Breaking Off Is Hard To Do

I haven't posted much on the topic of surfing as of late, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been doing my best to get out in the water every day possible. What you see in the picture below is my Gary Hanel canard quad turbo, which I have enjoyed immensely since it first blessed my quiver last year. However, note that is is sans fin...


How did this happen? Did I drop in on a 12' wave, try to turn too sharp, and blow out the fin due to my extremely powerful surfing style? Ermmmmm - no. In fact, this incident occurred last Thursday, when the wave size could best be described as small and closed out.

I paddled for one of the larger waves, popped up just as the lip came over and took the board out from under my feet. Said board did a nice 180 degree rotation, and placed itself deftly in the path of my descent. I felt the fins bite into my left tricep and right hamstring, and wondered if I was now leaving a nice chum trail to my newly pierced body.

After a brief inspection, I determined that the wetsuit took the brunt of the damage with major bruising to show up in a day or so. Then I noticed the lack of a fin where one usually is. It was probably a good thing that it snapped off instead of embedding itself into my flesh, so I'm looking at it in a positive light.

I called the good folks at Rainbow Fin Company, and they are shipping me a replacement fin which I should receive today. It's not the same color, so I am expecting a 25% reduction in speed (everyone knows that red fins go fast, right?). However, at least I don't have to shell out for a complete set of fins.