps. In order for your weight to be supported out on the edge of a 100cm wide board, the CE of the fin needs to be quite a long ways down from the bottom of the board (the "heeling" moment of the fin needs to balance the "righting" moment of your body weight).

The CE of a weed fin is considerably closer to the bottom of the board than the CE of a 70cm deep straight fin. Therefore, weed fins don't provide a much lift to the windward rail and the board doesn't "pop up" like it does with a straight fin.

Weed fins also have considerably more drag than a straight fin and this is very noticeable in light air sailing. The CE of a weed fin is also quite a bit farther back than that of a straight fin, so the back leg gets overloaded and overall, the board/rig just don't balance out right.

sm

[jingebritsen]

lift to drag sucks on any board with weeders. amplified by formula.

defeats the purpose of going formula from the get go.

[shreddbob]

My AHD (2002) GT85 is a fast and wide freeride, "almost freerace" comfortable to ride board. I exclusively use a weed fin by necessity, in Buzzards Bay. I like this board because it works very well with an upright weeder like True Ames SB Weed, or Curtis Someweed. Puts a smile on my face in 12 - 15 mph with the 7.8, or 11 - 13 mph with the 9.4. I enjoy cruising all across Buzzards in a sea breeze, like I own the place

I don't normally sail a board this big in spring time when there are no weeds. But the few times I have, with a pointer fin, 55 or 62 cm, I notice an improvement over the weed fins, but not so great as to make the weed fins seem like they are a severe compromise or anything. I don't feel any back foot loading with the weeders, so long as the mast is back in the track. And when the wind comes up a bit the weed fins are more forgiving with handling in chop. The weed setup never scares me like a pointer setup might, out in the middle of choppy Buzzards should the wind start gusting to 20.

[U2U2U2]

By chance if you haven't seen SHREDDBOB, sail, his sign on name should be SHREDDROBBY, and it's no coincidence his phone ends in 1111.

This I use on my F117, 7.5m, works nicely. It's a 42.



The background in the photo is when you have 3 ongoing board projects.
Nothing gets put away.

[joethewindsufa]

for larger sails, you need larger weed fin
on JP SLW92 i used to use Select Ultra Race 66 cm and True Ames SB 58 cm weed fins
image is from BIC Techno Formula trimm fins



now i have started to use a Wolfgang Lessacher 42 cm weed fin
doesn't go well in snow tho

[bred2shred]

Only speaking from experience. I sailed Formula boards for many years including quite a bit of racing on the East coast circuit from about 2000-2005. I sailed the TA SB Weed fin (whatever the largest one they made at the time) a hand full of times and the difference between the weed fin and a 70cm upright fin....well there's no comparison. Yes you can stick a weed fin on a Formula board and go out and sail and plane, but it just isn't the same. The upwind performance is a fraction of an upright fin's, the drag is substantial and quite noticeable, and the board just doesn't "light up" like it does with the racing fin. The difference is much more pronounced compared to when using a weed fin on a more traditional sized board.

sm

[shreddbob]

[shreddbob]

[U2U2U2]