Fin Experimentation
Mix it up and try new fins:
You might have your board and fin setup exactly how you like it. That’s great, but you might be surprised to see how differently your board rides by adjusting your fin setup.
Single Fins: A few ways to change your setup with a single fin is to simply adjust the position on your board. Moving the fin towards the front of the board will make the board looser and turns will be easier. Moving the fin back towards the tail will "tighten" up the turn radius and give the board a stiffer feeling, allowing for more drawn out turns. Another way to change up the feel of your board is to try a different size fin: larger fins will have more stability and control, smaller fins will loosen up the board. Flex is also important in the fins: the more flex, the more power and projection you will have on turns.
2+1 Single Fins: This setup will work best with a smaller center fin and side bites that compliment the center fin. Your board will feel looser but will still be able to "hold in" to bigger waves. A popular size combo would be a 7" center fin and a set of two 3.25" sidebites. The possibilities are endless and we encourage you to try different sizes and center fin placement to find your optimal fin configuration.
Twin Fins: The classic twin is just all about speed and maneuverability. Twin fin boards are going to be more stable than a single fin yet looser than a standard thruster setup. Generally the board shape for a twin fin is going to be shorter and have a wider tail than your typical shortboard.
Tri Fins: The thruster setup has been the standard in high performance surfing for the past 25 years. Since this setup can handle 15 foot barrels and small mushy waves as well, they have been the "go to" setup for all around surfing. Typically the thruster setup will be 3 fins of the same size and template, however some thruster templates will have a smaller back fin to loosen up the ride.
Quad Fins: The four fin setup can have a "skatier" feel and will be much faster than a thruster setup since there is less drag due to absence of the center fin. Quads can be great for small surf while they generate their own speed and glide effortlessly. They can also work perfectly in big waves too since the 2 fins on each side work together with the rails, creating stability and excellent hold in barreling surf.