Hmm,  my uninformed answer, (non surfer) goes thus:  Surf boards have fins.  do WW kayaks have them?  I think they wouldn't hurt.  Surfers can move fore and aft on the board to aid in turning.  Kayakers have paddles to help turn and I have no idea where our center of gravity lies.  Maybe fins would help with tracking to get back out for another ride.  The product description does state something like you can install them for the nastiest conditions, where I myself probably wouldn't paddle.  Since you have plans, maybe you can build two of them!  from wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayaks#Surf_kayaks :  Surf kayaks

Traditional Surf Kayaking comes in two main varieties, High Performance (HP) Surf Kayaks and International Class (IC) Surf Kayaks. HP boats tend to have a lot of nose rocker, very little to no tail rocker, very flat hulls, very sharp rails and up to three fins. This enables them to generate lots of speed and be able to pull very dynamic moves. IC boats have to be at least 3m long and have to have a convex hull, the surfing of international boats tends to be smoother and more flowing. International class is often thought of as the long boarding of the kayaking world. Surf boats come in a variety of constructions ranging from tough but heavy plastics through to super light, super stiff but rather fragile foam cored Kevlar carbon. Surf Kayaking has become popular in locations were you will find traditional surfboard surfing, as well as new locations such as the Great Lakes

an EVen better answer to your question:   Here http://store.kayakcentre.com/browse.cfm/4,1449.html is a valley surf yak.  these toys compare to the Matunuck  in weight, have fins and at $2300 cost many times what you paid for the plans!  OMG, at the price of plans, I want one! 

Why at the price of the kit, you can buy three and still not have paid as much as the Valley surf kayak.  I think I should learn to surf and take Mondays off.

Tony,

If you lookat a Mega surf kayak you'll find they're very similar to the Matunuck. I built the BETA version and did not put fins on for a couple of reasons. First, they are not allowed in competition and secondly, they make a beach landing a bit more difficult. Don't want to break them off or damage the fin boxes. I've been surfing since I was 8 and I'm now 54 (you can do the math on how many years that is) and after paddling the Matunuck a few times on flat water I feel fins would definitely make it handle better when paddling. I have yet to make a fool of myself in the surf with it but will endeavor to do that soon.

Happy building!

George K

G'day George K,

 Thanks, I am thinking off putting snap-in fin boxes in, there-by having the option. I have notice some boxes sit proud a short distance from the flat hull. Paddling with out fins in the boxes, do you think this would affect performance? Having never paddled a surf kayak or anything with fins, it's a bit of a stab in the dark, but fins would definately help with directional control..... again ..are they worth it?? trial to see I guess.

 

Tony 

Tony,

I don't think paddling without fins in the boxes would affect performance at all. Fin setups on surfboards are to the point where you might have five finboxes on a board which let you ride anything from a twinny to thruster to quad. No performance lost without fins in. You could do the same on the Matunuck. I don't know if there are any quad surf kayaks, you could be the first!

George K

There have been quad fin surf kayaks made, but as a begginer you'd be getting way ahead of yourself. I used to compete quite a bit, and I used a tri-fin, which allowed harder turning and better wave-face grip at the expense of more difficult launches, and having to take care if side-surfing into a beach.

If you want to install fin boxes, the general rule is farther forward and you can turn more quickly, whilst farther back will give you better tracking. Personally, I'd place the center fin just a tiny bit in back of my butt - within an inch or two, while the two side fins should be almost all the way to the sides, a couple inches in back of the center fin, and canted inward a couple degrees. Find a fin box that takes plastic fins, be prepared to pay $$$ for good fiberglass ones, or make your own.  When you start on the water, don't use fins at first, then start with a 3 inch center, then experiment with a larger center and then side fins.

 As for competitions, the Matunuck would be classed HP (High Performance) class and there are no fin restrictions, contrary to what the earlier poster said. If it was IC (International) Class, you'd not be able to use fins, but I believe that IC is 3 meters and up, but I could be out of date on that.

Here's a geat source for more info. Occasionally juvinile and clubby, but most of the top kayak surfers in the world post there, and most are willing to give advice. Do a search on fin placement:

 http://www.boatertalk.com/forum/SurfZone

   

 

 

 

 

Thanks for you r reply's. The matunuck will be finless to start with and see how it goes latter. I'm building it at

http://community.webshots.com/user/kayaknoosa

Tony 

I think that you're making a wise choice.

 btw - my earlier description of where to place the fins was wrong! The center fin sits just in back of your tail bone, and the side fins sit just to the side of your hips - in front of the center fin.

 Hi Im looking for some help from someone who has built the Matunuck.

Because I am so impatient, last summer I built a Matunuck Hybrid from the sketches Nick had on his site. The boat looks great but I have one problem, and it is a big one. I located the cockpit using the sketches on Nick’s site and it seams I am seated too far forward.  I need to move the cockpit rearward, but I’m not sure how far. So here is the question, can someone give me the distance from the stern to the back edge of the cockpit so I can make this move one time correctly. I would like to have a second tryout this summer and this time have it be a success. Thanks for your help Walt

 

 

I say put in the fin boxes now. You can always use it with out the fins in their boxes if you don't like it with them in. Personally, I surf and I have an Islander surf kayak. The kayak is pretty flat bottomed with a good bit of nose rocker. It does not have fins and it will broach in a split second if not "ruddered" very well. For the most part the use of the paddle as a rudder to keep from broaching puts the paddle face way behind the center of gravity on the boat which makes the boat mostly sideslip down the face of the wave and not really "surfing down the line". With surfboards (and kayaks with skegs) you are better able to stay in the curl. In a kayak with skegs you don't have to pay so darn much attention to the crude adjustments thru the ruddering. The paddle is there to make fine adjustments to position on the wave. A very good comparison is if you take a surfboard into the waves without any skegs. It will turn sideways to the wave and dump you right quick. It will not surf. And if you can control it, it is just surfing straight in to the beach or a controlled side-slip. (Not what a surfboard or a "real" surf kayak is for).

I dunno Ricks. my experience is that  a finned kayak will turn harder on a wave, and cling better to a very steep face, but if you look at most Mike Johnson designs, they were designed to be finless and kenny king was tearing it up for years - winning multiple world championships without them.

The thruster fins produce more drag in recreational (non-extreme) waves. Personally I use a single center fin for those conditions and pop in the thrusters when things get hairy. With good edge control side slipping only happens when I want it to.  

I have been side tracked on the matunuck build and  am now stitching up the deck. Yer - fin or no fin? Nick the designer says it can be surfed finless no problem. I will probably not put any in at first and see how it goes latter on with performance. Extra time and $$ to go fins. BTW, it's been a build from plans and now with the deck loosley stitched the panels go together fairly well, some adjustments today with honing off little sections should bring everything together.
 I like the stage when you can see what the kayak looks like..albeit rough.

 

Thanx 

It is one another kayak which is especially designed for surfing. The Matunuck has the speed to catch the big waves, and the low moment of inertia means terrific responsiveness for spinning and cutting.

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