Cheyne Horan's journey into hyperspace

Anthony Pancia
Swellnet Dispatch

11_11.jpgIt’s a moment not easily forgotten. Easter, 1984, seated in the good room on a sofa covered in protective plastic at Zia Maria’s house. To the left stood a life-sized statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary while an equally imposing bust of Jesus Christ frowned down at me from the right. Directly in front on the TV though was my new god, Cheyne Horan, resplendent in a shiny blue wetsuit, carrying a dark blue board with a funny looking fin. Like many of that era, I’d spent hours…days, hanging at the old McCoy factory on Cape Three Points Road in Avoca, waiting for Cheyne to walk through the old sliding door.

But he never did.

Nicky Wood once did, but otherwise it was just a lot of time staring at the multitude of Lazor and Tri Zaps standing at an angle in the racks, the price tag of $350 seeming a little steep at the time for a paperboy who cleared $7 a week. Occasionally I’d glance at the sticker featured under the glass of Cheyne’s signature model; a busty topless woman with flowing dark hair.  At that age, and in that era, any sneak peek at a booby was a good day. Even if in cartoon form.

Anyway, from memory Cheyne carried the board down to the shoreline at Bells with the fin obscured by a towel. Christ’s unblinking gaze continued to look down at me as Cheyne rode that funny looking fin to victory that year, a validation of sorts after years of playing the bridesmaid.

Fast-forward 32 years and Cheyne and his funny looking fins catches my attention again, this time on Instagram.

I should point out I’m not a design guy...like, at all. Like many, I just nod blankly as shapers point to a supposed single to double concave running through the tail. But these fins of Cheyne caught my eye and after a few false starts, I catch him as one of his surf schools is in progress.

“This gunna take long?” he asks with that distinctivly happy, upward inflection. “I’ve got some students out on paddle boards and they’re heading towards the flags.”

I’ll get to the fins in a sec, but I’ve always wanted to ask, where did this sense of adventure with board design come from for you?
Dunno, to tell you the truth. All I remember was I was 13 when I shaped my first fin out of plywood and that sort of unlocked it all. I haven’t stopped tinkering since.

You grew up in Bondi right? Was there a lot of experimenting with boards back then?
Maybe, but I was just doing my own thing, looking at books and stuff. I had a lot of interest in the navy and what they were doing with the design of their ships and hulls. Then I ended up learning a lot of George Greenough, Reno Abellira, Barry Kanaiaupuni and Ben Lexcen.

Right. So let’s talk about the fins. I saw them on Instagram and couldn’t get my head around how they would work.
The easy threes?

Easy threes?
No, no. E, as in 'e', zee, threes.

Got it, so what’s the theory behind them?
It’s a design I originally worked on with Ben Lexcen [deceased Australian designer, famous of course for the winged keel]. It dawned on me about five years ago, ‘jeez, there’s a lot of stuff we worked on that I’ve never gotten around to,’ and this was one of them. It took me five years to work out the right size and heights, but I’ve got it tuned in now. Jump on these and you’ll go faster than you’ve ever gone before, faster than a speeding bullet.

Can you break them down for me a little?
Yeah, but just hang on a sec would you? (Cheyne shouts out to some of his students, “Hey, you’re in the flags, get out of the flags...no, that way,”). So the concept behind it is for a quicker reaction and more flow. In some ways they are the same as a Spitfire wing on an aeroplane. Fighter pilots have to react fast and control where they were going and it should be the same when you’re surfing. So with these, when you go to hit your turn they react immediately.

They look like they’re foiled on both sides?
Yeah, they’ve got a double foil like the wing on a fighter jet. But think about this for a second. Usually with surfboard design, it’s always been the wrong way around. In the old days, it was the wide nose and narrow tails, but the wide tails had to be underneath where you standing. Now think about the fin, which only has the foil on the outside. Say you’re hitting your bottom turn on your right side, that inside foil on your fin, what is it, a foil or a flat?

Um, a flat?
Right, so you see, you’re hitting your turn on not a foil.

