Types of surfboards
The Different Types of Surfboards and How They Ride
Surfboard design is all about trade-offs between paddling ease, glide, and manoeuvrability. Different boards are shaped to suit specific wave conditions and riding styles, making certain designs more suitable for speed, turning, or stability. While overall volume, plan shape, bottom contours, and rail types all add up to give a board certain characteristics, the shape of the tail and fin configuration are two of the most important factors in determining how a board performs in the water. Not familiar with the basic parts of a surfboard, watch here. Although there are many types of surfboards, in this blog we will cover performance shortboards, fish, mid-lengths, funboards, and longboards.
Performance Shortboards
Performance shortboards are built for maximum maneuverability, allowing surfers to perform fast, vertical turns and quick transitions from rail to rail. To achieve this level of responsiveness, shortboards typically have:
- A narrow outline and thinner profile, which reduces glide and paddling ease but enhances control in good waves.
- Increased rocker (curve from nose to tail), helping the board fit into the wave’s pocket and handle step drops and re-entries.
- A thruster (three-fin) setup or Quad (four-fin), providing a balance of pivot and drive for high-performance surfing.
- Concave bottom contours are built in to provide lift for maximum speed and drive.
These boards excel in powerful, steep waves but require a strong paddling ability and good technique to maximize their potential. As they lack glide, these boards require the most inputs to keep them riding a wave. This is the board of choice for advanced surfers and something all surfers should work towards learning how to ride.
Fish Surfboards
Featuring a wide “fish” tail originally designed in the 60’s by a kneeboarder to allow space for his legs, Fish designs are enjoyed globally thanks to their high speeds and loose feel. Fish surfboards are designed to maximize glide while maintaining a high level of maneuverability. Key characteristics include:
- A shorter and wider outline offering quick wave catching and good paddle power. The short rail line introduces a loose feel to the board.
- A flatter rocker enhances down-the-line speed and makes them ideal for small to medium waves.
- A twin-fin or keel-fin setup promoting smooth, drawn-out turns and a skate-like looseness.
Fish boards are great for generating speed in slower, weaker waves while still allowing for stylish carves and high lines. These boards excel at going fast and taking the high line, however, their wide tails require more skill to ride them smoothly.
Mid-Length Surfboards
Mid-length surfboards are designed to maximize glide while adding manoeuvrability. These boards are essentially designs from the 60s and 70s with modernized rails, bottom contours, and design theory. Their defining features include:
- A longer length and wider plan shape (between 6’6” and 8’0”) providing excellent paddling power and wave-catching ability.
- Various rocker designs to aid paddling while still being able to turn.
- A variety of fin setups (single fin, 2+1, or twin), which can offer a unique ride.
- These boards have flat, convex, or vee-type bottom contours, which aid turning and rail-to-rail transitions at the expense of drag (modern boards use concave, which provides lift instead of drag).
Mid-lengths offer a more refined ride compared to funboards, allowing for stylish, drawn-out turns while maintaining flow and control. To achieve this, these boards feature thinner tails, rails, and decks to promote sensitivity. They are an excellent choice for surfers looking for an easier-to-surf board that still feels like it wants to be turned.
Funboards
Funboards prioritize wave-catching ability and stability, making them ideal for beginner surfers working on the basics of surfing. Key features include:
- A wide platform and extra volume making paddling and standing up easier.
- A flat rocker for effortless glide and speed in smaller waves.
- These boards are usually thrusters to make them as easy to ride as possible.
Unlike mid-lengths, funboards often have thicker, blockier tails, rails and less refined contours, making them more forgiving but less performance-oriented.
Longboards
Longboards are designed for maximum glide and stability, allowing for a smooth, flowing ride. Their characteristics include:
- A length of 9’0” or more, providing effortless wave-catching ability and stability.
- A full, rounded nose, which enhances stability and enables noseriding.
- A single-fin or 2+1 setup, promoting smooth turns and classic trimming.
A longboard wants to trim along a wave without interruption. To turn a longboard effectively, surfers must step toward the tail and engage their weight. Longboards are great for small-wave days, allowing for maximum-length rides. A knee-high wave is all you need on a longboard. There are two main types of longboards. Performance longboards are narrow, thinner, use modern concaves, and have hard, shortboard-style edges on the tail to maximize performance on the wave. Traditional longboards are wide, flat, thick, heavy, use traditional bottoms (flat, rolled, vee) instead of concaves and use soft edges in the tail to promote smoothness. These boards are designed for walking and noseriding.
Guns
Guns are built for maximum speed and control in powerful, big waves. Their defining features include:
- A long outline (typically 7’0” and up) allowing for maximum paddling into fast, heavy waves.
- Narrow plan shapes for quick rail to rail transitions and less wind resistance on big, fast waves making their own inherent wind.
- A heavily rockered design helps the board handle steep drops and critical sections.
- A pintail shape increases hold and stability, allowing the board to stay locked into the wave during high-speed turns.
Guns are designed for experienced surfers tackling serious waves, where control and confidence are crucial.
Choosing the Right Board
Selecting the right surfboard depends on your skill level, preferred waves, and style of surfing. Whether you’re looking for high-performance turns, effortless gliding, or big-wave charging, understanding the strengths and trade-offs of each design will help you find the perfect board for your session.
If you’re a beginner or intermediate surfer, and you want to learn everything there is to know about surfboards and surfing, we invite you to join our surf school at Uluwatu’s top surf camp where essential skills such as how to paddle the surfboard, how to stand on the board correctly, and how to steer and turn the surfboard are part of our surf coaching program.
Check out our surf tutorials for beginner and intermediate/advanced surfers.