Single Fin Shortboards

There are a couple threads on here dedicated to single fins that go pretty in depth on what to expect from them.

I worked on a friends board to take out the center fin box on one of his thrusters and we put in a single fin box. He really liked it on bigger days, like chest plus, but that's the range that you can get anything to start working well.

If I were you, looking to branch out, I'd go to a twin or a quad. I talked to an old Folly shaper and he said the best board for the beach is a twin, still drivey but loose enough to throw it around in smaller stuff. Just one old guy's opinion though. My favorite boards have always been quads. They always seem faster off the drop and but can generate their own speed by pumping too.

At this point in the year, buy whatever and you can sell it after the first storm if you don't like it for good $$$.

 

saw a dude at my local with a single fin shorty...and he was ripping...hard. His fin was really long, narrow and super curvy...kinda like a boomerang, but not so kinked in the middle. Surprisingly, the guy was doing really sharp bottom turns and going straight up...if I didn't know any better, I would've guessed he was on a thruster.

 

I love my SF longboards, but I'm not a fan of the single fin in boards under LB length.

If i had a bunch of thrusters, and my local was usually a waist high soft wave, i'd be looking into twinnie and quads, not single fin shortboards.

 

yeah, judging by the surfer I saw, SF shortboards are pretty advanced...like they'd take quite a while to get dialed. For south carolina, I agree with the quad suggestions.

 

Same as Mitch. I personally don't own a singlefin short board because of the performance limitations.

However... if you want to ride one just for the novelty of it, I get that. It won't feel like anything like a thruster... and that will either amuse you, or frustrate you. It's the latter for me.

If you want to something with better performance, that will still feel different from a thruster, try a true retro fish... the twin glassed on keel type with the big, deep fish tail.

 

exactly this

 

I have a few bros that ride short singles well. Like they are supposed to ridden IMHO: high and late in the wave standing up in the middle of the board stepping back for long, open cutties, hard bottom turns or anywhere else to set a rail hard. They make them look good. Viewed from the water they go fast and if the wave is small enough to see their head they don't climb and drop much or hit the top a lot. Bigger waves you will never see them on a wave from the back like you will see a good surfer on a thruster- often as you know showing the fins and board bottom w/ the tail high in the wave out of the back. The single fin boys ride the bowl in trim. Pretty cool if that is what you are into. I have a '74 6'8" Caster that I keep around but don't ride much, it's kind of boring and not snappy or drivey feeling. Novelty.

 

Single fin short boards=gay.
Single fin any size board = gay

 

i have one that's 6' by a local shaper with a 7 inch greenough fin. It's both a novelty board for me, and also a ton of fun. It definitely is a lot different from a thruster, you can't crank a bottom turn like you can on a thruster or it just slides out (which can be fun on a top turn if you're prepared for it). Definitely feels like it goes quite a bit faster, and is a smoother ride imo. I go on kicks where I ride it a lot (I'm on one now), and then I wont touch it for months...

 

Had a couple o single shorties. Merrick single fins. A 5'9 and a 6'0. The wave needed to have a little punch to reall get goin if you aren't a decent surfer. Not so great in mush garbage. Basically it taught me to ride the wave and not the board if you get my drift. Definitely helped improve my surfing riding em.
Recently got a ...lost puddle jumper carbon wrap. Fastest board I've ever owned. Took a few sessions to get dialed, but I can't say enough of how good a board it is. Esp in gutless crap.

 

I have a 6'3 single fin that i run with the center fin out of my bonzer. I personally love the thing. But it's not performancey. To an extent. I can get the thing to get close to vertical and have pulled off some impressive snaps (considering the board). But it's not easy and not the norm.

I like riding diffrent boards. That's what surfing is about in my mind. Feeling diffrent feelings under your feet. If your open to that sort of thing you'd appreciate a single i think.

Mine has a very delayed feeling. You have to anticipate the section. It's tough. 80% of the time im late on a turn because of it. But that's the fun in it. And when you do get the timing down and you pull somthing big off, it's very rewarding. In my mind. Iv said before, as had others, LBing makes you a better SBer. Makes you more aware and see more of the wave. Makes you take diffrent lines. Well a single SB is sort of like that. It makes you a better surfer because you have to read the wave and anticipate instead of just react.

Don't expect somthing that acts like a thruster. BUT don't think your limited to just drawn out turns. You CAN push a single. With that being said, the board and outline will come into play, as well as the fin. Obviously a more slimmed/pulled in single will turn easier than a big fat chunky single.

Final opinion. If you want somthing to cover a certain set of conditions and perform, there are probably better options. But if your open minded and like diffrent feelings under your feet find a outline that relates to how you want to surf, in a single, and have fun learning the nuisances

 

I like single fin shortboards, and deep six channel bottoms at that. Once upon a time, we all rode single fins. I now have a 6'9" and 7'0". Double-wing swallowtails to boot. Like a terry fitzgerald/mp type concept, only futuristic and new. In the eye. Oh and raised-deck. Greenough 4a fins. Pu. Polished gloss resin tint, too.

 

sound like cool shapes, you should post some pix

 

Study in thruster and single fin shortboards.....on the same wave by same great surfer.....you can really see the different lines the two boards draw.....one of my all time favorite clips......the bikinis dont hurt and great tunes too...... if this is "gay" sign me up https://vimeo.com/72287506

 

If your looking for a board that has that carvy feeling of your Longboard then a short board single fin it where it's at! I have had a few- I have a 6'1 right now... love it but it only performs well in certain conditions. It will work in any conditions- but really performs well when it's that peeling / spinning chest to head hi barrels

It's not a performance board- it's more of the soul side of surfing or something like that.

Picking the right fin will make or break the board- if you choose a cutaway- you'll spin out on bigger surf. Just get a 7.5 inch rake

If you don't want to spend a lot- this pop out company Natural Progression used to make them for around 300 new and they surfed really well for the price

If your thinking about get one- get one! You won't be sorry!!

 

Just don't get a vintage 70s one- the rails and rocker where not perfected and don't surf as well as a modern shape

 

A buddy of mine built one... Beautiful black bottom and rail wrap, white deck... double pinline... poly gloss and polish. 7" rake fin. I've ridden it a bunch of times. It works best in glassy, vertical/hollow waves. Smooth as butta in the tube.

 

You got it--it is gay.