At places like Supertubos, waves do not give much time to think.
One moment you are dropping in, the next you are under a wall of water with your board somewhere above or beside you.
That is where accidents like the one involving an Italian surfer begin. He spent six days with the tip of a surfboard fin lodged in his face between his jaw and his nasal septum.
On his last ride at the European Pipeline, the board slingshot back at him and hit him hard.
In 2023, a surfer lost his life after the fin of his surfboard cut his femoral artery, resulting in a quick loss of blood.
The worst thing is that sometimes serious injuries take place in the smallest surf.
A surfboard fin may be small, but it usually moves fast and carries the force of the wave behind it. When it connects with a face, an arm, or a rib, the result can be worse than most surfers expect.
And it often ends up in a hospital bed. The risk is not new. What stands out is how easy it is to underestimate it.
So, we at SurferToday.com decided to reflect on what surfers and surfboard fin manufacturers could do to minimize injuries.
A few changes in how surfers fall, how they handle their boards, and how fins are built could make these accidents less severe.
No one really expects a session to end in a hospital visit.
What surfers can do in the water
Most fin injuries happen when the surfer loses track of the board, right?
That's why the first habit to build is simple. Stay aware of where your board is, even during a wipeout.
We know that sounds obvious, but in heavy surf, many surfers go rigid and stop reacting.
Training yourself to fall with control can make a real difference. Covering your head with your arms and turning slightly away from the board reduces the chance of a direct hit.
It's not 100 percent safe, but it mitigates most accidents.
Then we've got duck diving large waves, which brings a different kind of risk. If the timing is off, the wave can rip the board backward.
A tight grip on the rails helps, but grip alone is not enough.
Keeping the board angled slightly downward and pushing it deep under the turbulence lowers the chance that it will snap back toward your face.
Got it?
Leashes also play a quiet role in these accidents.
A short, tight leash pulls the board back faster after a fall. That snapback effect can send fins toward the surfer.
Choosing a leash length that matches the board and wave size helps reduce that recoil. Some surfers even shift their body to the side of the leash line when resurfacing, just to avoid being in its path.
Board handling outside the wave matters too. Many injuries happen in shallow water or crowded lineups.
Holding the board by the nose with the fins trailing behind, instead of at your side, keeps the sharp edges away from your body and from others nearby.
Small design changes with big effects
Surfboard fins are sharp for a reason. They need to cut through water cleanly and hold in steep waves.
Still, there is room for smarter design without ruining performance.
Manufacturers can adjust the edges of fins in subtle ways. A slightly rounded leading edge, or a micro-bevel along the outer rim, can soften the impact without changing how the fin behaves in the water.
These changes are small enough that most surfers would not notice them while riding a wave, but they could matter during a collision or a wipeout gone wrong.
Material choice is another path. Many fins are made from stiff composites that do not give under pressure.
Introducing materials that flex just a bit on impact could absorb some of the force. The challenge is to keep that flex predictable, so surfers still get the control they expect.
Detachable or breakaway floatable fin systems are also worth attention. Some designs already allow fins to pop out under extreme force, like, for instance, bindings on wakeboards and skis.
Expanding this idea could prevent part of a fin from staying lodged in a body after impact.
The key is balance. The fin should stay secure during normal surfing but release when the force crosses a certain threshold.
As long as they could float. Isn't that doable?
Lastly, there's always the option to sand the edges down. Not only does it reduce the hums, but it also smoothens out the fins' outline and makes them less dangerous.
Rethinking safety without slowing performance
Protective add-ons exist, but they are often ignored. Fins with rubber edges, for example, should be common in surf schools.
There are some models available in the market, and they prevent cuts. However, experienced surfers rarely use them because they can dull performance.
There is space here for better design, though. A thinner, hydrodynamic guard that only covers the most dangerous edges could appeal to a wider group of surfers.
Visual cues might help as well. Brightly colored fins are easier to spot underwater. That split second of visibility can give a surfer time to react during a wipeout.
It is a small idea, but in chaotic surf, small advantages count.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com
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