Hi Steve,
Honest candor is we never tried. I guess we need to make up a 45' Drake70 and take it for a spin. My feeling is the loss of efficency at relatively low/er speeds will be more noteable than planing speed weed fins (I have some rather "fast" weed fins not overly lacking efficency
). Another interesting Thai test centre observation is that in "typical" Serenity conditions, the normal fin does not pick up trash in anything like the same manner as a "planing" fin. In fact the majority of trash (and there are plenty of weed similation objects, along with most other imaginable- and a few not so imaginable - objects - most typically sub surface plastic bags) that would normally be attracted to a vertical race blade like a magnet seems to slide on past the Serenity. That may not work so well with kelp. Don't overlook the potential to sail the Serenity backwards (true) to clear the fin - this is not only doable but almost practical with a little no wind experience.
Hi Screamer,
Yeah, the best thing is windsurf mag don't pull any punches on stuff like this with us, so to see a test like that is pretty positive. Yeah, the Serenity in Wood looks like a work of art: too good to sail - but too good not to sail too
Cheers ~ Ian