The FCS (Fin Control System) brand began in the early 1990’s when Brian Witty and four like-minded surfers developed the concept of detachable surfboard fins. FCS stands for Fin Control System and this simple concept would revolutionise the way surfboards were manufactured and ridden forever. Removable fins offered a convenient solution for traveling with surfboards, and gave riders the opportunity to customise the performance of their board based on conditions, skill set and individual style. This customisation process also allowed some of the world’s best athletes to excel and win 117 World Surf League Championship Tour wins and 20 World Titles. The brand has come a long way over the last 30 years, although the key focus around product innovation and excellence remains unchanged.

Design

The original FCS system could be recognized by the two tabs on the fins which are designed to fit into a securing plug that attaches the fin to the board. The fin tabs are placed in slots which are set into the board by the use of a plug that fits flush with the underside of the board. They are secured into these plugs by the use of

set screw In American English, a set screw is a screw that is used to secure an object, by pressure and/or friction, within or against another object, such as fixing a pulley or gear to a shaft. A set screw is normally used without a nut (which distingu ...

s which can be tightened down by a fin key. The plug design and use of set screws enables the fin to be easily removed and installed for storage or travel. These plugs can be installed in a variety of different ways in order to create the correct degree of strength needed for the fin to function. The more common method is to drill the plug hole at the end of the shaping process and then secure the plug in the hole with resin. The plug attaches through the use of the “H-pattern” which binds at both the deck and bottom of the board

fiberglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass ( Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass clo ...

to the plug which provide the most strength at the fin without permanent installation through glassing on (same as laying on fiberglass). A version of FCS (Fusion) had been designed to be installed before the surfboard blank is covered with fiberglass and is the preferred version of FCS for epoxy surfboards.

FCS II

After years of development and testing FCS launched a revolutionary new system which seamlessly connected the essential elements in surfing; the surfer, the surfboard and the fins. The FCS II system made it possible to install and remove your fins in seconds, without the need for any screws or tools. The new system boasted a number of key advantages over its predecessors. Firstly, the need for any screws or tool to secure the fins has been eliminated; the fins now simply lock into the plugs. Secondly, the leading edge of the fin resides inside the plug, and the base of the fins sit flush to the surface of the board creating a more seamless connection. The final key feature of the new system is that it's backward compatible, meaning it will accept fins from the original dual tab system. Adding two grub screws and a small silicon insert allows you to secure your two tab fins into the new system.

Current Team Riders

Carissa Moore Carissa Kainani Moore (born August 27, 1992) is a Hawaiian American Olympian, world champion surfer and activist. She was the first-ever winner of the Olympic Gold Medal in women's short board surfing in 2020. She was also the 2011, 2013, 20 ...

* Julian Wilson *

Mick Fanning Michael Eugene Fanning (born 13 June 1981) is an Australian professional surfer who was crowned champion of the Association of Surfing Professionals/World Surf League (ASP/WSL)'s World Tour in 2007, 2009 and 2013. In 2015, he survived a shark ...

* Filipe Toledo *

Sky Brown is a British-Japanese professional skateboarder and surfer who competes for Great Britain. She is the youngest professional skateboarder in the world, and has also won the American TV programme '' Dancing with the Stars: Juniors''. She repres ...

*Mason Ho *

Kolohe Andino Kolohe Andino (born March 22, 1994, in San Clemente, California) is an American surfer. Andino began surfing at a young age and holds the record for winning the most National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) titles of any male competitor, ...

* Sally Fitzgibbons *Kelia Moniz * Jeremy Flores *Barron Mamiya * Harley Ingleby * Isabella Nichols

Former Team Riders

* Kelly Slater * Mark Occhilupo * Sunny Garcia * CJ Hobgood * Damien Hobgood * Adriano De Souza * Gabriel Medina

References

External links