The Collaboration
Exclusive and limited to just 25 sets, the case study kit comprises three timeless examples of shaper-spec’d fins. Hand-foiled and tastefully colored, the Greenough 4-A 9.75, Yater Apocalypse 9.5, and Skip Frye 7.5 designs represent the pinnacle of traditional point solutions. Drive and flow never looked so good.
Founded in 1979 by Chuck Ames in an abandoned water tower in Oxnard, California, True Ames Fins has become the standard-bearer in hand-built surfboard fin craft and production over the last 40 years. Offering a catalog of templates ranging from classic single-fin skegs to modern performance-oriented designs, True Ames is grounded in tradition while working to discover the possibilities of “what’s next”—an approach that we here at TSJ find familiar.
The package
A one-off, display-boxed presentation, this kit is a case study designed to arm a surfer with an array of proven options for traditional point surfing in the 2- to 6-foot range. The three included fins are shipped in a custom, hand-numbered wooden box featuring a John Severson overview of the 'Con on the reverso of the lid. There are nested, padded storage slots for the fins when they’re not actively deployed filleting your chosen headland.
The Fins
The Skip Frye
Skip Frye single-fins are straightforward, have clean lines, minimal rake, and classic curves—all components that lend themselves to fluid trim, low drag, and graceful surfing. Minimalistic and pure, Skip’s fins do best in a supporting role for surfboards relying on pinched rails to do the heavy lifting.
The Greenough 4-A
The Greenough 4-A has become a timeless staple, as well as the most popular single-fin ever made. A truly well-balanced fin, the 4-A’s full base tapering to a moderately flexible tip makes it one of the most versatile and performance oriented single-fins available.
