Small Wave Board vs Fish Surfboard: Which Is Right For You?

The old adage “Never bring a knife to a gunfight” rings as true in surfing as other areas of life. When the surf conditions are small and mushy, the right surfboard will make the difference between a frustrating session and a fun one. Two of the most popular options for small wave conditions are the groveller (small wave board) and a fish surfboard. But how do you decide which one suits your style? And what role does a twin fin setup play in this equation?

Let’s break down the attributes, pros, and cons of each so you can choose the sled to paddle out on next time the waves are waist-high (or less).

What Is a Small Wave Board?

A small wave board, or groveller, is a general term used for boards designed with features to help them work in small, weak, slow, or mushy conditions. The primary features of a small wave board are increased volume for the length, a wider outline, a flatter rocker, a wider tail, and generally boxy rails.

Small wave boards come in various shapes including grovellers, hybrids, eggs, mid-lengths and even mini-mals & can be configured with different fin setups, such as thrusters, quads, twins & even 5 fin set ups.

What Is a Small Wave Performance Board?

A small wave performance board is a more specific type of groveller. It shares DNA with both a performance shortboard and a small wave board. Usually a small wave performance board will have a little more entry rocker, slightly more refined rails but still utilise a wider outline, a flat middle section, and a wider tail, if not quite as wide as a groveller.

Small wave performance boards are designed to give you speed generating capabilities while still maintaining the capacity to turn sharp off the bottom and get into the lip quickly. These types of boards often work well as a daily driver for surfers that live in areas where the waves seldom get more than overhead and aren’t hollow and heavy.

Just like small wave boards, a small wave performance board will often come with 3-5 fin boxes, allowing for a wide variety of fin setups to suit the conditions on the day.

What Is a Fish Surfboard?

The fish surfboard is a specific type of small wave board that first gained popularity in the early 1970s but has also made a strong comeback in recent years. Its most distinct characteristics are a short, wide outline, boxy rails with a parallel rail line, high volume, twin fin setup, and a deep swallowtail resembling a fishes tail.

Fish surfboards are designed to be fast, smooth, and loose, especially in small to medium-sized surf. They excel at generating speed down the line and offer a smooth, flowing ride. The combination of straight outline, flat rocker and wide tail means that the board will naturally go fast down the line, want to draw longer lines on the wave and will usually not respond well to back footed pivot turns.

Twin Fin Magic: Why It Matters

Many fish surfboards come standard with a twin fin setup: this plays a significant role in their performance on small & weak waves. Twin fins offer less drag than a thruster, looser turns with a skatey feel, and faster down-the-line speed.

If, like many surfers, you are used to riding a thruster, switching to a twin fin surfboard can feel like unlocking a new level of speed, flow, and fun in weak waves. That being said, it does take some time and practice to adjust your surfing to suit a twin fin. For the most part, a twin fin cannot be surfed like a thruster, but once you figure them out you will have so much fun in sub par conditions.

Keels vs Uprights

Typically twin fins can be separated into 2 generic types—keel fins and upright fins. But, with the recent surge in twin fin popularity, hybrid keel or upright keels are becoming more common.

Keel fins are the classic traditional twin fin for fish surfboards. They are characterized by their wide base, large surface area, flat foil, and minimal rake. These features mean that they create great drive and hold for speed down the line and wide, fluid turns rather than tight, pivotal turns. The keel fin is one of the primary reasons a traditional fish is known for high speed and wide, drawn-out turns.

Upright fins, on the other hand, have a narrower base, a smaller surface area, and an upright design with varying degrees of rake. They appear to look like a standard fin but a larger version designed to provide the required hold during turns. With their narrower base and upright design, they allow for tighter turns and better surfing in the pocket of a wave while still giving the benefit of speed that everyone loves with a twin fin.

Hybrid keels or upright keels give a blend of both keel & upright fins creating an excellent middle ground for both flowing drawn out turns but with the ability to still pivot and perform tight turns in the pocket. Our go to fin for our fishes.

Small Wave Board vs Fish Surfboard: Key Differences

Which One Should You Choose?

When choosing between a groveller and a fish, consider your skill level, the prevailing conditions, and the type of surfing you enjoy.

A groveller is great if you are still in that beginner to intermediate stage, you want a more versatile board for a range of conditions, and you prefer snappy turns over smooth, drawn-out carves.

A fish surfboard is great if you are a comfortable intermediate surfer or above and can adjust your surfing to suit a twin fin, you want down the line speed with wider flowing turns or tight in the pocket surfing a fish can do both depending on your desired feel the right fins will be key to your surfing desires.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're chasing speed on a twin fin fish surfboard or dialing in a small wave board, both options bring something unique to the table. The best way to find out what works for you? Try both. The ocean is your playground, so go play and have some fun.

At Campbell Designed Surfboards we know surfing and we know our surfboard technology is second to none. We are so confident in our surfboards that we're offering a MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE if you don't love your new surfboard.

Head over to our SURFBOARD page or reach out to us for a free on-site consult to help you choose your next magic board.