Mar 6, 2013
What the majority of people don’t know about surfing or have considered is that its not always the board that does the job , have you ever thought about how much we need our fins? `the right shape , the right size , enough curve , enough rake?.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about then it seems you don’t know surfing very much at all , its easy for us to say that the best boards in the world are Al Merricks due to the fact that kelly slater rides them , would Kelly Slater go ride some NO NAME board from some two bit shaper out of Brazil ? i fucken doubt that.
Then why do surfers still use concocted forged fins ?
i’ll tell you why ,its because when i ask that question people just say ” a fin is a fin ” which is absolutely bullshit , if a fin is just a fin then guys like Adriano
Mick , the hobgoods , julian , wilko and kalohe would be riding just any plain old shit .
when you look up the meaning “authentic” in the dictionary this comes up “The quality or condition of being authentic, trustworthy, or genuine.”
If you are a true surfer and I’m sure most of you are you would buy genuine products , i use sex wax because i like sex and i love that wax , i use fcs because slater uses them , he’s 11 times world champ and has banged pamela anderson , you do the math?
if you wanna be like the best use the best , simon anderson told me that when i was 16 years old , he invented the thruster ,i think ill take his word
check out the history of fins here
Then why do they sell plastic fins? Plastic is bottle tops not surfboard fins! If you want to ride the originals, then you should be using their first generation plugs and fins. Fibreglass fins are the only way to go. Not moulded fibreglass with a foam core, as this has a thick leading edge. Your fin needs to be thicker at the base and thinner at the top foil wise. The fin needs a really sharp leading and trailing edge for speed and hold. Don’t just say use the originals for the sake of it. Find out more about your fins, they are the engine of the board. Plastic fins, no matter what the construction, have to much flex and flex in the wrong areas. All the plugs are made out of the same materials, so its more the fins. I have seen Slater with boards that don’t have the original plugs and he still went 500 miles an hour. If you only believe in using original stuff on your boards, I hope your blanks are made by Hobbie and your boards are getting profiled with the first CNC software!
baron id never argue with u , im having an opinion , but the rest of these people , come now please
Baron I think you missed the whole point . Dont imitate rather innovate . Original and Creative Ideas are what will make SA Surfing industry better. Not making copy Al Merricks , havent you moved on from that ? Why dont you and Keith make your own fin system ? Its far easier to copy someone else isnt it ?
As for plastic fins I seem to remember Dave Weare winning a major event on them . Conditions , Style , ability , personal preference and Boards dimensions are the factors for fin choice . Thats the reason there are so many designs .
Super interesting post. I’m a tech geek so enjoyed the learning a little more about fins. Currently riding the Julian Wilson fins on a Dutchie Pitbull 5’10, 18 5/8, 2 1/4. Amazing combo
Lets clear up a few distorted facts mentioned in this one sided, biased rhetoric that can only be looked upon as more bullshit eminating from the marketing machinery at Fcs.
Lets be clear about one thing, Kelly Slater would win competitions riding a door, without fins, a leash, traction pad, nose guard, wax and quick dry board shorts. He would still blow the competition away with one hands stuck up his arse and Tritan’s dick down his throat. It’s called talent Wok, every time talented surfer comes on the scene, surf brands jump on the wagon and advertise their products with their images. Sadly, that kid who grew up to be the talented surfer probably started out with a second hand boards that had glass on fins, yet he rose above the pack and showed off his talent. Then once he’s winning competitions, along comes FCS and sponsors him. Now we are led to believe that he’s talented because he rides FCS … Doesn’t this ring a bell Wok?
And yes Wok, Kelly would also be riding a board made by a two bit Brazilian shaper if that shaper was paying him a bar a year like he receives from both FCS and his board manufacturer.
All FCS glass fins are made in China, the same country that has destroyed economies world wide and also is known to employ underage kids in their factories. These fin factories are based hundreds of miles away from the ocean and also aren’t even able to boast a surfer amongst them.
