Lessacher Fins, crazy weed fins but works IRL


Rick Hanke brought us back to school ...
A  Tekkno Lessacher Chamaleon 
When I attended the German Speed Championship in 2011, they had a very interesting seminar about fin-theory, hosted by Maui Ultra Fins and their designer Rick Hanke. No doubt that he knew what he was talking about. I am myself an engineer and I had some flashbacks from the 4 years I spent in school with my calculator, formulas and tables ... I reckon he had a PhD in aerodynamics and he really put his delta-fin innovation to the sky. Theoretically the best speed fin in the universe so far. But he was clear about an other German fin-maker, "Wolfgang Leassacher, his fins are disasters, with concaves on both sides.  Do not work at all."

Wolfgang in action
On the parking lot on the outside Wolfgang took a nap at the same time. But as most of us know theory and practice do not match well in windsurfing.

Since I started with speed, I have loved the Chamäleon. I must have had more than 50. When you lose the grip with it, it only slides in a very controlled way sideways, like a sportscar.
I said to Wolfgang that I love them, but I have problem with the 28cm in combo with 8,6m2 or bigger. Wolfgang replied, “hey when I designed that fin 20 years ago the biggest sail was 7,8. You must test my new ones now.“ 

Some of my black beauties.


At German event 2012 he delivered a handful of new fins. But I never test any new products for the first time in an important event. (It was one of the European Speed Tour events). And the following 6 weeks, it was all major events in the Swedish and England. But in the closing weeks of 2012 I had some opportunities to use Wolfgang’snew shapes. The sizes were not perfect matches to my board range, but they are absolutely top notch. No other makes can match that grip in the same size, and the speed was about on par with the best. I also used the Duo Speed Weed 32 on my CA SL78 and it worked very well (but I really need a deeper fin with more lift to that board). It is great that we have guys like Wolfgang that have the guts to do things different. Now I also have the right sizes, looking forward for the test session in Egypt soon!


PS Read more about my over 300 fins collection here and here and here

5 comments:

  1. Eins vorweg, Ich kann nicht surfen (bin Anfänger/Neuling), aber ich habe Spaß dabei. Seit ich vor 2 Jahren die Finnen von Wolfgang Lessacher entdeckt habe, hat sich der Spaßfaktor deutlich erhöht. Ich fahre nur noch diese Finnen.

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  2. Well, if you are a beginner. I would say that most fins / weedfins works well.
    Up to 30 knots it is not a big difference between a T-zone, MUF, Hurricane, Choco, Lessacher, Tekkno etc
    But say over 33 knots there is an ocean between the better and the worst.
    Wolfgans fins are maybe not the very best,(I will try and back, ad the result will speak for itself, but they are very good and they are possible to get

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  3. Hi Anders
    The fin that you hold in your hands is it a "Duo Cut Weed"?
    Regards Jan B.

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  4. I think the correct name is Speed Weed 28cm, a proto but possible to order from Wolfgang.

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