Fins were not always used on surfboards. The surfboards of the ancient Hawaiians had no fins. As a matter of fact, surfboards did not start to get fins until 1935 when a man named Tom Blake created the “fixed fin” and attached it to the tail of his surfboard.
Today there are several fin set-ups integrated into surfboards. The fin systems of today are based on the type of board and type of wave you are going to ride. Before we go over the different fin set-ups available lets take a look at a quick history of the surfboard fin.
Quick Fin History
Today surfboard fins come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles. The fin has evolved over the decades. The first fin was a called a “fixed fin.” This was a single fin attached to the board to help the surfer gain more control. Since then fins have done a lot of growing. Today you can find surfboards with up to 5-fins attached to them.
1935: American surfer Tom Blake invents the first fin for a surfboard. This discovery is called a “fixed fin.” It is widely regarded as one of the most important surfboard discoveries ever made.
1940’s: American surfer Bob Simmons created the first multiple fin system. This system is known as the “twin-fin“ system. Around this same time a man named George Greenough changed the fin design. He replaced the older bulky fins with a new profile fin called the “fishtail.” Also called the dolphin-fin design.
*Australian surfer Mark Richards was credited with popularizing the “twin fin” system. He used this system to become one of the best surfers in the world at that time.
1970’s and 1980’s: Oxnard, California’s own Campbell brothers created the very first “tri-fin” design. This system was built so that surfers could keep control while riding even bigger waves.
In 1981 Australian surfer Simon Anderson built on the Campbell brothers idea when he modified the twin-fin and the tri-fin idea by creating three equal-sized fins. This discovery was known as the “thruster.” The thruster gives a surfer ultimate control, all while allowing them to perform excellent maneuvers. The thruster remains popular today.
The Campbell brother also struck gold again with the design of their five-fin system known as the “Bonzer” design.
1990’s: In the early 90’s removable fins were designed. This allowed the surfer to incorporate several different fin set-ups on his/her board.
Surfboard Fin Set-Ups
Without the benefit of a good fin set-up surfboards would slide all over the place in the water. The fact that the early surfers could even catch a wave and control themselves without the benefits of a fin set-up was a truly amazing feat! Today there are basically five popular fin set-ups. Each set-up is designed depending on what type of board and what type of wave you want to ride.
Single Fin Setup
This was the first type of fin system created and is not used very often anymore. The main place you will find the single-fin set-up in today’s surfboards is on the modern longboards of today. This is because control of the board is more important than high-performance maneuvering.
Twin Fin Setup
This type of set-up integrates two fins on the tail of the board. One fin is located on each side of the tail of the board. The twin-fin set-up will give you much greater speed, however you will lose a lot of maneuverability control. The conditions need to be almost perfect for this type of set-up. The twin-fin is used best in small wave surfing.
Thruster Setup
Also known as the tri-fin set-up, the thruster set-up incorporates three surfboard fins and gives the surfer excellent control and maneuvering ability. This fin set-up can be used in all surf conditions. It can also be used on any type of board.
Quad Fin Setup
The quad-fin set-up basically incorporates two sets of the twin-fin set-up thrown onto one surfboard. Most surfers have not been fast to jump into the water with the quad-fin set-up. However those who do will tell you that it gives you more speed in the water than any of the other fin-set-ups. The quad-fin set-up is usually more responsive than other fin-set-ups.
Five Fin Setup
Combining the thruster set-up with the quad set up, the five-fin set-up tries to provide surfers with the best of both worlds. This set-up allows you to ride your board with any of the other fin set-ups. Remember you will need to buy a board with removable fins to accomplish this.
Today there are fins of all colors, sizes, styles, angles and materials. There are so many different surfing fins to choose from that it can become a little overwhelming. With all the choices you have available to you, you should be able to find something that suites your style and taste.