Retro Single Fins

The retro movement is a product of the previously mentioned open-minded trend towards experimentation. If you want to truly understand the history of surfboard design, it makes perfect sense to try a single fin. Surfing one will help you see why the advent of the twin fin and thruster were such significant turning points in the evolution of surfboard design.

The single fin’s template features a wide point forward of center and the thickest point of a single fin is also past center. Having more volume under your chest makes this type of board easy to paddle offering high wave catching ability. By moving the widest point forward (which also creates a straighter and narrower tail), the single fin outline encourages the board to track down the line. The typical single fin bottom features vee starting from the center of the board and flowing to the tail which helps to counter the straightness of the outline and allow the board to roll from rail to rail much more freely.

Single fins can work in any size surf but surfer beware, you'll need to nurse your turns in order to keep the fin from releasing and causing the dreaded spin out. As mentioned previously, riding this design will offer you a greater appreciation of the effortless turning modern surfboard designs provide. Because of the added volume and ease of paddling inherent to this design, retro surfboards can work for a variety of abilities anywhere from from a total beginner to the more advanced surfer.