By Derek Hynd.
The concept of what I do without fins, which I call far field free friction—a far field being a theoretical physics construct dealing with what happens when the point of infinity is reached—everything in chaos, and then it goes perfectly into tune, as well as losing friction on a high bank of a wave.
Now, when I, uh, undertook the mission without fins, I was pretty confident that not many people would want to chase this train. Because it was really subtle—it was stripping it all back to working off the one note. Instead of rock and roll, you’re now working off jazz.
And when it came down to it, the subtlety involved was so far removed from where surfing’s at today, which is basically hammer and tong. But, uh, it took a peculiar mindset in order to respect what was going on. After 13 years, there’s still only a handful of people around the world who really know what’s going on in terms of that gig.
I think that’s fantastic—not taking anything away from the state-of-the-art mainstream. But actually, ever since the late ’70s, when, uh, surfers started, uh, bringing their designs more on par with each other, I felt at a loss. I wanted to break away—but in a kind of, uh, altruistic sense.
Every time I ride a wave, I’m at least attempting to pay homage to the Hawaiians of the 1930s.
Everything’s energy.
Is everything energy?My friend Dale Egan has always maintained that we’re but specks of cosmic dust being blown by the energy throughout the cosmos. So there’s that angle of it. But, uh, as I said before—energy is a wave. So I concur that energy is the key.
But there’s the rhythm of waves. A distorted wave does not make sense to a good life—for any creature on the planet. Connectivity with waves, energy—it produces an effect that is still beyond any academic.
The attraction around the corner that you can’t yet see—strange things happen the more in tune you become. You may not even realize you’re in tune. But someone else is on that wavelength.
It’s just surprising the way a day can unfold when one connection happens. And pretty soon, that’s not even a jigsaw puzzle. It’s just a perfect plate of… Mr. Sculpture.
Then you finish the day—perhaps without anything major having happened in that day—but it’s been so smoothly constructed, you can rest easy.
Yeah. Synchronicity. Serendipity.
However, that doesn’t particularly nail down why it’s happening. And I would say that, uh, harmony is what produces the, uh, the serendipity, synchronicity.
But again—with harmony, you’re talking about waves. Well, a wave is a vibration. That’s a series of particles that start rolling and gathering. And the force of a period is determined by the depth of the water it’s coming from—engaging how much this now rolling boulder that becomes a rolling mountain is projecting force.
Far Field Free Friction: A Physics of Harmony and Chaos
By IMWTBF
What happens when movement is no longer driven by force, but by resonance? This is the central idea behind Far Field Free Friction—a conceptual model rooted in wave physics, inspired by the dynamics of finless surfing, but reaching far beyond it. It suggests a principle: that reducing resistance can lead not to disorder, but to a deeper synchronization with the natural world.
In physics, the far field is defined as the region distant from the source of a wave, where complex interference patterns settle into a more predictable and coherent form. In electromagnetism, acoustics, and fluid dynamics, this region exhibits simplified behavior governed by inverse-square laws and stable wavefronts.[1] By contrast, the near field is dense with turbulence and interaction—a place of chaos and instability.
The analogy begins here: when a system or individual moves from controlling and resisting a force (the near field), to resonating with it (the far field), something unexpected happens. Patterns emerge. Energy becomes more coherent. Flow improves.
This is most tangibly seen in the act of surfing without fins. Removing the fins reduces hydrodynamic grip and friction. Traditional control is lost—but what emerges is a sensitivity to the natural energy of the wave. The rider shifts from carving through the wave to sliding with it, discovering rhythms instead of imposing lines. This isn’t just anecdotal. In fluid mechanics, a reduction in boundary-layer drag and directional anchoring allows for greater lateral freedom and lower energy loss.[2]
The core claim of Far Field Free Friction is that this principle generalizes:
- Harmony arises from less interference, not more control.
- Systems seek resonance when friction is reduced.
- Flow states—whether in motion, thought, or interaction—occur when alignment replaces resistance.
In wave theory, a waveform’s shape, speed, and force are determined by its depth, origin, and the medium it travels through.[3] Analogously, the depth of human intention or insight shapes the coherence of one’s actions. When those actions are not forced, but allowed to emerge in resonance with surrounding energy—whether social, emotional, or environmental—they tend to “click.” This can be experienced as synchronicity, serendipity, or intuition. But the underlying idea is physical: systems in resonance exchange energy more efficiently and create constructive interference.[4]
This principle is observable in nature:
- In aerodynamics, reducing drag improves lift and glide.
- In quantum mechanics, resonance between particles leads to entanglement.
- In ecology, low-intervention ecosystems often evolve toward high complexity and stability.
Harmony, then, is not softness—it is structure. It emerges when the forces in a system are not battling, but balancing. Clean waves in the ocean are not only beautiful—they are stable, energy-efficient, and easier to ride. In the same way, a well-timed conversation, a graceful decision, or a peaceful mind may be the result of deep alignment rather than surface effort.
What began as an observation about surfing becomes a proposal about life: that free friction—resistance removed, not control applied—is what allows us to ride the deeper wave. It is in the far field, not the near one, where coherence lives.
It’s not just a metaphor. It’s physics.
References
[1] Balanis, C. A. Antenna Theory: Analysis and Design. Wiley-Interscience, 2016.
[2] Schlichting, H. & Gersten, K. Boundary-Layer Theory. Springer, 2016.
[3] Kinsler, L. E., Frey, A. R., Coppens, A. B., & Sanders, J. V. Fundamentals of Acoustics. Wiley, 1999.
[4] Pikovsky, A., Rosenblum, M., & Kurths, J. Synchronization: A Universal Concept in Nonlinear Sciences. Cambridge University Press, 2001.
