Surfboards are the key ingredient in surfing. We are lucky these days that the boards have developed a lot, in the early days of surfing people rode one hundred pound redwood planks which would have been nearly impossible to handle.
Today's boards are made of light components, making them easy to manoeuvre, faster and lighter in every sense. A board comprises of a stringer (wood), foam core which is shaped into the desired shape by the board shaper, the board is then coated in fibreglass to add strength and keep the water from damaging it.
There are six main sections to a surfboard :
A surfboard sits in the water with fins facing down to the bottom. The nose points to the front (head end) and the nose is at the opposite end to the fins. Fins help to control the board when riding the wave and they also help the surfer keep him or herself facing forwards at all times, even when white water and wash batters the boardrider in the break.
The Tail is the end of the surfboard where the leash is attached. The leash is the thing that prevents the board from washing in with the waves when you loose your surfboard.
The Rail is where you hold on to. It is the sides of the surfboard where surfers grab the board when duck diving.
The Deck is the top of the board, it is the place where you lay to paddle, sit while waiting and also the place where you stand. It is coated with wax to ensure you do not slip off.
The Fins are an important part of the board. As said above they help keep the board tracked when riding a wave, they serve as a rudder serves in a boat. When the board is moved by the surfer the fins react by altering the surfers direction on a wave. There are various amounts of fins used on boards as show below and there is also different types of fins.
The Stringer is a timber piece in the centre of the board that adds strength to the overall structure.
The three main types of boards are :
The Thruster is also known as a shortboard, this is the most common type of board seen these days. Generally ranging from around five feet to seven feet in length depending on the surfers height and taste. Shortboards have three fins making them the choice for most surfers today.
The Fish is basically a small version of a shortboard. It tends to be wider than a shortboard. However it is also significantly shorter. The length of a fish is generally less than six feet. Fish style boards also seem to differ in the amount of fins. Many utilise the three fin system however depending on the boardriders taste and style you may come across some with only one or two fins.
The Malibu or Longboard is a large board. The nose is rounded and the board is around nine feet or longer. There is a sub category of Malibu known as a mini-mal. These boards take on the same principal designs as the Malibu however they are a little smaller at around seven feet up to around nine feet. The mini-mal is easier to manoeuvre compared to its full size brother. Malibu boards are great for learning as they are stable and surfers are able to catch smaller waves. If you want to learn how to surf the mini-mal is the widest used surfboard.
There is also another type of Thruster known as a gun. This is an exception to the categories. It is a longer three finned board used specifically for riding the biggest waves. Its length and stability provide stability on large waves as well as speed. Larger waves require higher speeds and tend to be a lot harder to surf than the regular waves that everyday surfers ride.
Enjoy choosing the board that best suites you
