McTavish Rincon Volan Fin

The 9.45" template Bob McTavish used developing the Rincon in 1968 — a low-area Volan flex fin for mid-lengths.

9.45", Volan, longboard box. McTavish drew this outline in early 1968 while working out the board he pioneered at "The Queen of the Coast", the design that became known as the Rincon, and this is the fin that went under it. Medium base, sweeping rake, and a concave taper into the tip that puts the flex where the fin is thinnest. Low area for its height, which is why it carries so little drag.

How that reads

A medium base with that much rake makes the fin behave like a spring rather than a pivot: it loads through a sweeping turn, holds, and projects out of the far side. The concave taper concentrates the flex in the tip, so the fin gives at the point that is loaded hardest and returns as the board comes back to trim. Low drag is what lets it beat a section rather than get caught behind one.

Who it suits

Mid-lengths ridden for speed and long, sweeping turns rather than tight pivots off the tail. Surfers who want a flex fin that keeps the board moving through soft sections and holds control while it does it. If the surf has more power in it and drive matters more than low drag, the Tracker is the wider-based McTavish template.