What fin size/shape/type for what board?

I’m finding trying to work out what fin for what board a bit confusing - information overload about rake, cant, height, etc.

Is there a good site that suggests if your board is XXX then a fin of this height would be a good start?
I know a lot is likely to be personal pref. but every site I visit seems to give very vague ideas of anything. I don’t have a bottomless pot of money to just experiment (unfortunately!).

If no one has a site that they know of, I’m happy with specific thoughts - my board is a 7’6" magic carpet if anyone has suggestions for what a good starting size fin for that would be (beginner, probably obviously)

I do like to geek out a bit around subjects though so a site about finology would be good. :smiley:

Thanks!

These apparently come as a 2+1 or as a singlefin. I’m hoping your’s is a singlefin because that’s what this type of board was designed for. Singlefins are about utilizing the energy on tap and following the wave, whereas the multi-fins are about generating more energy on your own. As a novice you’ll learn more about watching down the line, putting the board in trim, setting a rail and making bottom turns on a singlefin because they don’t work any other way. These are skills that will make your surfing on multi-fins stronger when you go to that.

I commonly surf singles like this, and for those I favor a flex fin, like a Greenough 4a, although the Magic Carpet fin at Nine-Plus should also work well. With a 15" tail @12" from the tip I’d use an 9" or 9.5" fin, because you want the tip to stay engaged when it’s on a rail, and your fin needs to be deeper than the 1/2 length of the 15". Run the fin in the center of the box and you’ll be able to push it as hard as you want. Up to a little overhead, at which point you need a stiffer fin, if not a different type of board altogether.

If your board is a 2+1 then stick to the longboard sidebites (usually 3.5" - 3.9" tall) and a 7" or 7.5" fin with a narrower base. Personally, I hate cutaways like what they’re selling, but different strokes for different folks.

For inspiration on how this type of board was designed to be surfed, check Youtube for clips from the late 1960s like Evolution or the Hot Generation.

The 9" Magic Carpet fin looks similar to a Greenough 4A. It would be a good starting point. If you have the side fin boxes, you could try a small single fin and equal size side fins in a thruster setup. The board will be very different.
My go to single fin is the Greenough 4A. I use them in 9" and 7.5". I also like the Brewer or Parrish/Smith style about 7.5". These fins have a wide base and good amount of rake. You get good drive with these.
Except for a few specialty fins like a Bonzer center fin, and the Brewer style fins, all my single fins are 9" long. A 9" Brewer style fin is a monster.

Thanks chaps. That helps!

I’ve got to say that this:

suddenly makes things clearer as to what you want in terms of height. A lightbulb moment with something suddenly becoming quite obvious! I hadn’t seen it written anywhere before but makes perfect sense that you would want to make sure it was still engaged. That’s the sort of thing I was meaning as to what and why of fins.

Thanks! :smiley:

It was something I learned right here in Sways some years back, posted by one of the veteran shapers who has been doing this for 40+ years.