finkenmeister in the u.s.

c1swim · Post by **c1swim** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 3:31 am

MSRP $999.00

boatbuster · Post by **boatbuster** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 4:56 pm

And what will be the US price? Looks very cool to be sure and I am guessing it is a creek boat. Handles like an OC1 could be a good thing, depending on which OC1.

c1swim · Post by **c1swim** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:54 pm

I think you'll have to ask Juliet at ERA. Here's a review of the boat.
http://www.open-canoe.de/open-sucks/c1s/finki.html

Sir Adam · Post by **Sir Adam** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 3:46 pm

Still time (not much) if you want a Fink. As per Magee at ERA, boats should be in mid-July!!

If you want one, call by SUNDAY AFTERNOON / EVENING (order placed early Monday morning).

Currently only 2 orders (I may try and add one of my one to make a third...short notice for me).

Price right now as $1,050, may drop with more orders.

Contact Magee or Juliet:

Local calls: 828-488-6199
Toll-free 800-224-7238

Seem like super nice folks, I'd like to support them if I can.

NZMatt · Post by **NZMatt** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 7:23 am

Hi Guys,

I had the pleasure of paddling with The Finkenmeister (aka Thomas Fink) on the Soca 3 weeks ago. Man can he paddle! I was taking a WWC1/OC1 course from him. He paddled his Finkie during the course. I never ended up trying it, but seeing how it paddled (OK with a little help from the driver), I'd really recommend the boat.

He also described a bit about how he had designed it and why it is shaped how it is. It's longer to track and give speed: something very important in C1, but not so evident in most kayak designs. He's an ex-slalom racer and that's also where some of the design clearly comes from. He also said it should still be good for smaller paddlers (I'm c.150lbs so had thought it would be way too big) - I hope to paddle with him again later this year and then I'll hopefully try the boat out.

Good luck with your order!

Cheers,
Matt

c1swim · Post by **c1swim** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:31 am

Hey Fink owners, Do any of you know the height of the stock pedistyle ?
Factory seat height? Mine was shaved and I'd like to try the factory
height. All replies will be welcomed. Thanks!!!!!!!!

fez · Post by **fez** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 9:28 am

the stock seat height ist 7,67 inch I guess

Angus from NZ in the Swiss-C-Meeting-Testfinki on the Middle Murg:

[img]http://www.singletrailz.de/Bilder/Padde ... desurf.jpg[/img]

Post by **PAC** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:05 pm

C1swim - my fink was cut too and I'm working on building it back up. I'm at about 8.5 inches now and moved the back rest up. Not that I'm all that small (5'9" @ 185) but being forward and up seems to help me paddle the boat.
I have not got it out on any thing really big or technical yet but have been using it to shadow my son down some runs (just getting his roll solidified in his k1) and its a perfect boat for that. Not to heavy for the carries out, good carving and surfing and faster than you'd expect from a dead stop. You can pull off spins and in a powerful feature get it to stern squirt.
Only 2 down sides to this boat - one everyone asks "what is it" or "how are you in that boat"

and Big Al keeps bugg'n me that its toooooo big for me and is more his size (buzz off Al)!

Matt
You need to try it out - you'll be surprised how friendly the boat is from the get go - even if the outfitting is too big for you.

Paul C.

the great gonzo · Post by **the great gonzo** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 1:23 pm

Yep, the Finkenmeister is an awesome boat, an I agree with PAC, bein forward and up definitely helps. And instaling thigh-straps is a must, imho.
NZMatt, you have to try it!
I thinke the saddle height in mund was originally ~9 inches, but I modified mine several times (mainly changing the shape of the saddle to get me comfy), and I endd up with ~8 - 8.5 inches now.
It's definitely the oat for me when i am pushing my limits.

martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!

c1swim · Post by **c1swim** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 2:23 pm

Yea, I'm 6'1" @~175lbs and I've already blocked the backrest about 4" forward. But, the seat is at 6.5"; which is killing me.
If the factory height is 9", I'm going straight there to start.
Isaac told me he shaved the seat for stability, but I'd like it as high as functionality allows.
Hey Isaac, did you say you shaved the backrest also? Can't remember. Love the boat. Hope you got a sweet race boat with the cash.
I'm an information hound and a gear freak, so keep it coming.
( I 'd love to have measurements off one of those new boats,
when they come in too.) Thanks one and all! Billy

bearboater · Post by **bearboater** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 3:12 pm

Bill,
I am almost positive that I shaved the seat 1 inch down from factory... I think that you are a good amount forward, to paddle that boat you have to be bow heavy, with my weight, i was able to do that with a small amount of foam back there, at 4 inches you should be almost there, I remember someone, I tihnk Larry saying he was like 3.75 forward from the rear cockpit...
I didn't move the backrest at all, that was how it came, I just shaved up to meet it, and try to keep the curvature.
yeah man, I did get a sweet race boat, unfortunately yesterday during a training session I went for an ender, and split about 18 inches of the seam on the bow, and broke it in a little... oops. Oh well, they are meant to be used.
cheers
-isaac

NZMatt · Post by **NZMatt** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 6:42 pm

Hiya

Well, Herr Finkenmeister uses just the bulkhead and honking big hip pads - both the thickness and the length/height (he's bigger than me and I only just fit in them...). Of course. my knees were barely under the bulkhead...but with some foam it would have worked. He also doesn't use footblocks. And yes, I'd guess that to paddle it forward like a slalom boat would be the way to go...

Cheers,
Matt

the great gonzo · Post by **the great gonzo** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:45 pm

NZMatt,

I played around with the factory outfitting for over a year,mdodifying those honking factory ippads in every way imaginable, and I just could NOT get that setup to work. The setup was either hard to get in, hard to get out or both of the above, but I still kept fallin out of the boat when upside down in a hole.
After the 2nd try on rolling I was usually so far out that rolling was not possible any more and that I had to bail. I ended up ditching the hip-pads, installing a small reap-around bac´-block and thigh strapos instead. Now my roll is bomb-proof and I can get out of the boat faster, too!
As much as I LOVE the boat, I really started to HATE those hip pads. Still do.

I agree on paddling it forward. Not that I know anything about paddling a slalo boat, but it wants to be paddled from the bow, that's for sure.

c1swim, I moved myself about 2 iches further forward in the boat from the factory position, that made a big difference.

martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!

Kelly-Rand · Post by **Kelly-Rand** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 2:11 am

I tried a Fink briefly two weeks ago and found the forward position with knees high on the chines severly uncomfortable. Maybe that would be different if the saddle was higher than the six inches it was. For me I would want to be back in that boat. I'm lighter than the boats owner I'm 170 #'s. What characteristics make it necessary to sit forward?

Jim

c1swim · Post by **c1swim** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 3:33 am

In my case, it was to get the trim correct, so as to fully engage the chines. Also to line up with the hip pads and feel more control.
The boat has about twice the volume in the bow as the stern, and wants to be actively paddled in the front half. ( which hopefully will improve my over-all technique)
ps. with all the rain we've had , it's raining now, I'm down to about 165lbs.

C-Forum

finkenmeister in the u.s.

How edgy is this boat? What are its handling characteristic

UPDATE

Finkenmeister

Finkie outfitting