5 Fin Surfboard
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If you grew up in the 90s, there was the cartoon Rocket Power that hypothesized putting twenty fins on a surfboard would make it ride better. Although fins don’t quite work like that, there are a lot of benefits to having more fin options.
Enter the 5 fin surfboard. Having the option for five fins gives these boards a lot of versatility. They can be ridden in a wide variety of conditions. Best of all, they make it easy for you to always make sure that you have the best board for the conditions with just a swap of the fins.
Top 2
#1 5'5 BIG BETSY
Despite its name, the Big Betsy is actually a rather small board.
But, it still packs a big punch when it comes to the amount of fun you’ll be having when you ride it.
With a futuristic shape, the Big Betsy pushes the envelope when it comes to what a 5 fin soft top surfboard is capable of.
With a short outline, you can easily fit into the pocket of any wave.
And, the outline helps this board turn on a dime so you can have the ultimate feeling of control when you are surfing.
We really liked South Bay Board Company’s hybrid soft top construction.
With a waxless, soft deck, the board has many of the benefits of your classic soft top surfboard. It floats well, is easy to paddle, and is durable.
The hard deck bottom makes it so that this board doesn’t sacrifice any performance in surfing like a normal soft top would. The single concave bottom and hard rails help you to generate speed and comfortably lay into any turn you want.
As a five fin surfboard, the Big Betsy is incredibly versatile. Riding the board as either a quad or a thruster set up works great. The FCS II fin boxes allow you to easily switch the fin set up on this board so you’re ready to rip no matter the conditions.
Whichever fin set up you choose to ride for your Big Betsy will let you either have a drivey board for punchy beach break or something you can speed through sections and lay on rail when you find a wide open wave.
#2 6’6 FISH BEEF
The Fish Beef is another excellent choice if you are looking to get into the 5 fin game.
It’s large size and volume makes this board an excellent choice for surfers who are looking to transition down from a longboard.
The length and wide base make this a very stable board.
The swallow tail helps this board turn when you put it on rail.
The tail does a great job of making a stable board very maneuverable in open faced surfing.
The outline of this board is very similar to a classic fish shape.
As a quad, we like how fast and loose this board feels on the wave face.
The tail helps turning and maintaining plenty of speed. And we’ve found that the flat rocker helps give a lot of paddling power making it easy to catch waves.
If you’re worried that despite having a five fin setup, the Fish Beef can’t be ridden as a thruster don’t worry. The shape of the Fish Beef is reminiscent of Lost’s Round Nose Fish of 5’5” x 19 ¼” fame. You’ll still feel the drive out of turns, but have no problem catching and riding waves when the surf turn all mushy.
FAQs
Should I ride my five fin board with all five fins in?
The great thing about a 5 fin surfboard is that it can be ridden as a thruster or quad. When you put a fin in every fin box, it messes with the hydrodynamics of the board giving you a worse ride. You’ll lose speed and have a harder time turning.
What is a 3 fin setup best for?
Riding with three fins is best suited for punchier surf where you want to be able to carry drive through your turns. If you want to have a more pivot-like feeling on your turns, a thruster set up is better.
What is a quad fin setup best for?
Quad fins are best for going fast. They are best suited for smaller surf where you need the extra boost or waves that are longer and have a more open face. Quads are great for drawn out, sweeping turns instead of quick pivots.
