Surfboard concaves: Single, double, V, flat… what they are and how they change the feel

What are Surfboard Concaves? I can hear you thinking to yourself. Turn your surfboard over, or the one in the surf shop, and you may notice a smooth subtle contour, or contours, carved into the bottom of the board. These contours will run from the nose (the front of the surfboard) down towards the back end of the surfboard. These contours are called concaves and can vary dramatically in length.

Concaves on surfboards are used to channel the direction of the water flow under the surfboard towards the fins. They also allow air to get under the surfboard when you are surfing on a wave. (A bit like an aquaplane.) Concaves on your surfboard will increase both its sensitivity and speed. Occasionally, this can be too much of a good thing, and we will talk about the solution to that problem further down the page. Read the rest of this entry »

Surfboard Fin Setups: Single, Twin, Truster, Quad… what they are and how they change the feel.

The fin, or fins, underneath your surfboard are there to help with the steering of your board.  The fins will also assist with stopping the surfboard from sliding around on the wave.

The further the fin goes down in the water, the more control you will have over the surfboard on the wave. The shorter the fin, the less resistance there will be on the water. The longer the distance of the fin where it is attached to the base of your surfboard, the faster you will be able to go. Read the rest of this entry »

Surfboard Tail Shapes: Change the Tail, Change the Performance and Feel.

The tail (or back end) of the surfboard can come in many varied shapes. While there are many shapes, generally, these different styles all originate from several basic concepts. So what the heck does the tail of your surfboard actually do? Well…it determines how easily you can catch a wave, and the turning ability of the surfboard. Nothing major.

The main thing you wanna pay attention to (aside from the tail’s shape) is the tail volume. A wider tail will allow you to catch the wave more easily. A narrow tail will provide better hold and control on a steeper wave, but may not perform so well in the smaller mushier stuff.

We are going to explain the fundamental differences between fish or swallow tails, round pin, and squash tails. Various tails suit different surfing conditions and will impact dramatically on the performance of your surfboard. Read the rest of this entry »