Surfboard fins
Encyclopedia
A surfboard
fin is a foil
(see Foil (fluid mechanics)
), specifically, a hydrofoil
that is mounted near the tail of a surfboard such that it is more or less perpendicular to the bottom of the board. The fin provides lateral lift (See Lift (force)
)opposed to oncoming water as a surfer rides a shoaling ocean wave, and also stabilizes the surfboard's trajectory, and as a result of the effects of the foil, fins are used (along with the bottom of the surfboard) as control surfaces by the rider. Surfboard fins were thus an important advancement in the maneuvering performance of surfboards. Surfboard fins may be arrayed in various number and configuration, and many different shapes, sizes, and materials are and have been made and used.
Surfboard Fins were invented in Hawaii
, along with the surfboard itself. They are now more or less universally used on surfboards.
. This type of fin was mainly used on older model surfboards. Glass on fins are broken easily and are hard to repair. You rarely see these types of fins today because a different type of fin has replaced them.
Removable Fin Systems The most common types of fins used today, removable fins are surfboard fins that can be unscrewed from the surfboard and be replaced by different fins or be moved about the board for a different setup in maneuverability and stability.
Flexible fins fins are used on most rental boards because of liability. These fins are much safer than a hard fin because they cannot cut you. However it does lose some of the performance.
from a boat to the bottom of the board, Blake’s finding started the development of the fins in use today.
From Blake’s first fin, people, perhaps most famously Bob Simmons
and George Greenough
, have modified and invented new types of surfboard fins. Simmons was apparently the first to use more than one fin on a surfboard. Greenough made the fin flexible and took inspiration from the fins
of fish
(allegedly tuna
) and dolphins. Bob Simmons used a twin-keel
design on innovative wooden boards of his own design and manufacture in the 9'-10' range, which he rode in large surf at Windansea in California.
In the 1970s, multi-fin systems became much more widely-used, in competition and by average surfers, as top professionals like Larry Bertlemann and Mark Richards
enjoyed competitive success maneuvering shorter boards with twin fins in smaller surf and tighter radius turns.
It wasn’t till the 1980s that Simon Anderson
invented the popular thruster
set-up (three fins - two on the rail 10-12 inches from the tail end, one center fin 3-5 inches up from the tail) which stabilized the board compared to the twin-fin set-up, and provided more control and lifting surfaces in an effective configuration. The design was an immediate competitive success for Anderson, inasmuch as he immediately won 2 very famous surf contests using "thrusters," and the entire surfing world quickly followed his lead. The thruster
is the dominant fin configuration to this day, in both recreational and competition surfing.
" is a tri-fin. All the fins are the same size, with two semi-parallel (slightly toed-in, usually, and slightly canted outward, usually) fins mounted near the rails 10-12 inches forward of the tail and a middle fin at 3-5 inches.
Surfboard
A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...
fin is a foil
Foil
Foil may refer to:Materials* Foil , a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine* Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative metal* Aluminium foil, a type of wrapping for food...
(see Foil (fluid mechanics)
Foil (fluid mechanics)
A foil is a solid object with a shape such that when placed in a moving fluid at a suitable angle of attack the lift is substantially larger than the drag...
), specifically, a hydrofoil
Hydrofoil
A hydrofoil is a foil which operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to airfoils.Hydrofoils can be artificial, such as the rudder or keel on a boat, the diving planes on a submarine, a surfboard fin, or occur naturally, as with fish fins, the flippers of aquatic mammals, the...
that is mounted near the tail of a surfboard such that it is more or less perpendicular to the bottom of the board. The fin provides lateral lift (See Lift (force)
Lift (force)
A fluid flowing past the surface of a body exerts a surface force on it. Lift is the component of this force that is perpendicular to the oncoming flow direction. It contrasts with the drag force, which is the component of the surface force parallel to the flow direction...
)opposed to oncoming water as a surfer rides a shoaling ocean wave, and also stabilizes the surfboard's trajectory, and as a result of the effects of the foil, fins are used (along with the bottom of the surfboard) as control surfaces by the rider. Surfboard fins were thus an important advancement in the maneuvering performance of surfboards. Surfboard fins may be arrayed in various number and configuration, and many different shapes, sizes, and materials are and have been made and used.
