“Not since Cheyne Horan unveiled his Ben Lexcen-inspired ‘winged keel’ fin two decades ago has such a weird and wonderful-looking fin design been unleashed…” So says the media release attached to the newest fin on the market called Foilz. And I have to agree – weird they are. But I also remember thinking that about Ben’s winged keel and even the FCS award winning H2. Radical design advancements often push the envelope before they come down to earth with a more universally user-friendly product. Which part of this atmosphere Foilz are in is yet to be seen.

While FCS is the dominant fin manufactures on the planet, The Foilz crew feel they also have something special to offer. Their hydrofoil-style fin system is the brainchild of long-time surfer and inventor Simon Francis and has been given the thumbs-up by the likes of reigning Queensland Championship Circuit champ Corey Ziems.

Francis grew up surfing in his native Tasmania but was forced to give up the sport he loved after a near-fatal car accident resulted in serious back problems.

He now devotes his time to developing new products including Foilz, which have just been released to the market after four years of research and development.

The backyard inventor, who has patented his design, is pushing hard to establish his Gold Coast-made product in the marketplace.

The concept for Foilz dawned on Franics as he was driving home from the cinema one night in 2006. “I saw this souped-up car with a spoiler and a surfboard on the roof,’’ he said. “The spoiler works upside down to create lift and reduce drag. I thought if you could tilt a fin five degrees like a spoiler, you could get a similar affect. “Foilz are designed to create a hydrofoil affect, increasing lift and reducing drag to improve acceleration and control.’’

Francis developed a prototype and after some fine-tuning, it was tested by expert surfers including former world championship tour competitor and Channel 9 Gold Coast surf reporter Glen ‘Rocky’ Rawlings, aerial surfing specialist Dru Adler and of course Corey Ziems. Ziems, who also competes on the WQS, was so stoked on the fins he agreed to come on board as Foilz’s first team rider. “I’m really impressed with the Foilz in all conditions,’’ he said. “In fast, sucky down-the-line waves, they hold in incredibly well in the barrel. The speed they generate is like no fin I’ve used before.

“They give extra lift in the tail but seem to hold in well through turns, but (also) give you that extra pop out of your top turns … all-round really fun performance fins.’’

Foilz come in a range of angles – 90 degree, 45 degree and 33 degree – for varying surf conditions and performance standards. They are compatible with FCS fin box set-ups used on most modern surfboards or can be glassed in.

The proof is always in the pudding, so Tracks staff will soon be giving the Foilz a testing and we’ll let you know how they fared.

For a chance to win a set of Foilz click HERE

And if you’re interested in more info on Foilz go to their website HERE