Surfboard fin setup explained | surf theory | wildmex surf camp in Sayulita & Punta Mita

Let’s face it, choosing between the 4+ different surfboard fin setups can be a little like doing Chinese arithmetic – pretty damn confusing!

With so many options to choose from, sometimes you just don’t know where to start! 

But when you finally do get your head around the mystery, oh boy does it make all the difference to your sessions, improvement and ability in the water, let’s say it’s a little sumthin’ like wave wizardry!

Our surf camp in Sayulita & Punta Mita’s hang-ten team at Wildmex put this little blog together to help you get to grips and get the most out of your surfboard fin setup! After all, the surf theory is just as important as the practical work and when combining the two, you’ll, without doubt, excel waaay faster than those not willing to do the homework!

So, lead with your head and fly into this blog with your learning cap on, you’re sure to learn a fin or two (pardon the pun!) about which configuration is best suited to you and the conditions! 

What are Surfboard fins and why do we use them? 

Surfboard fins are hydrofoils mounted towards the tail of a surfboard to enhance directional stability and the user’s control through foot-steering.

Fins are a vital variable to take into consideration for any surfboard, they help to improve performance, gain speed, stabilise your surfboard and prevent it from skidding sideways like a skimboard or bodyboard!

Surf theory | Wildmex surf camps in Punta Mita & Sayulita

Hang tight with our certified, local surf coaches and our international surf lovers at our year-round surf camps in Punta Mita & Sayulita and you’ll learn all the tricks needed to ride the line, bottom turn, cutback and snap! Oh, and you’ll also learn the crucial theory too, elevating your surfing abilities to greater heights! 

Single Fin

As the original surfboard set up created by the famous Tom Blake almost 100 years ago and still used until this day as the most common configuration amongst longboards, there’s no doubting that this classic one-fin setup really has stood the test of time amongst nose riders.

The single fin creates great straight-line speed and offers the ability to foot-steer controlled, refined and graceful turns, making it pretty much perfect for smaller to medium surf days!

This one-fin setup creates very little drag, meaning it’s ideal for straight shot surfing, providing you with steadiness, control and predictability in your session. 

Turning with the single fin can be limited, however, it is possible to move the fin forward for a looser feel, or further back to gain more control. 

Twin Fin

This highly responsive two-fin setup allows for fun, manoeuvrable and merrymaking rides, adapting well to waist and head-high waves. 

The twin fin configuration is more commonly seen on shortboards to enhance speed and offers the impressive ability for sharp and speedy manoeuvres, not to mention playful, drawn-out turns. 

The downside? The twin fin setup is not ideal for big-wave riding, as the lacking centre fin as seen on the ‘thruster’ can cause you to spin out on moves such as rounded cutbacks and bottom turns. 

Thruster Fin

As the most popular setup amongst modern-day surfers, this 3-fin ‘thruster’ setup will offer you stability, control and allows for manoeuvrability when performing tricks and turns.

The thruster configuration gives you the option to either ride twin or single too as the fins are removable, ensuring you’ll have the ideal setup on any given day and condition!

This must-have option offers room for flexibility, improvement and pleasure, best ridden in predictable or high-quality waves.

Quad Fin

You guessed it, it’s a 4-fin setup! The quad fin was built for speeeeeed! An evolution of the twin-fin, built for smaller days and hollow waves which require you to have that extra oomph. 

Developed in the ’80s, the quad fin configuration helps to generate speed by channelling water to the tail for extra acceleration, performing well when it comes to carrying out those epic power turns. 

The two lateral and two centre fins help you say adios to drag and whatsuuup to stability, big-wave surfing and crackin’ control. 

So there you have it, those were just some of the many different types of surfboard fin setups currently used today! 

To find out the best fin setup for you, we recommend trying out a variety of configurations in a variety of different conditions! You may find your favourite in an instant or even settle on two or three preferred styles depending on your mood and the conditions!

Like what you read and have an itch for learning how to surf in Mexico? Discover more here about our surf camps in Sayulita and Punta de Mita – Mexico’s adventure playground otherwise known as ‘Pueblo Magico’.

This blog was created for the people who feel like a bad day in the water is ten times better than a good day out of it! We hope this little get-to-grips surf theory has helped you make better sense of what fin setup you’ll be needing for your next ride! 

Have a question or want to enquire about something mentioned in this blog? Reach us here, a member of our team will be more than happy to help! 

5 Pro hacks for catching more waves -How-to guide:

Surfing for beginners punta mita & sayulita 2021

Ok, so we’ve all been there… 1 hour-long surf sesh aaaand… 1 wave. Heck! Talk about disappointment! 

You come out feeling like you’ve done a whole lotta’ floating, drifting and waiting in the wings, and well, not a whole lot of “surfing”. 

So what’s really going wrong? How you can catch more waves?
Maybe it’s the crowded lineups, lack of lessons, the wrong equipment or even that negative self-talk that’s knocking your game… Whichever one, here’s our 5 pro hack’s for upping your wave count right now – these top tips have been taken from our certified leading surf coaches down at our Punta Mita & Sayulita Surf Camp’s, so whether you’re an intermediate or beginner surfer, no doubt that implementing these pointers will have an instant positive effect of your surf-game.

