Fins were added to the base of surfboards quite early on, when designers discovered it made the surfboards a lot more stable and enhanced the amount of control the riders had over them. Ever since there has been a whole host of further developments, leading to a large variety of fins that differ in shape and material. The main two types of fin however are the glassed on type and the removable type. Here we look at the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Fins known as ‘glassed on’ are sculpted onto the board when it is first being shaped and are not removable afterwards. They are generally found on older surfboards but are now actually again being used in modern surfboard design. The benefit of these fins is that that they are smoothly moulded to the board and so create a smooth cut in the water, reducing drag and allowing the board to go faster. Additionally it is highly unlikely that you will lose these fins in the water, which is known to happen with removables. The downside is that, although generally pretty strong, the fins can sometimes break off and it is very difficult to repair them. Extreme sports are not known as such for nothing and extreme force is often placed on equipment. Further to this, if damaged they can let water into the board and cause serious not just around the fin area.
There are number of different types of removable fins, but the best and most widely used is generally accepted to be the FCS system. Their are a whole range of various FCS fins you can get hold off, differing in material and design. This means that you can have a number of different fins ready for certain surf conditions or riding styles. They are additionally very convenient if they pick up damage as it will literally take you two minutes to replace one. The downside to removable fins is that they tend not to create such a smooth join to the board and they can often come out and get lost in rough conditions.
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