The Channel Islands Noserider fin, developed through extensive R&D by Devon Howard, Troy Mothershead, Chuck Ames, and Wayne Rich, is purpose-built to provide confident noseriding while maintaining trim, balance, and responsive turning. Unlike traditional pivot fins, it anchors the tail for solid nose hold without creating a heavy, clunky feel, encouraging smoother rail-to-rail transitions and stylish, drawn-out turns. Designed primarily for the Channel Islands Noserider longboard shaped by Wayne Rich, with its refined nose, tail, rocker, and bottom contours, this fin also complements other traditional noseriders seeking secure nose hold without sacrificing maneuverability.

When Devon Howard first joined forces with Channel Islands around 2018, the initial focus was on the CI Mid. With Devon's depth of experience riding eggs and mid-lengths and Channel Islands highly tuned focus on performance, it was the obvious choice. However, CI hadn’t released a fresh longboard design in over 20 years, and when you're known for being one of the smoothest log operators on earth, Devon could only ask...“What longboard am I going to ride?” 

So the next board project with Wayne began: “Let’s make a noserider.” Not a static plank with a big nose and no life, but something with more range, something that could noseride effortlessly yet still allow stylish, responsive turns. They agreed to move away from the belief that a wider nose equals better noseriding. Instead, the magic would come from tail rocker, bottom contours, and one often-overlooked element: the fin.

The collaboration then truly expanded. Devon brought in our own Troy Mothershead and Chuck Ames to help build the fin. Troy, drawing from his longboard background and sensitivity to feel, became an integral part of the R&D, riding nine different fins to help find the right direction. Chuck, with 45 years of fin-making experience, then translated feedback into a few original templates for more testing.

They started by pulling from the archives - existing fins that might offer a starting point. From there, a hybrid concept emerged: a wide base for stability and lift, paired with a trimmed-down tip to reduce drag and allow cleaner, more controlled rail turns. They tested, refined, and repeated the process, swapping fins at the beach, digesting every session’s feedback.

Eventually, Wayne submitted his own template, bringing the shaper’s vision into balance with the finmaker’s craft. The result? A fin that delivers effortless lift on the nose, but never compromises your ability to engage a rail or draw clean lines from the tail.