I see, doesn’t really make sense does it?
Exactly, so if you flipped the foil and have ‘em on both sides, the water’s going to flow better off your fin. You could see that at Teahupoo, the guys were going super fast but struggling a bit with their direction change because the fins are knifing through the water and not flowing. The double foil concept gives you that same flow and quick reaction time going left or right. There is always a flow of water hydro dynamically around the fin.

tail-ez3_0.jpg
Cheyne's EZ3 fin design

Right, so why don’t you think someone else has stumbled onto this design?
Because people aren’t interested in the finer points, they just ride what they’re given.  Think back to that fighter pilot again. His life is on the line every time he gets in the cockpit. The designers don’t leave anything to chance. He’s got to be able to bank and release in an instant or he’s dead. Think of sailing, same thing, mountains of money is spent just on design. Surfboards shapers should be worth their weight in gold, they should be paid in gold, but they’re not. So much money, like billions, gets pumped into design with race-cars of sailing boats, but there’s a lot of guesswork in surfing.

The fins I saw on your Instagram feed look pretty big.
Yeah, but you can dial them for different waves. If I’m surfing Kirra I’ve got three big fins in. If I’m surfing mushy waves, I’ve got two small side fins and a smaller back fin.

Are they compatible with FCS and Futures set-ups and what are they made of?
Yep. They’re made of fibreglass and hex-core.

What about board design, will they be compatible with any bottom contour?
Yes they are, and that’s why there aren’t wings on them. With wings, you’ve really got to dial them to react to the bottom of a board. I’m using them for guys racing on paddle-boards now.

Are they commercially available?
Yep, you can just order them straight from my website, surfer to surfer. The way it should be.

I have to ask, that win at Bells, how satisfying was it?
It was pretty sweet, Ben and I had been working together for a while and he was pretty stoked. But I’ll tell you something though and this is what I always tell Kelly. In hindsight, it would have been smarter for me to be the same as everyone else and use a thruster and use the winged keel and star fin in my own fun sessions. In hindsight, that’s what I should have done and when I see Kelly and see him playing around with that exotic equipment, I’ll tell him, ‘Don’t make the same mistake I did, keep all that stuff for having fun and use those Al Merrick designs for competition.’  I went through a lot of heartache going the route I did.

//ANTHONY PANCIA

Comments

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 1:20pm

At my local grom beach North Burleigh 'bout a year back. I saw this skeg surfing as good as any. We got talking...flipped his board and said these fins made the world of difference. Reckons that Cheyne Horan was making them! Like a numbskull bodybasher, I replied.. 'Oh the wing keel deal' ! I recalled when I was a grom,it was all about Cheyne's roundhouse cutbacks. Keenly this bloke agreed,he went to his van and revealed a whole bagfull of fins,explaining each one.It was these fins shown here he was riding and riding well at that. As a Bodybasher it comes natural to model lines/positioning off pocket surfers like Shaun Tomson...Now I'm not saying these fins are gonna prize open the slot,but that skeg on the right day would give it a good bash,if you catch my drift!... NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT...Hooroo!

blindboy's picture
blindboy's picture
blindboy Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 1:26pm

Great piece Anthony! I have always been a bit skeptical of the single sided foil but have bowed to the designers. There is a really important point in there about using a smaller tail fin in softer waves. In my experience this can make a huge performance difference for any surfer. It might not suit all designs but the average thruster will perform better that way for most surfers.
Cheyne is one of the greats and, while he might have some regrets about the path he took, for the rest of us it has been a privilege to watch his imagination in action over so many decades. More power to him!

Cheyne's picture
Cheyne's picture
Cheyne Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 8:59pm

blindboy humbled the creative path meets with resistance ....I creating new things opens the mind....its like people who can ride a horse and then there is a formula one racing car next to it and they think the horse is faster...and it is if you know how to ride a horse and cant drive....and everyone says the horse is faster till they see you drive at lightning speed ......for those moments before reality is the resistance....Blindboy thx Im going into a very creative stage with these new fins I can dial the grip and speed in like F1's

blindboy's picture
blindboy's picture
blindboy Monday, 29 Aug 2016 at 5:05pm

All good Cheyne, I remember you surfing with PC quite a bit way back and he was more into fins than anyone I've ever known. Were you ever influenced by what he did?

