This is the ultimate guide for choosing and installing surfboard fins. Understanding the different brands, installation methods, shapes and board pairing will help you understand what fins are best for you and how to install them.
Fins play a significant role in the speed, maneuverability, control, and overall feel of the surf experience. Given how important fins are, it is just as important to understand them and how they play a role in surfing.
For a time, all fins were glassed-in a surfboard. These fins were a part of the board and were unremovable. They were resined and laminated onto the board. There are surfers who still prefer this method, but because of the fact that they are expensive to repair if broken, and it limits the board to one set of fins, this method is not popular.
Today the majority of fins are removable. This removable system allows surfers to use multiple fin pairings per board. For instance, on the same board, if the surf is small, surfers might opt for fins that are more suitable for speed, turns, and tricks, but if the surf is large, surfers may opt for fins that allow for more control and stability in the water.
This system is the main way in which surfboard fins are made. This has created a market dedicated to fins.
Fin Installation Methods and Brands
Removable fins have fin “boxes.” These boxes allow for the fins to be removed. Each box comes with a key that allows you to unscrew and screw in fins. When doing this it is important to understand which fins go in which box. Putting the wrong fin in can be damaging to both the board and the fin.
A method to determine where the outer fins go and whether or not they are facing the right way, is that the branding label will always face outward. If your fin is FCS, then the FCS label will face out.
It is also important to remember not to tighten your screw too tight. This may cause the fin screws to strip overtime, or with the introduction of sand and salt, tighten too tight over time.
The methods that fins are attached to the board do not vary greatly. There are two main ways created by the two largest fin brands. FCS and Future.
Dual tab fin boxes and single tab fin boxes. Dual tab is created by FCS and the fin is secured using two tabs that are then screwed into the board. “Each fin is attached to the board by placing two prongs that stick out of the bottom of the fin into two separate, circular fin plugs” (Source: Tactics).
Single tab fin boxes connect with a truss base. These fins and fin boxes are made by Future Fins. “Each of the fins is secured with an angled screw. Due to the fact that the fins have a single case, they have a firmer connection to the board, resulting in a less flex that makes it stronger and more unlikely to break” (Source: Surf Nation).
Of all of the fin brands, the most popular fin brand is Fin Control Systems or FCS. These fins dominate the market and are used by professional surfers and amateurs alike. The dual tab and the single tab systems are the most common fin box systems on the market created by FCS and Futures. There are still some other notable systems.
Rainbow Fin Co. is one of these systems. Rainbow Fin Co. is similar to Future Fins, but with a smaller fin box. The fins are the same size but only a portion of the base fits into the box.
The unique feature of rainbow fins is that they create fins that will fit in another system such as FCS or Futures. Surfers can choose their base. Unlike Futures and FCS, whose fins only fit in their fin boxes, rainbow fins make fins that will fit any box.
Longboard fins are inherently different from short board fin systems. Longboard fins are designed to be able to move parallel to the board. Closer to the back for more control or closer to the center for more maneuverability.
Unlike the other fin boxes that we have mentioned. Longboard fin boxes are larger than the fin. The fin only fills a portion of the fin box which allows the movement of the fin depending on preference. This system is unique because it allows this movement, other systems do not promote this flexibility.
Another notable fin system is Patagonia fins. Patagonia’s system varies slightly as the fin is screwed in from the top of the board. For other systems, the fin is screwed in on the fin box, which is located underneath the board. Patagonia’s system makes the fin sit all the more snuggly because the fin runs through the width of the board.
The last system that is worth mentioning is turbo tunnel fins. These fins are created to give the surfer creator grip when surfing. The fin is designed with a tube that runs the length of the fin, allowing the fin to have greater grip in the water. “It is designed to give the rider longer nose rides, smoother re-entries, quicker turns, increased stability, greater overall control and more creativity in his maneuvers” (Source: Tactics).
Unlike fin boxes, and fin installation systems, fins have a greater variety of materials that can be used to make fins.
What Are Surfboard Fins Made Of?
Fins are most produced en masse of composite and plastic, but there are many different materials in which fins are made. This includes, composite and plastic, fiberglass and carbon fiber, performance core, recycled, marine plywood, bamboo, and more.
Composite and plastic fins are not a popular choice among experienced surfers, but are some of the most common fins that you can find. These types of fins are what most boards will come with and are commonly used amongst beginner surfers and the foamies or soft top surfboards.
The reason that plastic and composite fins are not popular amongst advanced surfers is because they have poor flex properties. These fins are not going to make a notable difference when surfing. Yet, due to their high availability and cheap production, they are seen often.
Fiberglass and carbon fiber fins are more common materials used to create surfboard fins. These fins are popular because they offer good recoil and flex. The fiberglass material will make a difference in surf performance with added weight, flex, and recoil in comparison to plastic fins.
