For those of you that have spent time researching surfboards, you have probably seen that there is a lot more to them than meets the eye. The design of surfboards has carefully evolved over the years with all the features that many take for granted playing a crucial role in improving your surfing experience.
One of the most peculiar features of a surfboard that often has people guessing is the fins. Located underneath the surfboard, have you ever wondered what their purpose is? What role do they actually play in enhancing the surfing experience? For the answer to these questions and more, please continue reading below as we explore this topic of surfboard fins further.
What Are The Real Benefits Of Surfboard Fins?
We all know that fish have fins and their fins have a critical role to play in helping them manoeuvre underwater. Well, surfboard fins are no different, and they come in a wide variety of materials, shapes, and sizes.
When starting out surfing, you might ignore the kind of fins you pick in a surfboard, but as you become more experienced, then you will understand how the differences affect your balance and control when surfing.
In short, fins simply give you more control, direction, and stability on the board. In their absence, you cannot maneuver through the water as smoothly as you do with them. Precision and control are things that can only be achieved on a surfboard with fins.
Following are the various types of surfboard fins set-ups and their benefits:
Single Fins
This is a legacy design ideal for longboards. Some surfers will argue that this is outdated, but it still comes in handy for basic, straight surfing. In a nutshell, they won’t help you do any stunts while surfing, but if you just want to cruise smoothly through the water, they should be your go-to option. They are long, wide, and straight, giving you much-needed control of your board without much drag.
Double Fins
Also called the dual fin configuration, these fins are seen in shorter boards. They give you much more room to maneuver and feel more like a skateboard. They are an upgrade of the single fin, and experts can get more control of their boards instead of single fins. However, this added precision can make them feel a little loose, especially for those who do not have the skills required to surf on them.
Tri Fin
This is the most popular fin setup across all surfers, and most of the boards you come across today have them. Note that some of the tri fins available are adjustable in that you can remove one or two of the fins to have a single fin or double fin board.
The third fin adds to the maneuverability and stability, but it depends on the surfer’s skillset. These features make the tri-fin board perfect for harsh conditions since surfers can leverage the additional control to navigate steep and rugged waves. These fins do well in extreme conditions and are great for high-performance riding and tricks. The downside is the drag brought on by the additional fins.
Quad Fins
As you have probably guessed, this is a four fin set up. They are best used for small surf that requires excellent control. When the back fins are fixed close to the rails, they can increase surfing speed and allow for fast turns. They are more resilient to powerful waves and do not falter. Since they do not have a centre fin, they do not have much drag, which gives speed without sacrificing the ability to manoeuvre.
Bottomline
Fins are essential to surfboards since they differentiate the surfing experience you get between the different options. Note that the additional features such as control and ability to manoeuvre are significantly tied to your skills and experience, so be sure to choose the fin set-up that matches your ability.
At Beachin Surf, you can find the best fins for your surfboard with our huge range of surfboard accessories. Please feel free to come and visit our shop at 262 Maine Road, Toukley, NSW. We are happy to show you around and assist you in finding the best fins for your surfboard.
Please call us today on (02) 4396 5159 or send us an inquiry.