Review: Lightning Speed fins (for Hobie GT drive)

I recently purchased a pair of Lightning Speed fins

https://lightningkayaks.com/collections/freedom-drive-parts/products/lightning-speed-racer-fin-single

I installed them on my Hobie GT drive (well, my modified GT drive, but I don't think any of the mods are relevant, wrt this review).

From the first picture, you cans see that the Lightning fins have a slightly different shape, and they also seem to have a couple square inches less surface area. The second picture shows them installed (weird angle--they are the same size).

I used these new fins on my AI today, and covered almost 10 miles, pedaling almost all the time (the wind was very light). The fins seem to be fine, but I did feel that they are slightly less efficient than the Hobie Turbo fins. That is, it was like pedaling a bike in a the next lower gear, as compared to the Hobie fins. I don't think that's due to the couple of square inches difference in size. Instead, I think it's because the Lightning fins are slightly more flexible, and also because the rounded bottom makes them easier to push, while producing slightly less thrust. That might be good, if you want something that is marginally easier on your knees than turbo fins but, personally, I'd prefer something slightly bigger than turbo fins.

In any case, the fins certainly work well, and at $35 each (versus $69 per Hobie Turbo fin), they are a bargain.

However, there is one quirk that I find baffling. If you look closely at the attached photo, you'll see that one of the brass nuts is looser than the other. They started out at the same tightness, and the rear one (on the right) got much looser, while the front on (on the left) actually got slightly tighter. On the Hobie Turbo fins, the rubber presses against that adjustment nut, preventing it from turning. However, on the Lightning Speed fins, the rubber doesn't touch the nut, and as the fins wobble back and forth, the nut can move. If I'd pedaled another 5-10 miles, I think that I'd have lost one of the fins.

I don't know if this is a known issue. Perhapst after a few uses, enough corrosion might build up so that the nut would not loosen on its own. In any case, it seems like a significant flaw, and certainly something to be aware of, if you decide to used these.

Thank you for the write up and testing of these fins.

Good info, NWM.  Makes me appreciate my paddle even more.   

Thanks for taking time to put pen to paper!  I think I’ll pass 🤙…

That looks like the old style Hobie fin. Lightning’s drive is basically the first gen Hobie drive that the patent expired on. Those Nomad kayaks do look like an improvement on the Outback, other than the drive. I’d pop in a 180 drive.