It’s safe to say that when it comes to time in the water us Surfing Mums and Dads are here for a good time rather than a long time. That precious hour of surfing needs to sustain us through all the trials and tribulations of parenting until our next surf swap. Knowing which type of boards will work well for your surfing ability and for the conditions on the day will help you get the most out of your time in the water. We have teamed up with our  good friends at Global Surf Industries to learn some of the basic principles of board design so you can shop confidently when looking for that next board to add to your quiver.

Surfboard Length
Despite our devotion to metric surfboards are almost universally measured in feet and inches. The length is the measure of the surfboard from the tip of the nose to the tail. As a rule of thumb, the longer the board the more stable it will be and the easier it is to catch waves. Conversely smaller boards may make it more challenging to catch waves but are more manoeuvrable.

Surfboard Width 
The width of a surfboard is measured across the widest point on the board. Generally speaking wider boards have greater stability and are easier to paddle. The trade-off is that wider boards (particularly those that are wide at the nose) do not perform well in steeper and hollower waves.

Surfboard Volume
Despite surfboard length and width being measured in imperial, volume is always measured in litres. Volume is the total displacement of the board. So how much buoyancy the board produces. This is its float value. 

Volume is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a surfboard. Your body weight, fitness, skill level as well as the type of waves you want to ride will ultimately determine how much, or how little volume you need.

Higher volume boards paddle easier, are more buoyant and stable, and therefore are better for beginners and older surfers. Lower volume boards turn faster and with less effort, however they’re not as stable and require more effort to catch waves. For these reasons they’re better for experienced and younger surfers.

As a general rule, a beginner should be riding the equivalent of 100% of their body weight in volume. I.e. A beginner weighing 80kg should be riding a surfboard around 80 litres in volume. Alternatively, an experienced surfer can ride a surfboard that’s 35% - 40% of their body weight in volume.

This formula varies depending on wave conditions, age and how often you surf. You can check out the nifty volume calculator on the GSI website here

Tail 
The tail is the back end of the surfboard. Its shape and thickness directly affect the performance of the board on a wave. The shape of the tail either allows the board to maintain hold on a wave’s face through a turn or release quickly. For example, a rounded tail can hold, but a tail with a wing feature or a swallow tail release the board from the waves face.

Surfboard Rails
Rails are the edges of the board. Rails affect boards speed, planing ability. Thick rails, for example, will plane well and allow for a lot of speed. Thinner rails hold to the waves face, perfect for steeper, hollower waves.

Rocker
Rocker is a term that refers to the curvature of the board. A dramatic, heavy, or steep rocker will be more curved, while a flat rocker will be less curved. A steep rocker at the nose of the board allows the surfer to take steep drops but are harder to paddle as they do not plane as well as board with a shallower rocker. Contrastingly, a board that has a steep tail rocker or a steep rocker for the length of the board allows the surfer more manoeuvrability because the board has fewer contact points on a wave and therefore, less drag. Small wave boards often have flat rockers allowing the board to plane and maintain speed through slow sections of the wave.

Surfboard Fins
Fins propel the board forward, dictate the turning radius, create hold on a waves face, and much more. So obviously, fin set up directly affects the board’s performance and feel. Below are the most common fin setups.

Thruster
The thruster (3 fins) is, perhaps, today’s most common fin set up. The thruster set up was first developed in the 1980s, most surfers were riding twin fins that offered a lot of speed, but not much manoeuvrability. The addition of the back fin provided surfers enough control to be able to make tighter, more radical turns.  

Twin Fin
The twin fin came into popularity during the 1970s with the rise of “the fish.” These unique shortboards, with two fins placed far apart, allowed surfers to reduce drag and increase speed. Twin fins are ideal in small to medium waves where they provide optimal manoeuvrability and flow.

Quad
The Quad fin set up (4 fins) leans heavily on the basic science behind the twin fin, a wide space between fins for water to flow equals speed. However, the extra two fins on the quad provide additional hold, which comes in handy in smaller waves.
Quads with the trailer fin closer to the rails and further up on the board, perform great on smaller waves, like a twin fin but with a bit more control.
Quads with the trailer fins further back provide extra hold in large hollow barrels, without sacrificing speed.

Single Fin
Today, most single fin surfboards are longboards, but that wasn’t always the case. Single fins offer surfers long, drawn out, arching turns. The one large fin offers plenty of hold but does not have the manoeuvrability of a board with three fins, regardless of the board’s length.

2 plus 1
This is the combination of a centre fin plus two side fins. It is very popular with midlengths and longboards.

As a member of Surfing Mums you can enjoy at generous 10% discount off any of the GSI brand board (Salt Gypsy, Modern, TCSS, Three Palms Board Co, Creative Army, Gnaraloo Surfboards, Tom Carroll Paddle Surf). Log into our members section of the website to find the discount code here.