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 2:24pm

I'm curious. That footage, seems wave riding was "flat", no vertical turns, cutty no fully "on rail"... ??? That due to the fins?

Cheyne's picture
Cheyne's picture
Cheyne Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 9:02pm

wingnut2443 they go super vertical Im nearly 60 and that footage was taken by a mate...just having a surf...the go round the corners as far over as you want to take it...aloha have a good surf

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Monday, 29 Aug 2016 at 9:27am

Cheers Cheyne.

I for one would love to see some different footage then.

Can you post up some? Or post up a link to some?

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 3:10pm

Is that it ...less than 30 seconds of surfing footage , how about some Burleigh Snapper Jbay Ments and Sunset.

Cheyne's picture
Cheyne's picture
Cheyne Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 9:14pm

my insta has some kirra and a few secret spots.... ubo mate got that footage..

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 5:28pm

Kelly mentioned Cheyne's regret of staying on 'different equipment' at around the 35min 20sec mark here:

Some gems in that interview. Worth watching from the start ;)

Ash's picture
Ash's picture
Ash Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 6:32pm

Sorry but they are the worst toothy looking fins I've ever seen and would not want them to connect with me in the surf.
George Greenoughs original tuna fin shape is very successful and has been improved on steadily, with great results and many variations. What makes Shane's better?

Cheyne's picture
Cheyne's picture
Cheyne Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 9:06pm

ASh George and I have worked together very closely teaching each other many things on fin design and if you saw what he rides now it looks nothing like the tuna fin and more like what Im riding..its called progression...nothing wrong with the tuna....or the Spitfire.....and they are safer than the fins of today...I think you would do more damage stabing with the back of a tuna fin than mine.....bottom line if your getting hit by your fins it will hurt either way...

Cheyne's picture
Cheyne's picture
Cheyne Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 9:09pm

Thanks Anthony enjoyed the read....smiling with u ..Have a good Surf
Glad you put Surfer2 Surfer that's where it's at
[email protected]

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 9:26pm

wingnut 2443... I agree! (hope this helps)....The surfing I saw was far from flat but that skating element was apparent over the slop,slicing thru like butter also the smooth start of cutback more like it . I said bloke surfed as good as any,meaning he linked all sections with full turns and breezed right thru to shorey several times. Yes OK so I'm just a bodybasher but I was '70's N' Burleigh grommet judge,rare species voted least likely to drop pencil in bong or soak up highest scores trying to retrieve it. I mentioned fins were the same. Well not quite,surfer had bag of fins. He did have these fins but slot in versions. May have had mystery rear bigger/fin of the three. It was a while back so be quite a few Gold Coast riders that tested them. I'm no longer into techno...less ankle gripping/more ankle cutting... we sea-critters feel even less cut up if rubber spikes came back into vogue. Hooroo!

Ash's picture
Ash's picture
Ash Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 10:02pm

Ok Shane just going on 1st impression and with no rake they look they would do damage easily.
I have no idea what fins George is designing now, but the original design has been a success.
Good luck with this, progress is always welcome

thedrip's picture
thedrip's picture
thedrip Sunday, 28 Aug 2016 at 11:02pm

I wouldn't mind surfing like that at 60.

It does look very fast.

blindboy's picture
blindboy's picture
blindboy Monday, 29 Aug 2016 at 11:14am

The bottom line is that, for fins of the same height, the length of the leading edge and therefore the drag, increase with rake. So an upright fin, all else being equal, should be quicker.

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Monday, 29 Aug 2016 at 12:25pm

They look interesting. I have tried the C drives and they great in clean, smooth down the line conditions. Super fast and drivey. I might give these a go as well. Wonder if Cheyne can convince MR to use them. Ultimate irony?

