What the hell is going on here?

[Horton]

[MDB1056]

Trick question? 

[Mastercrafter]

Brilliant idea. Assuming the adjustment screw can both push and pull the fin with little to no freeplay, and assuming it locks solid, say byebye to the 5/32 and fin-knocker. 

Imagine being able to change your fin in known increments in just seconds, even between passes while still in the water. Kind of like clicks on a rifle scope. 

I love it. 

 

edit to add that it looks like there's still three locking screws.. but still, great idea. 

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Mastercrafter

[skibrain]

Looks like thumb wheels to adjust depth and length. Can’t see DFT detail but might be something going on there too. 

[Drago]

The tail is delaminating?

the fin block is on backwards?

[Mastercrafter]

From Connelly's site:

 

FIN
Versafin Fin System w/aluminum foil

*VersaFin allows the skier to adjust the fin up, down, forward and back on threaded mechanisms. Making it much easier to accurately make fin adjustments.

 

 

[thager]

Connelly is making it easier for Dirt to screw with your ski!!!!!😅

Edited September 7, 2023 by thager
Spelling

[Wish]

Thought there was a rule that fins could not be adjusted between passes at a tournament? Had to be a fixed wing/fin? Wasn’t this one/kind not allowed?? 

[MISkier]

@Wish, I believe the rule was that the fin could not move during a pass and must remain fixed during the actual pass.  I think they were trying to eliminate some sort of automatic steering or other mechanism that would be a real-time aid to the skier.  

[MISkier]

The AWSA rule book references IWSF rule 5.08, which is:

5.08: Skis

a) Maximum ski width shall not exceed 30 percent of the overall length for jump and slalom skis and 35 percent of the overall length for trick skis.

b) Any type of fixed foot bindings may be used.

c) Devices affixed to the ski intended to control or adjust the skiing characteristics of the ski are allowed if they are fixed so that they do not move or change during actual skiing.

d) No other devices are permitted.

e) Skis must be safe. There must be no unnecessary sharp or abrasive (to the touch) metal, wood or other attachments to the ski which could, in the opinion of the Safety Director, inflict injury to the skier should he come in contact with the ski in a fall.

f) Attaching two separate skis together in any manner is prohibited.

 

[kmenard]

Looks like a tool in my brothers wood shop 🙂

[Wish]

🤔 So theoretically, you could reach down and adjust a fin as needed between passes. Interesting 

[BobF]

Great!  Just what my inner-tweaker needs - a way to finagle even when I hide my tools from myself.  😃

[ForrestGump]

what's the other side look like, though? Are there set screws there to clamp it after you use the wheels to adjust it? 

[Horton]

does anybody have a picture of that mid-80s system where when you lifted your rear heel the wing went to 9° and when you step down it went to zero?

This new Connelly fin block is not intended for you to adjust in the water between passes. So far I've only seen the early prototype, but I'll have one to unbox in a couple of days. should be pretty cool.

[liquid d]

The Patent finally ran out on the Dynafoil?

[LeonL]

Great, but can it be used on other brands?  Is it patented or will other mfgs start building these?

How small are the adjustment increments?

I guess @Horton will have some of these answers soon.

Edited September 8, 2023 by LeonL

[Horton]

@LeonL I don't know about the patents. I don't believe that the Connelly version will work on other brands of skis without significant retrofit.

[Wish]

If it’s really functional, I hope the come out with an aftermarket version. I’d be interested. And they get to sell more product.  

[LeonL]

I wonder how small the adjustment increments are.

[Drago]

My guess is it's threaded, not notched

[DW]

if just a spin wheel, same as always, at worse quarter turn appears to be the star wheel configuration if they are using them to allow the fin to be unlocked in the block. 

If that is the case, and I can reach down and adjust on the fly, I will be thinking as I approach the gates "was that clockwise or counterclockwise to add tip???" 😨

[1skinut]

Someone please add pictorial instructions to the fin block settings: ski wheelie, Superman flying out the front of a ski, etc

[Mateo_Vargas]

Where do the padlocks go so your good friends aren't tempted to help with adjustments?

[skiboyny]

Great skis don't really need "gadgets" Whenever the manufactures add them they seem short lived. 

[lpskier]

Wait. My Power Stix don’t work??? WTF! 

[LeonL]

Actually I don't see that as a gadget due to a shortcoming of a ski.  It seems to me to be very beneficial for fin adjustments.

