Third Answer

Content:

EQ

How can surfboard best be shaped to compliment the riders style?

Answer #3

A surfboard can best be shaped to compliment the riders style by keeping the boards fin setup in mind.

3 details to support the answer (a detail is a fact and an example)

Detail 1: The positioning of the fins on a board can be the deciding factor of a boards overall performance. For example, fins that are farther apart provide more speed while fins that are more clustered together make the board more pivoty. So for instance lets say you had an aggressive shape meant to do a lot of turns already and you throw on some fins that are clustered. The board most likely would be to pivoty and ruin the overall performance of your board.

Detail 2: Focusing on the cant of a fin is also important factor that affects a boards performance. Cant refers to the angle a tim makes in relation to the bottom of the surfboard. A fin that sticks straight up, perfectly perpendicular to the board's base count our, is said to have a no cant. Canted fins point outwards, towards the rails of the board. Increasing the fins cant makes a board more responsive through turns while decreasing it makes the board faster. So lets say that you were surfing a very fast wave that has a small pocket you might want to have a board with a more cant on a fin so you can turn to loose speed and keep your self in the pocket of the wave.

Detail 3: Foil is another factor in fin set up that can affect a surfboard. Foil refers to the tapper of thickness from the front to the back of the fin where the middle is thickest. It is was provides lift for the board, the more pronounced the foil the more lift it will provide. Lets say you were to shape a paddle board that was about 4 inches thing and 30 inches wide. A typical shortboard is about 2 1/2 inches thick and about 19 inches wide meaning that this paddle board is significantly heavier. With this in mind you might want either make or by a fin that has a thicker foil to help provide more lift to the board which in turn will make it more responsive.

The research source (s) to support your details and answer

The book Surfing The Manuel: Advanced by Jim Kempton

and

"Guide To Surfboard Fins." Www.tactics.com. Tactics Board Shop, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.tactics.com/info/guide-to-surfboard-fins>.