FCS FCS is a game-changer in the world of surfing which allows a flexible way of attaching fins on a surfboard. FCS fins are versatile in various conditions and they open up the possibilities of changing the surfer's performance through the use of a diverse fin template as well as making surf tra...
FCS is a game-changer in the world of surfing which allows a flexible way of attaching fins on a surfboard. FCS fins are versatile in various conditions and they open up the possibilities of changing the surfer's performance through the use of a diverse fin template as well as making surf travel so much easier by being able to remove the fins from your boards. It is the most extensively used fin system and has become a global standard for removable surfboard fins. FCS also offers a wide range of surf hardware products such as fin plugs, board covers, leashes, luggage and tail pads. The name FCS stands for Fin Control System and was founded in 1992 in Australia. Shop today at Yakwax and enjoy our FREE UK delivery!
FCS is the revolutionary brand that changed the world of surfing. FCS stands for Fin Control System and it is also a type of fin setup that allows a flexible style and placement of fins onto a surfboard. These fins allow surfers to travel with ease, alter their fin setup to suit various conditions, and offer the opportunity to modify their performance by utilising a different fin template.
FCS's roster of global pro surfers and SUP paddlers include (surfing) Filipe Toledo, Gabriel Medina, Harley Ingleby, Jeremy Flores , Julian Wilson, Kolohe Andino, Mick Fanning, Ryan Hipwood, Sally Fitzgibbons, (SUP) Anthony Vela, Beau Nixon, Candice Appleby, Dan Gavere, Danny Ching, Eric Terrien, Justin Holland, Michael Tavares, Nicole Pacelli, Noa Ginella, Noah Yap, Sean Poynter, Slater Trout, Travis Grant and Zane Schweitzer.
Currently, FCS has a growing network of global retail partners which ensure their latest products are available to avid surfers anywhere in the world. If you're from the UK, you can get FCS products from our shop or here at Yakwax.com and take advantage of our awesome FREE UK delivery service.
During the early days of surfing - from around the 70's to the 90s, surfboard fins were glassed onto the board and without any way to remove and reattach them. But in the early 90s, a guy named Brian Whitty came up to three surfers from Sydney with a brainwave (also known as removable fins).
At the time, the main concern was how to secure the fins onto the surfboards. The foregoing months enabled the creator to turn the brainwave into reality, and, eventually, the birth of FCS. This time was also considered the peak of surfing history due to the turn of events.
The very first FCS fins were launched in Australia in 1992 and released world-wide in 1994. The first fin plug was patented in November 1995, just one year after the fins' global release. Over the years, FCS became the world's strongest, most successful and widely used surfboard fin system.
Since the global release of FCS in 1994, numerous WSL (former ASP) world titles and other surfing events have been won using its fin systems. It has been stated that no other fin system was able to achieve any WSL world title in any division. This only proves that FCS fin systems are more beneficial to the surfer compared to the traditional fixed fins and other fin systems available today.
Still confused about surfboard fins? No worries, we have created a HUGE surfboard fins guide where we explain everything you will ever need to know about them, how they impact your board in certain conditions and which ones you should be riding.
The FCS fin system is characterised by the two tabs on the fins which are designed to fit into a securing fin plug that's attached on the underside of a surfboard. These plugs have slots to which the fin tabs are placed in and are secured by using set screws tightened by either Allen wrench or fin key. Fins can be removed when it's time to travel or store your board.
The most common plug installation (onto the surfboard) is by drilling holes at the end of the shaping process and securing them with resin. The deck and bottom of the board bind with the plugs using the 'H-pattern' which provides more strength at the fin without the need for permanent installation through glassing. However, the FCS Fusion was designed to be installed before the glassing method and it is preferred for epoxy surfboards.
The FCS II system revolutionised the surfing world once again and is a pre-glass fin system introduced to the market in September 2013. It offers more advantages such as the elimination of screws or any tool to secure the fins into the plugs. The fin's base sits evenly and connects seamlessly on the board's surface. The FCS II system is backward compatible which means it accepts fins from the original dual-tab system. To secure two-tab fins, two grub crews and a silicon insert are included into the new system.
If you're a fan of FCS, you can keep yourself in the loop for updates regarding their products, pro teams and surfboard technology by visiting their website's Community section. But if you want their latest fins, tail pads, leashes and other premium products, you can get them online here at Yakwax! Everything comes with FREE UK delivery - we also deliver worldwide!