Surfboard Fins were invented in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, along with the surfboard itself. They are now more or less universally used on surfboards.
Types of Surfboard Fins
Glass on fins are fins that are permanently connected to the surfboard through fiberglassFiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
. This type of fin was mainly used on older model surfboards. Glass on fins are broken easily and are hard to repair. You rarely see these types of fins today because a different type of fin has replaced them.
Removable Fin Systems The most common types of fins used today, removable fins are surfboard fins that can be unscrewed from the surfboard and be replaced by different fins or be moved about the board for a different setup in maneuverability and stability.
Flexible fins fins are used on most rental boards because of liability. These fins are much safer than a hard fin because they cannot cut you. However it does lose some of the performance.
Production
Tom Blake(One of surfing most influential fathers) invented the first fin used on a surfboard. Although Blake’s first fin was most like attaching a keelKeel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
from a boat to the bottom of the board, Blake’s finding started the development of the fins in use today.
From Blake’s first fin, people, perhaps most famously Bob Simmons
Robert Wilson Simmons
Robert Wilson Simmons , better known as Bob Simmons, was an early surfing pioneer, and considered to be the father of the modern surfboard....
and George Greenough
George Greenough
George Greenough is an innovative surfer and cinematographer from Santa Barbara, California who now resides in Byron Bay in New South Wales, Australia. He was born to a wealthy family but despised its trappings and spent most of his time in the ocean. Greenough is best known for creating the modern...
, have modified and invented new types of surfboard fins. Simmons was apparently the first to use more than one fin on a surfboard. Greenough made the fin flexible and took inspiration from the fins
FINS
FINS is a network protocol used by Omron PLCs, over different physical networks like Ethernet, Controller Link, DeviceNet and RS-232C....
of fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
(allegedly tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
) and dolphins. Bob Simmons used a twin-keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
design on innovative wooden boards of his own design and manufacture in the 9'-10' range, which he rode in large surf at Windansea in California.
In the 1970s, multi-fin systems became much more widely-used, in competition and by average surfers, as top professionals like Larry Bertlemann and Mark Richards
Mark Richards
Mark Richards may refer to:*Mark Richards , Australian surfing champion*Mark Richards , US congressman from Vermont*Mark Richards , former English cricketer...
enjoyed competitive success maneuvering shorter boards with twin fins in smaller surf and tighter radius turns.
It wasn’t till the 1980s that Simon Anderson
Simon Anderson
Simon Anderson is an Australian surfer and surfboard shaper, noted for creating the Thruster design of three equal-sized fins on a surfboard, a design now used on most shortboards.-Early life:...
invented the popular thruster
Thruster
A thruster is a small propulsive device used by spacecraft and watercraft for station keeping, attitude control, in the reaction control system, or long duration low thrust acceleration.-Spacecraft thrusters:...
set-up (three fins - two on the rail 10-12 inches from the tail end, one center fin 3-5 inches up from the tail) which stabilized the board compared to the twin-fin set-up, and provided more control and lifting surfaces in an effective configuration. The design was an immediate competitive success for Anderson, inasmuch as he immediately won 2 very famous surf contests using "thrusters," and the entire surfing world quickly followed his lead. The thruster
Thruster
A thruster is a small propulsive device used by spacecraft and watercraft for station keeping, attitude control, in the reaction control system, or long duration low thrust acceleration.-Spacecraft thrusters:...
is the dominant fin configuration to this day, in both recreational and competition surfing.
Single fin
The single fin setup is the original fin setup. Single fin setups are common on long boards. They are usually long and wider than other fins, which make the board controllable with only the one fin.Twin Fin
The twin fin setup has two smaller fins mounted near the rail. This setup provides extra speed and easier turning.Thruster
The most common setup, the "thrusterThruster
A thruster is a small propulsive device used by spacecraft and watercraft for station keeping, attitude control, in the reaction control system, or long duration low thrust acceleration.-Spacecraft thrusters:...
" is a tri-fin. All the fins are the same size, with two semi-parallel (slightly toed-in, usually, and slightly canted outward, usually) fins mounted near the rails 10-12 inches forward of the tail and a middle fin at 3-5 inches.