Fin Materials

After sifting through countless thruster and quad fin sets, it becomes apparent that several sets have incredibly similar templates and foils, but have substantially different descriptions due to the material they are made from.. The base models are generally made of plastic or a composite. These are typically the fins that come stock on a new board and are adequate for getting familiar with the board, but are designed to work on any board, not your board. Stock fins are like driving a sports car on cheap tires; they work but you'll never realize the boards potential without an upgrade.

Wood laminated with fiberglass is a classic fin construction that is light weight and always a classy look. Many fin manufacturers now make bamboo fins that can be glassed on or make compatible for the major fin systems. At waveridersfingallery.com we will be offering custom and pre-made wood fins by Cherry and Torres.

One of the most common fin materials is fiberglass. The fiberglass cloth has a perpendicular weave that can be laid at different angles relative to the fin base, producing different flex patterns. Different resins, finishes, templates, and foils also play major roles in a fins flex. While fiberglass fins are typically very heavy for their size, they are very durable and can be easily reshaped if the owner feels the need to make adjustments or experiment.


Another very prevalent fin technology is Hex Core construction, also called Resin Transfer Molding. To make these fins, fin makers sandwich lightweight honeycomb foam like structure between layers of fiberglass and polyester resin. This process makes an incredibly light fins with increased flex.




The next step in finding a light weight, high strength fin material is carbon fiber. These fins are extremely light and can make stiffer fins for power surfers, heavy surfers and big wave surfing. This is probably why Sunny Garcia uses carbon fiber for his signature FCS fins.

Those are just a few of the materials being used currently in fin production. One of the most innovative material applications found on the market today is the use of both resin transfer molding and carbon fiber by Futures, on the Black Stix fin line. Since Futures developed the technique, I'll let them explain it:

"Black Stix combines various processing techniques to produce a strategically designed flex structure, created by a crescent shaped, carbon leading edge fin. The inlay of the two materials creates a torsional flex pattern for storing potential energy and releasing kinetic energy into whip-like turns. Light and strong, this highly designed fin has a patterned flex rebound to take your surfing to its full potential. Constantly pushing the envelope of what a fin should be and do." -From futuresfins.com

Now as you shop for the perfect fin for your new board, pay close attention to the fin construction. With so many materials being used in production, be sure to read the manufacturer's description or consult our fin forum for advice on what material will suit your style best.

The Evolution of Fins

This is one of, if not the best video on the evolution and current state of surfboard fins. The video was made by FCS and can be found on youtube.com. It is nearly impossible to get every contribution to fin design in one place, but they did a great job of finding highly influential people in surfing and getting their insight on how things have advanced. The clip is a bit long at 16 minutes but definitely worth the time. What else are you going to do in the next 16 minutes, check you facebook for the tenth time today?

Fin Tips and Tricks

A common problem with standard longboard center fin boxes is for some fins to not fit properly. Some fins will be a hair too wide and need a bit of force, while others are too thin and will slop around side to side. The latter is more problematic because it can affect the boards handling, and possibly add stress to the box resulting in damage to the board.

For a fin that is very snug fitting, rubbing a bit of wax on the sides of the fin base will lubricate the fin just enough to help you slide it in. Water based gels work well too, but will wash away and wont help you get the fin back out. This trick also works well with other fin systems such as Futures, FCS, and Pro-Box.

For a fin that is too loose, all you need is a strip of thick paper or thin cardboard. For thinner paper, you can fold it over a few times until you get the right size wedge. Hook the fixed tab on the fin into the box and slide it to the position you want your fin in, and hen put the paper wedge over the box. When you push the fin down into the box, the paper should wedge in on both sides and give the fin a nice snug fit. The paper should last quite a while if you don't take the fin out. In a pinch you can use candy wrappers, mexican food receipts, or a leaf of sea weed. Whatever you use, just be sure to trim it down flush with the fin box.