[MDB1056]

Looks to simply be a convenience 

[Horton]

[APB]

Would this not have potential to vibrate/ move?? 

[ETskier]

That fin block looks interesting. DFT mechanism looks way better. Not that I  would be capable, but it looks like you could climb in the boat, make a quick adjustement, no hammering,  and go back out there without using calipers. 

[lpskier]

@ETskier Why cant you do that with a T handle Allen wrench? Folks I ski with do it all the time. If you are fine tuning, calipers are required for precise measurements, but if you’re just trying something, eye ball it. On my fin clamp, about 22 degrees of rotation is about .005 of adjustment. Get to know your gear and you can do a lot on the platform. 
 

One time  I was skiing with @adamhcaldwell   We were working on my settings. I climbed on the platform and Adam said “Why don’t you try moving your fin forward.” I said “Okay, how far” given that I run my fin kind of far back at .690. He said:”I don’t know. Try all the way.”  That was probably the largest single move I ever made. The move didn’t pan out, but i ran -32. Moral of the story: Don’t be afraid to make a big move and you don’t need calipers to do it. 

[Wish]

I like it !! Once again a company thinking outside the box. Bravo Connelly bravo 👏 

[Drago]

Why is there do much pushback on this? What's wrong with making it easier or more convenient?

[Mose]

It should be a interesting review I look forward to it

[skialex]

@lpskier when using a t handle Allen wrench, adding like 0.005 is easier and you can be about right. Removing some… is a lot trickier.

Connelly’s mechanism looks that it can move the fin in and out with some precision.

It’s cool and if it works, others will follow and make some of their own, same or better… or who knows…

innovation is cool 😎 

[gavski]

Be interesting to know if you can:

A: retrofit/ swap out your old fin block

B: use any ‘other’ fin, or does it only work with the supplied fin?

[BraceMaker]

10 hours ago, APB said:

Would this not have potential to vibrate/ move?? 

Still has a clamp feature from what I can see its basically a standard fin box with 3 clamp screws to secure the fin in place (red boxes).  But then the DFT set screw/grub screw has a turned down area that sits into a slot in a block (Green box) that slides inside the fin box that is threaded to support the rear most turn screw (green arrow).  The front one may also float, but it probably does this independently as you can see how the bulk of the clamp reduces after that screw.  I cannot tell if the it in the green box supports the bit by the green arrow.

 

However from what's pictured you'd still have to loosen the fin "conventionally"

 

 

[lpskier]

Hey, I got the new emoji! I’m a first! 

[lpskier]

@skialex I’m a Connelly fan and skied on their skis for years. And the new fin clamp is very cool, though I just haven’t seen it in action. 

But you don’t need a special clamp (or calipers) to make adjustments on the platform when you are experimenting. 

 

[swbca]

Re compatibility with other brands. The inserts in skis for the fin blocks are not entirely standardized.  I tried a D3 Fin Block on a KD ski and the insert spacing was not the same.  In another thread @Horton says there is fin block compatibility between some manufactures but not all.

Fins are not always standardized either.  With D3 and KD the cutouts in the fin for the clamp bolts are spaced differently preventing full DFT adjustment if you try swapping fins between blocks.  This incompatibility can fixed by modifying the clamp bolt cutouts on the fin.

Edited September 13, 2023 by swbca

[UWSkier]

Would be cool if these were clickers like you have on high end powersports shocks for compression and rebound damping.

Oh, conditions are rough out there and the risk of stuffing the tip on a roller is high, remove two clicks of tip engagement.

Water's cold and ski's not smearing?  Add two or three clicks of smear.

[Horton]

This new block will only fit 2024 or later Connelly skis.

[Wish]

Well, maybe they will see success and produce aftermarket blocks. How many diff hole patters are there for the various manufacturers? 

[Horton]

Here it is...

Versafin Fin System from Connelly skis

 

 

[lpskier]

Re compatibly with other brands: Fins come in different thicknesses and one company’s thicker fin may not fit in another company’s thinner fin slot. 

[Horton]

@lpskier the bigger issue is the insert hole pattern. Fin thickness is a thing but that is easy to deal with. In this case the big deal is that the mechanism protrudes under the clamp and requires the cut outs. 

[jcamp]

Really cool design. Great to see a company innovating. 

[Blofeld]

I would like one for my Maha