Sailboard Fin Design

Abstract

In high performance boardsailing, demands on the vertical fin or "skeg" often produce "spinout" - when the skeg loses horizontal lift creating a force imbalance and causing the tail of the board to slide sideways. Richard Caldwell, RACE Technology, Inc. used NASA airfoil technology to solve this problem and formed a business based on his solution. After determining that the spinout resulted from air ventilating down the low pressure side of the underwater fin, he adapted the airfoil technology to the design of a short board skeg, which would overcome the problem and lower the drag, resulting in improved performance. He patented his RACE 145 foil section, formed his company and later returned to Langley for additional technical assistance. The company's newest product is a rigid sail that also incorporates NASA technology and has excellent performance. This company no longer exists - product is no longer in production.