The best fins for tracking have:
- more overall surface area
- a wider base
- a longer leading edge
- more area near the fin tip
- more area near the tail of the board
A fin keeps the tail of your paddle board from slipping sideways as you paddle. Without a fin the force of a paddle stroke would push the tail sideways and you would spin in circles.
What SUP fin is best for tracking and stability?
Touring fins are best for tracking and stability. Racing fins track well but are not super stable.
A good tracking fin will provide more side-to-side resistance to the force of a paddle stroke.
For better tracking we need more fin surface area. In particular, more surface area off the tail of the board.
“Tracking” is moving forward in a straight line.
Think of a fin as the tail of a kite. Without a tail a kite will spin in circles. The longer the tail the straighter the kite will fly.
The best fins for tracking have:
The more overall surface area on a fin the better tracking and more stability it will provide.
A wider base and longer leading edge will improve both tracking and stability.
More fin area deeper in the water improves tracking and stability so we want more area near the tip of the fin.
The more fin area near the tail edge (rear of the board) the better the tracking. Like a tail on a kite. The farther back the better for tracking.
Rake is the leading edge curve or angle of a sup fin. Rake is critical to fin performance. The more rake the less drag through the water. So more rake means more speed.
More rake will also prevent weeds from catching on a fin. Fins with extreme rake are often called weedless fins. The swept-back or weed-less fin has good tracking and speed.
The extra surface area near the tail improves tracking
Further Reading: SUP Fin Glossary of Terms
Dig Deeper: A Touring Paddle Board Might Be What You Need
Further Reading: Paddle Board Stability
Dig Deeper: The 2 Basic SUP Fin Types
Black Project Ray (9.45″ deep)
The Ray is a racing fin that was designed for increased tracking and stability. This is a great choice for long distance open water paddling in choppy conditions.
Deeper into the water and more surface area than most racing fins for added stability and tracking. The foil and low drag profile are designed for speed.
12″ Dorsal Hatchet Fin
The hatchet fin template was originally a surfboard fin. Created in 1965 by surfing legend Dewey Weber.