The local fin factories in South Africa, namely Maisch, Gasfins and Scarfini make a quality product at affordable prices for the average surfer in South Africa and export a shit load of fins to other surfing communities worldwide. I have ridden FCS, gasfins and Scarfini fins and there is no difference, my apologies, there is a difference, local fin factories employ South Africans , who surf on a daily basis and are able to tweak their products to suit local conditions. Should I be paying R1500 for a set of fins that are made in China with Kelly’s name on them or a set of fins made in South Africa for R500 that are just as good?
I don’t see FCS in SA sponsoring any competitions, putting anything back into our surfing community by way of sponsorships of under-privileged kids, setting up any production facility locally to employ local people or channeling any of their profits back into our surfing community. All I see is sponsored pro or semi-pro surfers who churn out the same old marketing propaganda in order to receive their salaries every month.
If we were to believe your rhetoric Wok, we would all still be driving model-T Fords!
I agree with you “not a conformist”, I’ve converted to Gas fins after riding FCS all my life. I find them better for local conditions than FCS and would have been able to buy 3 sets for the price of 1 set of FCS. Just a pity that the major surf chain stores don’t support the local fin factories. I went to Gateway and could only find Gas fins at the Ripcurl shop, tried Quiksilver and Billabong and neither of them stocked them. We all need to start buying local again and bring back the money to our local industry, instead of supporting these Chinese factories.
You tell him DG.
What’s wrong Wok? Can’t you take criticism, my comment was up for a full 5 minutes and you took it down. Its sad that your employers control your life. Feels like the old apartheid days where only things that you liked are published? If you have a comment section then you shouldn’t be biased towards your way of thinking. Seems if you don’t like it then its deleted,shame on you!
i didnt take anything down , im glad u all on here having a dig , this is my opinion , i ride fcs i think they the best , if u cant afford a pair of real fins , looks like u better find a better job.
dont talk to me about criticism i feed off that shit
put your name down there to fag
Bullshit, FCS IS ALSO AMAKE BELIEVE, the Hawaiians first made fins 300 years ago
More drivel from FCS Wok, are u being spoon fed?
Surfing did not start with Fcs nor will it end when Fcs are not around anymore.
I suggest u be careful with your bias comments concerning hard working honest local manufacturers of fins in SA, if I were one of them I would sue your arse off. U can just hope they don’t read it before u have the sense to take it down off your self serving pathetic website.
Fins were around for 100′s of years before Fcs put tabs on them, so are futures make believes as well?
Oh by the way, Kelly is no longer with Fcs, he’s moved on to the next highest bidder that will pay his exorbitant royalties so does this mean that Fcs are wanna ices now too?
hahahahah are u just another surf groupie thinking he knows everything about surfing?
Fins were invented by Tom Blake in the 50′s. Kelly rode FCS fins yesterday when he won at Kirra. Whats your case, Casey? If thats your real name sister?
So the locally made ci boards are original? Is this what u are trying to say Wok?
We must pay R5000 for a locally produced board with ci logos?
Get real Wok, we have brains in our heads and likewise agree with comments that were posted on this board (then removed cause u didn’t like what they said)
BUY LOCAL IT’s LEKKER and u keep jobs here, not in china.
U saying that a chinaman can make better fins than a local surfer with years of experience?
U carry on churning it out Wok, hopefully your bosses at Fcs will see what a loyal servant u are and increase your salary
Hey Jonno, good one bru. What do chinese know about fins…. are they really designing fcs in china.. no.. Well we can design much better here bru. A fins a fin bru.
What is CI boards……is it like al Merrick Surfboards. Haven’t seen any here (moggies)
.
Snatch this space …..
Warwick for president at FCS
U doing such a fine job Wok, make sure them fat cats at Fcs see what a fine job you doing for them.
Seems like the only people that ride Fcs are sponsored. Who can afford a grand for Chinese fins
Hey Wok,
I’ve received numerous sms’s from friends about your comments published here.
I take exception to the fact that you feel the need to run the local industry down and promote your benefactor as the original and the rest of us as make believes. U have no knowledge of the industry nor do u realize the harm that u may cause to it will your silly comments.
I would like to invite you to visit our fin factory and come and talk to us about the industry before you publish libel comments on the Internet.
Libel Comments ? You have copied the FCS fin system – Fact ! You havent made any advances – Fact ! I dont think hes running you down because your local , he is running you down because your a cheap copy . In fact he didnt even mention you in the article . What ‘special’ knowledge of the industry does Wok lack ? How would you change the fact that you copy fins and the fcs fin system by having him visit your factory ?
