This section will be updated as I come across more terms, it’s a live list.
- Blank – Is the foam core that a surfboard is made from, typically a rough block or piece of foam that resembles a surfboard shape that can then be shaped into a surfboard.
- Center Fin – The surfboard fin that is typically a larger fin mounted in the center of a surfboard.
- Concave – A type of bottom shape of a surfboard, a rounded spoon shape (when looking at spoon from above). One of the most common surfboard bottom shapes, helps channel water under the board while also providing lift. On longboards a concave can be found under the nose to help with nose riding.
- Convex – The opposite of a concave surfboard bottom, rounded out like the bottom of a spoon. A bottom shape like this helps displace water under a surfboard.
- Fins – Used to help direct water to provide control to a surfboard. A very important but complicated surfboard peripheral.
- Foil Board – A board used with a hydrofoil, construction is similar to a surfboard and can come in various sizes. Has a trackbox/pedestal or tuttle mount for a foil in lieu of surfboard fins.
- Laminating/Glassing/Fiberglassing – The process of covering a shaped foam surfboard blank with resin saturated fiberglass cloth. Giving strength, rigidity and impact resistance to the foam surfboard core.
- Standup Paddle Board – Also commonly abbreviated as SUP, a large “surfboard” with a ton of volume and width that you stand on and paddle with a paddle. Can be used to ride waves or paddling on flatwater, some even can be used for longer expeditions.
- Surfboard – A craft used to ride ocean waves. Basically this site is teaching you how to build these.
- Tuck – The bottom rail edge of a surfboard, typically chamfered.
- Rails – The sides of a surfboard.
- Rail Bands – Bands that are marked out on a surfboard blank that are used as reference marks to show where to remove foam.
- Stringer – Typically a thin wooden strip (there are other types like laminates or plastic) in the middle of the surfboard. Provides stiffness to a surfboard, made from basswood usually but other woods can be used, such as cedar, pine or even plywood.
- Resin
- Epoxy Resin – A super tough and strong two part resin system. Can be used with EPS, XPS and polyurethane foams/blanks.
- Polyester Resin – A common resin used in the surfboard industry since the beginning of foam surfboard construction. Is catalyzed using a methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) to cause the resin to harden and cure to a durable “plastic”. Not as tough as epoxy but very cost effective. Can only be used with polyurethane blanks.