Performance core fins are fins that are made out of a variety of different materials to balance, weight, flex, recoil and more. The properties of these fins vary depending on the materials used and the design of the fin. These fins are popular because of their versatility and are seen often from major manufacturers such as FCS and Future.
Recycled surfboard fins are made from recycled materials. The materials can vary from “recycled plastic, old fishing nets, and even old skateboard decks” (Source: Wave Arcade). The properties of these fins is, similar to performance core, dependent on the materials used, and are becoming more popular.
Marine-plywood surfboard fins are made from marine-grade wood. This wood is highly resistant to water. Wooden fins are popular for custom or home-made fins. Usually finished with fiberglass or resin, these fins are often glassed-in to custom boards. Plywood fins are lightweight which would affect your surf. Weight saving will make your board faster.
Lastly there is bamboo fins. Bamboo is lightweight and strong. This combination makes bamboo fins a great option for those who would like wooden fins. Bamboo fins offer a twist rather than a stiff bending. This makes bamber flexible and responsive, leaving the fin with a fast recoil and impressive flex.
What Are Fin Shapes?
There are many terms that are used to describe fins. Understanding these terms is important in understanding what kind of fin and surfboard you might want and why.
The first term that I would like to explain is toe. Toe is the term used to describe the angle of the fin, or fin box in relation to the center stinger (the center of the board). Most fins are toe-in, meaning that the fins are angled inward. This gives the surfer greater control as the water is pushed on the outside of the fin.
Just as there is a word for the angle of the fin in relation to the center, there is a word for the angel of the fin in relation to the bottom of the board. This is called the cant of a fin. A fin that sits straight upward is said to have no cant. Boards that fins have no cant offer speed when going straight. Canted fins, fins that are angled, or leaning toward the board, offer greater mobility on turns.
Not to be mixed with cant, rake describes how far back the fin curves in relation to the base. Essentially fins curve backwards, in the shape of a wave. The extent of that curve reached backward is the rake. The more the fins curve backwards, the more the board is propelled faster and will maintain stability, but will sacrifice turnability. Similar to the cant.
Foil is the aerodynamic shape of the fin. From thin to thick to thin, from one edge of the fin to another. This shape pays a role in the flow of the water under the board. The goal is to create lift and propel the board forward.
Flex is simply the flexibility of a fin. This flexibility will play a large role in the control of the board. It is recommended that new surfers buy fins without much flex. This will allow for greater control because the fin is stiffer. On the other hand, fins with greater flex will allow surfers to continue to control their board amist turns but may kill your drive or the speed from one direction to another. This, in turn, makes the board difficult to control.
Base length is the widest point of the fin, the base. The length of the base of the fin will affect turns. A larger base will allow for stronger curves and faster drive because there is more area, there is more hold on the water. On the other hand, the less area your fins have will lose mobility and speed. Quicker turns are best with shorter base length.
Fin depth is the depth of the fin in the water from the base of the board to the tip of the fin. This once again, affects the control of the surfer. Longer fins allow for greater control and mobility because, like the base length there is more area to hold the water. Shorter fins loosen the control but can be fun for experienced surfers.
Understanding the terms used to describe the fins and what each term means for the surfer, can help you pick out fins that are best for how you like to surf. Fins are an important part of surfing and understanding fins and the role they play in speed, maneuverability, drive, control, stability, and more is important in getting the best out of your board and your fins.
How Are Surfboard Fins Made?
There are four main ways of creating fins. These are hand-laid and foil, CNC cut, 3D printed, and resin transfer moulding. The most common of these methods is the resin transfer moulding (RTM). Hand-laid and foiled is most often found in custom or artisan fin shops. CNC cut is similar to hand-laid and foiled, but is done by a CNC machine and can be cut to any custom design. 3D is also custom but in recent years is becoming more common.
Hand-laid and foiled fins are usually expensive because they are fins that are crafted by hand. They are usually quality fins that are curated to have a wide range of flex, foil, base, and depth. This method of creating fins is not very common anymore and is more common amidst custom fin shops. The quality of the fin is dependent on the creator and how much time they have put into creating the fin.
This method, although seemingly outdated, is the traditional means of creating fins. This method involves laying fiberglass panels, coating them in resin, and then sanding then to create the right shape and foil.
CNC cut fins are created with a CNC machine from a computer created 3D model. CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control. In order for a CNC machine to function, there must be a CAM or software that will transfer the 3D model to the machine.
CAM stands for Computer Aided Machining. This allows the CNC machine to read and understand what it is cutting. In this case fins. Similar to hand-laid and foiled, these fins are still cut and shaped. The difference being that these fins are shaped by a machine.
3D printed fins are seen less often, but are gathering attention in the fin making world. This technology, similar to CNC cut and hand-laid, offers the surfer the option to customize their fins to be what they need exactly.