THe facts are that you are damaging to SA surfing and the local industry by perpetuating our image as a nation of ‘ripoff artists’
How many copies of the FCS fin sytem are there ? How many are made in SA ?
right on Baron, we see this sort of narrow minded nonsense spread around from China to Hawaii. I remember the days when anything made in China were copies and today we see big corporations moving their production to mainland China in search of the extra dollar to the detriment of millions of employees in western countries.
Hats off to the local fin manufacturers that have to endure this sort of negative advertising. Major brands should be concentrating on their products not running the competition down. Thought this sort of thing only happens in American politics.
Think what would happen if Ford spent their time running all the other car manufacturers down and calling them “make-believes”, can you imagine the lawsuits then!
Really people its on the website I am wok! If you getting all hot about that you need to get a grip.
Personally have no preference, but screw ins give you the ability to change from thruster to quad in minutes…I have used both gas and fcs and both have been good, but both have also broken up pretty quickly. And really don’t go on about buying local because then we would all be running around naked and leash less!!!
Woah, wait a second. I hear this rhetoric about “buy local” but I don’t think the haters practice what they preach. If you’re going to lambast FCS because they outsource the production to foreign countries because it’s more affordable and reliable then try set up a local manufacturing company when you have strikes and the CCMA breathing down your neck daily. “Dont show up to work 3 times in a week? We’re sorry, take some time off to recuperate and we’ll hire you back, with a raise, when you’re ready.” Bottom line is, from a manufacturing perspective, we cant compete cost wise. Don’t start this self righteous BS when you’re all wearing Nike and Adidas and the like. NONE of that is made here. People have this misconcieved notion that the surf industry is immune from economics. Rain check, it’s all economics, and the companies that forget this implode quickly. Forget the illusionary “local” humdrum because unless you’re talking pure profitable numbers, you’re living in a dream world. If you have a locally produced product, and want to compete in a global market, for heavens sake, put a damn patent on the thing, and try be first..
Test
Hey I have an idea …Dont go on Wok’s site if you dont like his Opinion ?? Quite simple really .. and in this particular instance I agree with Wok ..! Authentic is what it is .. copying someone else which is exactly what the knock off fin Company’s do ,is easy just make a mold .. but the materials are different , the finish product is different although they look alike , and they work differntly . FCS and Future spend a craplaod on development research etc, which is an expense local companies dont .. all they have is a mold charge.
Its similar with boardshorts .. go get a pair of MR Price or ” Private label ” trunks and enjoy your rash. , but seriously ..stay off his site if you dont like his opinion or point of view ! Start your own Site ?
jurra but ohs can be like fokken chicks…. more important things to think about than whine whine whine ..good on you Wok for posting your opinion on your KIFF website….
Word out there is a fin is a fin is a fin, what seems to go missing when mentioning names that are sponsored is this; team rides of the caliber of Slater, Fanning etc give positive feed back to designers and engineers who spend hours , weeks, tweaking the details to come up with a more , better, product, local guys are not making anything new, copying existing is Plagiarism at its best, I say good luck to local guys but lets not forget why they are in the business of making fin systems, they saw the leaders and thought ” let me get some of that pie” no innovation no direction just a slice of that there pie !
Wok you are legend, Pam Anderson I am jealous and doubt that she would shag my scruffy ass so I’ll do the next best and ride cheep plastic FCS systems made in china as opposed to any local fiberglass fins until the local guys innovate , bring me something new, not a copy, a R150 Rembrant print at frames unlimited holds no value to the real deal , its just a copy !
Then there is a whole lot of science in fins , energy release etc, transference of energy = drive and release, the R&D of the first and biggest company get this as they employ industrial designers, engineers and team riders to give feedback, I would question the qualifications of the local guys to come up with why and how the product reacts under specific load and non specific load high pressures and low pressures and how the specific amount of cavitation effects positive drive or negative drive (drag) etc.
Im with Wok and Simon Anderson until local is actually Lekker.
PS isnt the local distributor of FCS a local? just asking?
where can i get a set of carbon fibre tc redlines?
