System for Placement of Surfboard Fin Attachment for Multiple Foot Sizes

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods are provided for achieving a surfboard design that accommodates multiple foot sizes of board riders. In one embodiment, the surfboard may include a first multi-fin plug securely mounted to a bottom surface at a first lateral distance from the centerline, wherein the first multi-fin plug comprises a first plurality of fin base slots to accommodate multiple lateral positions for a first fin. The surfboard may include a second multi-fin plug securely mounted to the bottom surface in the tail region at a second lateral distance from the centerline, wherein the second multi-fin plug is on an opposite side of the centerline and comprises a second plurality of fin base slots to accommodate multiple lateral positions for a second fin.

1 . A surfboard, comprising:
 an elongated body extending between a nose and a tail along a centerline of a longitudinal axis, and comprising:
 a deck; 
 a bottom surface; and 
 a tail region; and 
   a first multi-fin plug securely mounted to the bottom surface in the tail region at a first lateral distance from the centerline, wherein the first multi-fin plug comprises a first plurality of fin base slots to accommodate multiple lateral positions for a first fin.   
     
     
         2 . The surfboard of  claim 1 , wherein a given one of the first plurality of fin base slots is aligned with one of a toe tip and a heel of a user. 
     
     
         3 . The surfboard of  claim 1 , wherein the first multi-fin plug further comprises a first plurality of grooves, each groove interfacing with one of the first plurality of fin base slots, each groove configured to receive a fastener for the first fin. 
     
     
         4 . The surfboard of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises one of a threaded pin and a screw. 
     
     
         5 . The surfboard of  claim 1 , wherein each given slot of the first plurality of fin base slots is angled such that a given line extending from the given slot toward the nose converges at a first convergence point laterally offset from the centerline at the nose by a first defined distance. 
     
     
         6 . The surfboard of  claim 1 , further comprising a second multi-fin plug securely mounted to the bottom surface in the tail region at a second lateral distance from the centerline, wherein the second multi-fin plug is on an opposite side of the centerline with respect to the first multi-fin plug and comprises a second plurality of fin base slots to accommodate multiple lateral positions for a second fin. 
     
     
         7 . The surfboard of  claim 6 , wherein the first plurality of fin base slots and the second plurality of fin base slots are spaced to accommodate multiple foot sizes. 
     
     
         8 . The surfboard of  claim 6 , wherein the second lateral distance comprises the first lateral distance. 
     
     
         9 . The surfboard of  claim 6 , wherein:
 a given one of the first plurality of fin base slots is aligned with a toe tip of a user; and   a given one of the second plurality of fin base slots is aligned with one of a heel of the user.   
     
     
         10 . The surfboard of  claim 6 , wherein the second multi-fin plug further comprises a second plurality of grooves, each groove interfacing with one of the second plurality of fin base slots, each groove configured to receive a fastener for the second fin. 
     
     
         11 . The surfboard of  claim 6 , wherein each given slot of the second plurality of fin base slots is angled such that a given line extending from the given slot toward the nose converges at a second convergence point laterally offset from the centerline at the nose by a second defined distance. 
     
     
         12 . The surfboard of  claim 11 , wherein the second defined distance comprises the first defined distance. 
     
     
         13 . A surfboard, comprising:
 an elongated board comprising:
 a centerline of a longitudinal axis; 
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface; and 
 a tail region; 
   a first plug securely mounted to the bottom surface in the tail region at a first lateral distance from the centerline, wherein the first plug comprises a first plurality of fin base slots to accommodate multiple lateral positions for a first fin; and   a second plug securely mounted to the bottom surface in the tail region at a second lateral distance from the centerline, wherein the second plug comprises a second plurality of fin base slots to accommodate multiple lateral positions for a second fin.   
     
     
         14 . The surfboard of  claim 13 , wherein the first plurality of fin base slots and the second plurality of fin base slots are spaced to accommodate multiple foot sizes. 
     
     
         15 . The surfboard of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first plug further comprises a first plurality of grooves, each groove configured to receive a first fastener for the first fin; and   the second plug further comprises a second plurality of grooves, each groove configured to receive a second fastener for the second fin.   
     
     
         16 . The surfboard of  claim 13 , wherein the second lateral distance comprises the first lateral distance. 
     
     
         17 . The surfboard of  claim 13 , wherein each given slot of the first plurality of fin base slots is angled such that a given line extending from the given slot toward a board nose converges at a first convergence point laterally offset from the centerline at the nose by a first defined distance. 
     
     
         18 . The surfboard of  claim 13 , wherein each given slot of the second plurality of fin base slots is angled such that a given line extending from the given slot toward a board nose converges at a second convergence point laterally offset from the centerline at the nose by a second defined distance. 
     
     
         19 . A method, comprising:
 calculating a plurality of foot sizes for surfboard users;   mounting a first plug to a bottom surface of a surfboard at a first lateral distance from a surfboard centerline, the first plug comprising a first plurality of fin base slots to accommodate multiple lateral positions for a first fin to be aligned with a user heel;   mounting a second plug to the bottom surface at a second lateral distance from the centerline, the second plug comprising a second plurality of fin base slots to accommodate multiple lateral positions for a second fin to be aligned with a user toe tip, wherein the first plurality of fin base slots and the second plurality of fin base slots are spaced to accommodate the plurality of foot sizes.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 determining a foot size for a given user;   inserting and securing the first fin to a selected one of the first plurality of fin base slots; and   inserting and securing the second fin to a selected one of the second plurality of fin base slots, wherein a fin-to-fin distance between the first and second fins corresponds to the foot size.