Rudders & Fins

Original material produced for Carolina Paddleboard Co. and adapted 3/26/2019 to include Outrigger Canoe rudders.

In today’s ultra-competitive world of Paddle Racing, choosing the right rudder or fin may mean the difference between a personal best with a podium finish or packing up in disappointment after a hard fought race. Selecting a fin or rudder that fits the conditions of the course and the capabilities of the rider can make a big difference in the outcome of a race where seconds count.

What to Consider When Choosing a Rudder or Fin

Before diving into the specifics of fin design, there are a few basic generalizations to consider as you are shopping for a outrigger canoe rudder or SUP fin. Depending on your skill, strength, weight and balance along with board/boat design and race conditions, you will need to make fin selections taking into account the need for stability, speed and tracking. Fin design will affect all three of these aspects heavily.

You can’t ignore the shape of the fin, but in general the more surface area on the fin the more "grab" it will provide, where grab is a combination of stabilit