Surf Glossary - F: from Fins Plug to Floater
Foot
Surfboard lengths and widths are given in feet and inches. One foot corresponds to 30.48 cm. One inch equals 2.54 cm.
An 8'2 board thus corresponds to a length of 248.92 cm.
Fins
The first surfboards of the Hawaiians had no Finns yet. At that time, a board was made only from the trunk of a tree.
As the driving techniques became more demanding, it was discovered that it needed more stability in the shaft to make turns.
Finns gave the surfboard this stability.
Most surfboards have Finns systems that allow you to swap and remove the fins.
The Finns are plugged into the bottom of the board in the so-called plugs and tightened by means of small screws.
But beware: never tighten the screws too tight. The plugs can break and screw the screws.
The number of Finns depends on how you surf and which surfboard you like.
Shortboards usually have 3 Finns. This type of arrangement is also called a thruster. This allows for maneuvering and the feasibility of radical turns. 3 Finns give the board good waviness and stability, because no matter how radical the maneuver is, there is always at least one fin in the water.
Fin Key
A fin wrench is a small allen screwdriver for the tiny screws in the plug ins of your fins.
You should always have a fin key with you. It can always happen that a Finn breaks away from your board and you have to tighten them again. The different fin systems also have different fin keys.
Fish board
The fishboard got its name from its shape. If you look at a fishboard from above, it looks the same as the view of a thick fish.
The fishboard has fewer rockers and much more volume than a shortboard. The fishboard's usual V or Swallow tail gives the short board more smoothness and control when surfing over a board edge in the curve.
If it has days with smaller waves, the handle to the fishboard is recommended, as it is easily angleitet by the large volume and still agile than a Malibu or Longboard.
Another type of fishboard is the retro fish. The Retro-Fish is a very short, wide and thick board with a round nose and a wide fish-tail.
Due to the large volume of these boards allow maximum wave yield, even on days with small waves. Unfortunately, they are heavier than shortboards, but more revving than a longboard and therefore a good center for deciding on a shorter board, which offers relaxed driving pleasure.
With a retro fish, you can either maneuver or glide down the shaft down- the-line.
Despite these features, retro fishboards are not beginner boards. With their small "length" of 5'8 "to 6'2", they are not very easy to paddle and handle differently than normal surfboards due to the flat rocker line in the take-off.
Fun Board
A funboard is a bit of a Malibu shape, mixed with the characteristics of a shortboard.
To make it easier for the beginner to move from Malibu to a shortboard, it makes sense to surf the funboard.
This funboard is also called evolution or hybrid. The nose is pointed like the shortboard and the bigger rocker is more like a shortboard. With these features, it is easier for the surfer to go with the board cornering, but the board still has enough volume to easily slide into the shaft.
The Funboard itself is only 1 foot shorter than a Malibu and makes the transition much easier. It is also suitable for larger and heavier riders.
It is lighter in weight and usually has three fins. The funboard is easy to paddle into the wave and has a rather quiet, stable handling.
A special feature is Egg-Shape. Egg shapes are even smaller than Evolution or hybrid boards and are similar to a Malibu only with a much shorter length.
Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura belongs to the Canary Islands and is the second largest with a total area of approx. 1700 km².
Due to their volcanic origin and their year-round good wave quality, they are called the "Hawaii of Europe" among surfers.
A visit to the island is worthwhile. Their barren beauty and the many, in part lonely beaches attract visitors and surfers from all over the world to Fuerteventura all year round.
In the small, picturesque fishing village "Morro Jable", which lies in the south of the island, you will find the OTRO MODO Surfschool. Beginners and advanced skiers can experience the experience of surfing up close. Many have been seized by the fever of surfing here.
Floater (see also maneuvers)
The floater is one of the advanced maneuvers, as it requires a lot of skill.
In a floater, you can extend the ride on the wave a little by using the foam of the outgoing / breaking wave to drive over it, then fall to the base of the wave with the foam of the breaking wave to let.
Of course you need a lot of balance, but above all speed for this maneuver. Whether the floater is spectacular or not, decides, above all, how much speed you can build up before you hit the foam. To ride on the foam of the breaking wave briefly relieves your front foot and the board glides by itself to the white water. How long you continue to slide depends on how fast you hit the foam of the breaking wave. Now it's time to keep your balance, because your Finns will not stop in the foam of the wave. If you notice the board is getting too slow, prepare for the landing, always stay in the knees for a bit.
The radical nature of this maneuver ultimately depends on the wave height. A floater can be run at 40 centimeters or 2 meters shaft. A fall from this height is much more spectacular and difficult to end.