Cheyne's picture
Cheyne's picture
Cheyne Monday, 29 Aug 2016 at 4:13pm

MR and most surfers with there own designs stick to what they know.... I think fins in the next 10 years will look closer to this shape than any other shape...time will tell...I'm just having fun....

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Monday, 29 Aug 2016 at 4:24pm

I know you were never a twin fin man however I am surfing one exclusively in 2 to 4 foot surf and love it. I wonder how they would go as a twinnie? Too loose and fast?

Cheyne's picture
Cheyne's picture
Cheyne Monday, 29 Aug 2016 at 4:53pm

memlasurf I know they would be great as twins and quads....im currently working on Quads and twins ... I like twin fins and have had some of my best sessions ever on them...don't tell anyone ..lol

saurusv1's picture
saurusv1's picture
saurusv1 Monday, 29 Aug 2016 at 4:05pm

I've been making my own fins for yonks, lately have been full foiling both outside fins in Thruster set up and like it better than flat foil. Currently using a more raked and thinner tip rear centre fin, much better on steep take offs with a longer board
I'd keep playing with those fins Cheyne, maybe put a bit more rake in the side fins for a start to see how that goes. Other alternative is to keep the side fins vertical and put a bit of rake in the rear one. Definitely keep searching, good fun playing around with fin set ups!!

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 29 Aug 2016 at 6:58pm

Cheyne ,toe, cant and cluster setup are they any different when using your fins ?

Cheyne's picture
Cheyne's picture
Cheyne Monday, 29 Aug 2016 at 8:15pm

Lots of variables and yes there is less drag and they are faster....they have slight cant ....the easiest way to understand without the technical and hydrodynamics is what are you looking for...looser tighter faster more drive ...for me I say hold...I want hold and I want release...quick driving speed....if its skidding around corners I up the volume of fin ..if its to tight i decrease volume..for reaction straight up is a balanced quick speed the tip of fin forward makes hyper reactive the tip behind leading edge gives delayed reaction...hope this helps

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Tuesday, 30 Aug 2016 at 12:14pm

Hey Cheyne, any more footage? I'm keen, as I suspect a few of us are, to see how they go in different conditions, with different surfer, etc. ?

Got any other footage?

Can you post up some links?

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 17 Sep 2016 at 12:13pm

Was anyone convinced by the short footage and bought a set of these ?

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Monday, 19 Sep 2016 at 6:08am

Jump on the grenade udo.

I have a set of YU quad futures that have very minimal rake/ cant (also very small overall). Back fins actually have double foils also. They are very fast, no complaints.

EZ3's look like fun summer fins to me.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Sunday, 18 Sep 2016 at 3:33pm

Wouldn't mind running them as front fins on a quad set up. For the last 12 months (while I've been able to surf) my fin config has been quads with FCS H2 front fins and standard AMs for the rear set. I like the upright nature of the H2s, they give plenty of pivot, and they complement rear fins with usual rake for drive.

I recently saw an FB post by Cheyne about the fins and Bert Burger chimed in saying he used to run a similar set up: upright fins at the front, fins (or fin if it's a thruster) with rake at the rear.

If I get a chance I'll give 'em a shot.

wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443's picture
wingnut2443 Sunday, 18 Sep 2016 at 5:22pm

Ever tried the FCS H3 or V2 fins in place of the H2's?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Monday, 19 Sep 2016 at 9:27am

Nah, only got H2s, though I'm mixing sets at the moment due to a few low tide sessions at the point.

The H3 doesn't looks as upright?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 22 Sep 2016 at 10:12am

Cheyne's got a a bit of a comp going on FB. Buy fins, win board:

https://www.facebook.com/cheyne.horan.7/videos/vb.783429472/10154341988919473/?type=2&theater

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 29 Oct 2016 at 9:33pm

Cheyne has a quad set pic up on his instagram.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Thursday, 7 Jun 2018 at 6:16pm

Cheyne playing with 3 diffferent fins in his thruster cluster and with Cant inwards ?
Insta.
Classic Confuscious Comment on fist pic..