Parts of a Surfboard – Nose, Deck, Rails, Tail and Fins

All 12 parts on the diagram

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Start here: 5 main parts 5

Nose The board's front tip. Pointed on this shortboard, rounded on others.
Deck The deck: the top of the board, where the surfer stands. Surf wax goes on it for grip.
Rails The rails: the board's edges. In a turn the surfer leans onto one rail.
Tail The tail: the back end. Its shape (square, squash, pin, swallow) changes how the board turns.
Bottom The bottom: the underside of the board, which slides on the water.

From above: 8 4

Stringer A thin strip down the middle, usually of wood. It runs nose to tail to make the board stronger and stiffer.
Traction pad A ridged grip for the back foot. Stuck on the deck near the tail. Also called the tail pad.
Leash plug A small cup set into the deck near the tail. The leash is tied on here.
Leash Keeps the board close after a fall. A cord from the tail with a strap for the surfer’s back ankle. Also called the leg rope.

Side-on: 4 3

Nose rocker The curve up from the flat middle to the nose. Also called the flip.
Tail rocker The curve up from the flat middle to the tail. Also called the kick. More kick makes a board turn more easily.
Fins The fins: fixed under the tail to stop the board sliding sideways. This board has three, a thruster.

How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-27. Wikipedia, Surfboard, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfboard , section Parts and its diagram (nose, tail, deck, rails, stringer, bottom, nose rocker, tail rocker, leg rope): the deck is the top, where surf wax is applied; the fin is a stabilising rudder at the rear that stops the board sliding sideways, and a thruster has three; the leash is a urethane cord with a strap for the surfer’s trailing foot at one end and the tail of the board at the other; the leash plug is installed when the board is made; the nose is the front tip, pointed or rounded; tail shapes include square, pin, squash, swallow and diamond; traction pads (deck grips, tailpads) usually go on the tail; the rails are the edges, and turns go from rail to rail; rocker is the curve between nose and tail, the nose rocker or flip at the front and the tail rocker or kick at the back, and more kick adds manoeuvrability; the stringer runs down the middle, usually a thin wooden slat from nose to tail, and adds strength. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-27. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

These are the parts of a surfboard on a shortboard: first from above, then side-on, where the curve of the bottom and the fins show. Start with the 5 main parts.

Read the full guide

From above

The surfer stands on the deck, which gets surf wax for grip. The rails are the edges, and a stringer runs down the middle for strength. Near the tail sit the traction pad and the leash plug, where the leash ties on.

Side-on

The bottom rides on the water. It curves up at the front, the nose rocker or flip, and at the back, the tail rocker or kick. The fins under the tail stop the board sliding sideways.

Look for the stringer as a thin line down the deck from nose to tail; some boards have more than one.

Questions and answers

What are the sides of a surfboard called?

The rails. A round rail is called soft and a squarer one hard. In a turn the surfer shifts from one rail to the other.

What is rocker on a surfboard?

The curve of the board from nose to tail, seen side-on. The curve at the front is the nose rocker or flip, and at the back the tail rocker or kick.

What does the stringer do?

It makes the board stronger and stiffer. It is usually a thin strip of wood running down the middle of the board from nose to tail.