Check it out! 

TAKE LESSONS 

When surfing in Sayulita, it’s safe to say that if there is any place to start, it’s here! Many beginners in this area jump straight on a board and start catching the waves, without knowing the basic fundamentals of surfing. Not only can this be frustrating to more experienced surfers who know and follow the rules in the water but it can be dangerous to you and anyone else out there too!

Having an experienced surf coach take you through the learning process is an invaluable experience that you won’t regret. They’ll teach you everything from the basic fundamentals, safety procedures, do’s and don’t and how to read waves, which will undoubtedly skyrocket your learning curve in the water. 

Not only will the other surfers recognise that you’ve invested the time in taking lessons and respect you more for doing so but you’ll also catch so many more waves and be confident that you’re doing it the right way.

We offer surfing for beginners in Sayulita and for intermediates too! If you want to up your wave count this is the place to start! Enquire about our epic surf lessons in Sayulita and Punta Mita here.

TRAIN FOR IT 

So you ant to be a wave wizard? Well, you better train for it.
Believe it or not, it’s all about getting that heart pumping… the more you train (in and out of the water) the better you’ll get at catching waves.

Introducing cardio-vascular training to your routine, such as swimming, running, cycling or brisk walking will help to improve your stamina in the water, ensuring you have enough energy to really pump, gain speed and catch the waves you want.

Going out to train in various conditions, even if the swell is small, can also be one of the best teachers! You’ll learn things such as wave sharing, how to correct your stance, how to generate speed, how to improve your style, how to stay in the power pocket and most importantly, how to read the waves before catch them!

Feeling ready to train for it? Why not join a surf camp in Sayulita for a week and see your performance in the water turn a corner, rapidly! Discover more about our surf camps in Punta Mita and Sayulita right here and make the decision to uplevel your wave count, for good!

BE MINDFUL 

In surfing, attitude is everything, which means a simple shift towards a mindfulness mentality can change your whole surf game – no really. 

Think about it, have you noticed that the second you start taking things a little too seriously, things start going downhill? 

Well, not only can this hurt your progression but it’ll lead to disappointing sessions where you’ll feel you’re underachieving and start forgetting the true nature of why you’re really there in the first place – to have fun!

The second you start cutting the negative self-talk, quit beating yourself up and start uplifting the vibe in the water, the sooner you’ll start enjoying more and riding more waves!

Don’t be afraid to spark conversation with other surfers, compliment their waves, share waves and give some away, embrace everything the nature around you has to offer and be grateful for being there. Making a friend or two in the line-up will put you in the perfect position to learn from others, get a go at higher-performing waves and earn some respect in the water. 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT BOARD

Give way to priority, paddle hard, bend your knees, lead with your head and fly – right? Sounds like you’ve got the fundamentals down on paper but the reality just isn’t manifesting… Well, ever thought that the board you’re using is a little off the mark?

Not only can riding the wrong surfboard delay your progression but it can also make life a whole lot more difficult when trying to catch a wave…

The first step to surfing success is to be honest with yourself about what you’ll be riding… the type of wave you ride regularly has a lot to do with what board you should choose. So, firstly, make sure you understand what kind of conditions you’re going to be heading out in before any session, you should also take into consideration your experience, ability and fitness level. 

Generally speaking, longer, more voluminous boards are easier to paddle but can be tough to get past crashing waves and whitewater, so keep this in mind when selecting your board! 

Not sure which shape or style fits you? Come into one of our Wildmex shops here and speak to a member of our team, who’re all experts when it comes to getting you on the right board and catching more waves! We offer surfboard rental in Punta Mita and Sayulita with a selection of over 300 boards to choose from. 

WATCH THE WAVES 

One of the biggest mistakes “intermediate” and beginner surfers make when surfing in Sayulita is to jump straight into the line-up, without watching the waves first!

You’ll be surprised at how much you can improve your surfing just from watching – from the outside!
First, observe the line-up and the water and ask yourself the following: How often are the sets coming through? What’s the tide doing and will it affect my session? Are there occasional smaller or wider sets that people are missing that I could take advantage of? Where could be a good spot to sit for my ability?
When you start taking the time to ask yourself these questions before a session, instead of rushing straight in, you’ll see that your ability to read the waves and catch them will improve rapidly! 

Watch the waves, ask the questions and play the field catching way more waves than before!

So whether it’s jumping into a surf lesson in Sayulita, hanging back 10 minutes longer to watch the waves break, making some new buddies in the line-up or hanging out at one of our surf camps in Punta Mita, putting the above tips into practice (in whichever shape or form) for your next approaching waves, will for sure give you a greater chance at upping that wave count!

If you have any questions or want to enquire about anything mentioned in this blog, reach us here and one of the members of our team will be happy to help out!

We hope you found this helpful!

Peace & love,