RTM fins are produced en masse and don’t offer much in terms of flex. These fins are cheap and seen often among new surfers and at most retail surf stores. These fins are not necessarily bad, but do not offer much in terms of customizability, but due to the ease of making, there are many options to choose from.
Outside of branded fins, there are 3D printed fins that are coming to the attention of many surfers. These fins are printed from composite materials and, using computer-aided design are printed bottom-up.
What Are The Different Fin Setups?
Single fin setups are commonly found on longboards. They are the original fin setup and considered outdated by many surfers. This setup creates less drag because there is less area for the water to hold onto as there is only one fin. Therefore, the single fin provides speed, but is difficult to turn quickly. Turn will be wide and slow.
The twin fins offer greater maneuverability and speed in turns. This setup is more stable than the single fin but can feel loose and unstable in larger surf.
The thruster setup is a three equal size fin setup. Two fins towards the front, on the side and one in the back, centered. This setup is popular because it allows for the same maneuverability as the twin fin, but the third fin in the back offers stability, especially in larger surf. The downside is that that center back fin does slow you down a little bit.
The quad fin setup is a four fin setup that has two pairs of fins set up like the twin fin. This setup allows for both the speed of the twin fin and the stability of the thruster setups. Depending on where the back fins are placed this setup can offer you more control or more speed. Although this setup is a nice mix between the thruster and the twin fin, the thruster is still popular because of its consistency and stability.
The five fin setup is not surfed with all five fins, but the fin boxes being in this configuration allows the board to have a wide variety of setups. The fin box setup is similar to the quad, but with a center fin in the back as well. This set up allows the surfer the freedom to switch between the twin fin, thruster, and a quad without changing boards.
2+1 fin setup has a longboard style fin in the middle. This fin has a wide base length and a long fin depth. On the side, this has regular thruster style fins on the side. This setup retails the feel of the single fin with the extra drive of the twin fins on the side.
Different Surfboard Shapes
The longboard is an 8-12 foot surfboard that is a great option for smaller surf or, for more experienced surfers, larger surf. This board is larger and has a great glide. Usually this surfboard is paired with a single fin setup and is good for beginners because their size offers stability.
This board will provide smooth, clean rides but are difficult to surf on days where the waves are a little bigger. This board may prove slightly difficult to handle as they easily nosedive at the takeoff and are difficult to move around because of their size.
The funboard is the board that is the closest to the longboard, but is much smaller. They are about 6.5-8.5 feet and are long, wide, and round. These boards are often used as a stepping stone from the longboard to the fish or shortboard. This is often ridden with the 2+1 fin setup.
This board will offer the stability of the longboard, but will give more manoeuvrability. This board is great for beginning to learn turns and will respond better than the longboard. This being said, it is an in between board and will not be as fast and the longboard and not as maneuverable as the short or fish board.
The fish board has a large wide nose and it narrows towards the tail of the board. This board is usually ridden with a twin fin or quad fin setup. Because of their shape, the board had a lot of volume that would make surfing weaker waves more ideal.
This shape lends to float and speed. They are much shorter and therefore have more maneuverability than the longboard and the funboard. Likewise, their shortness will make it more difficult to catch waves. As, well they are not for performance. Their wide shape limits maneuverability.
The shortboard is designed for performance and is 5’5-5’6. This board is for advanced surfers and can cause a slow down in progression of intermediate surfers is ridden without the experience. Because they are small and light, they hit turns and pivot much easier than other board shapes. This board is often found with the twin fin setup because of the speed and maneuverability of this setup.
A groveler surfboard is a small, wide, thick, flat surfboard that is similar to a shortboard but is built to perform in smaller surf. This type of board comes in many different shapes and sizes and can be difficult to distinguish from the shortboard.
Hybrid surfboards are a blend of two or more surfboard types. There are a lot of different types of hybrid boards. Hybrid can be a groveler or a funboard.
The step up or semi-gun surfboard is a longer shortboard. It is like the groveler which is the condensed version, the semi-gun is a stretched shortboard. These boards vary in length depending on the surfer.
The mini simmons surfboard looks like a longboard that has been cut in half. This board has a short and wide shape that is 4’10”-5’10” long. This board usually has a twin fin or quad fin setup to give more control and maneuverability.
The gun surfboard is designed for surfing large waves. These boards are meant to take on seriously large waves and can range from 6’6” to 11 feet tall. They are long with a pointy nose and tail.
Foam or soft top surfboards come in many different shapes and sizes and are commonly known as foamies. The foam longboard is the board most recommended for beginner surfers.
Surfboards come with fin boxes installed. This will help you understand what fin setups fit what board best. Although this is just what is most common. There are plenty of fin arrangements and playing around with these setups can be a lot of fun.