Kelly’s contract with Fcs ends at the end of the year. Rumour has it he’s signed with that other “make believe” fin company ….. FUTURES!
I here some comments here about Fcs being the first and everyone else are copy cats well let’s just put things in perspective, more board builders around the world are shifting to a future base fin because it has a stronger base with less flex. Big advantage is its less likely break. With glass fins being so expensive today it’s only natural to want a longer lasting fin. Talk out of Oz and America is that this negative marketing campaign by Fcs has done more damage than good for their image.
Someone mentioned that the fin manufacturers shouldn’t be copying Fcs but innovating themselves, unfortunately the reality is that SA was never ever targeted by Futures so the only system that was available here was Fcs or glass-on’s. shapers hate installing glass-on’s so to ask the fin companies to innovate when a standard was established would be very difficult. It’s like saying that bicycle companies shouldn’t copy others but innovate and only produce bikes with 1,3 or 4 wheels because someone has already invented the 2 wheel bike. A bit unfair I think.
Lately there has been interest shown by Futures in SA and personally I think that they will steadily grow market share in SA. Already we are seeing a shift with some shapers from only doing Fcs to now offering both.
It’s no rumour that Kelly won on Wednesday. Guess what fins he used?
If you cant afford a Rolex, don’t buy a knockoff and expect respect.
Futures – I might give them a try on my next board.
Is Kelly coming to Durban?
O’neal is accredited with being the first to design the wetsuit for surfing, if we were to believe Fcs then that would mean that Quiksilver, Billabong, Rip Curl etc were “make believes” too because they copied a basic design that had become a standard around the world.
I think this is all bullshit, I’m yet to be convinced that a product out of China can be better than a local product considering that market acceptance drives sales and in South Africa the local manufacturers dominate sales of fins in the wholesale and retail departments. Last your I read an article that Fcs had lost 75% of their market share when the patents expired. In South Africa Fcs only has about 20% of the market with local fin manufacturers making up the majority of the difference. If the major chains had to support them, Fcs would be history here. Last I check, the only guys in the water riding Fcs with pro’s or foreigners, they former being sponsored and the latter buying their Fcs fins overseas where they are marketed lay cheaper. Prices here are higher than in most parts of the world, I checked out a set online for Usd79.00 (about R720.00) but here they were R1100.00 retail. If the surfer was paying international prices then Fcs wouldn’t have to resort to this negative marketing cause the product would sell itself.
Fins a fin bru. I herd u can download music from a pirate internet. Do you know wear i can find it.
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You clearly know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your weblog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?
Hey Wolins, seems u quick to back up your mates and support the concept that original is best, so I shouldn’t buy a wetsuit from quicksilver because its a copy of the o’neal suit, so it’s just a make-believe wetsuit then. Maybe I shouldn’t buy a ci board from one of your shops cause it’s not made in the original ci factory either? Strange how u can defend a mate of yours but your own brand does the same thing that the local fin factories are doing, trying to make a living. Show me one brand today, available from your retail stores that are original? Almost every original idea has been copied, leashes, rashvests, wax, boards, t-shirts, board shorts, etc, none were invented by quiksilver yet you put your name on it. So lets bash the local surf industry yet u do the same yourself!
I’m just amazed at the depth FCS have stooped to in their attempt to run competition down. Their patent has expired, get over it!
I’m employed in the marketing industry and the first thing I learnt at varsity was don’t bash the competition, do they have monkeys at FCS doing their marketing? I’m amazed that anyone buys their products cause I take offense to there insinuation that buying other fins besides theirs is the same as buying grey market goods. FCS never ever patented their system in South Africa cause they snubbed us cause our industry was so small in comparison to the rest of the world now they calling the manufacturers here make believes, wow, talk about sour grapes
Will FCS have any customers left after this derogatory statement?
Doubt whether the local FCS agent sells much here anymore, not only are we ripped off with pricing, but we have to put up with his arrogant abrasive manner in which he treats customers when we visit his showroom in 1st avenue. I would rather buy FCS fins online from another country than have to deal with him again, might even support the make believe fin factories next time I buy fins.
Can anyone recommend a fin brand I can buy locally?
yes buy FCS