Choosing the right fin is crucial to the riding characteristics of a SUP board. The wrong fins can slow down even the best shape – while the right fins can noticeably improve an average board. It’s not just the board shape and area that play a role, but also the rider’s weight, riding ability and personal preferences. An overview of the most common set-ups:
Single Fin
Standard for touring and longboard shapes. Usually 9-10 inches deep, available in many shapes.
Dolphin Fin: good maneuverability, ideal for moving water, waves or tricks.
Freerace Fin: more guidance and speed, perfect for touring and fast paddling sessions.
2+1 set-up
Combination of center fin (e.g. Dolphin) and two small side fins. The side fins stabilize the tail, provide additional guidance and improve turns – often underestimated!
Recommendation: Use the set-up in the waves, on choppy water or if the board is too tippy for you.
Thruster (3 fins)
The classic wave set-up. Center fin straight in the box, outer fins set slightly forward and outward. Result: high turning pleasure.
Recommendation: Perfect for the waves. Size according to weight and board: up to 80 kg usually M, from 85 kg rather L. Profile shapes are of secondary importance for recreational SUPers.
Quad (4 fins)
Provides speed and guidance, especially in larger, faster waves. When edging, two fins engage simultaneously – more propulsion than with a thruster. Usually larger fins at the front and smaller fins at the back.
Recommendation: Test quads in long, running waves or if you find the board too slow. If you want to experiment, swap the front and rear fins.
Twin Fin
A classic from the surfing sector, back in fashion for SUPs. Large, steeper fins make the board lively and fast, but require feeling in the feet – more for experienced surfers.
Recommendation: Also possible with 5-box boards: only mount two fins. The board becomes noticeably “looser”.
Conclusion
Many wave SUPs have five fin boxes and are also supplied with five fins – take advantage of the variety! Try out different set-ups and discover how differently your board can react. There is only one variant you can safely forget: all five fins at the same time.
About the author
Andy Wirtz is the founder and owner of Norden Surfboards, one of the first brands to produce SUP boards in series. As a designer, he is responsible for all of the brand’s board shapes and contributes his extensive knowledge of shapes and fins. On the water, he has been one of the best German SUP surfers in the waves for years – a skill that has already earned him a German SUP surfing champion title in the past.