Commercial real estate loans from 750 different commercial real estate lenders can be found in just four minutes using the C-Loans Commercial Mortgage Lender Databank. If you need a commercial real estate loan right now.

Commercial real estate finance is different than commercial Mortgage finance. Commercial finance includes not only commercial real estate loans, but also business loans secured by personal property. Therefore commercial real estate loans are just a subset of commercial finance.

As the name implies, a commercial real estate loan is a loan secured by either a rental property, such as an apartment building, office building, or shopping center, or by some sort of business-related property, such as a hotel, bowling alley, or self storage facility.

The term "commercial loan" and "commercial finance" includes both commercial real estate loans and business loans secured by personal property. One example of a business loan secured by personal property might be a loan to a surfboard manufacturer secured by its inventory of completed surfboards that are ready to be shipped out to some surf shops. Another example might be a business loan to a grading contractor secured by his collection of backhoes and skid loaders.

A business loan might even be secured by receivables. For example, a dress manufacturer might ship its dresses out to dress shops, with payment expected within 60 days. Once the dresses have been shipped and their delivery has been accepted, the promises made by the dress shop owners to pay for the dresses are known as account receivables. A bank might make a short term commercial loan to the dress manufacturer secured by its receivables.

So a commercial real estate loan is just one kind of commercial mortgage loan.

Commercial real estate loans are made by about five classes of lenders. The best known class of lender that makes commercial real estate loans includes banks, savings banks, and saving and loan associations (S&L's).

Large banks make large commercial real loans. Small banks make small commercial real estate loans. It's a deceptively simple concept, but it's important. You usually won't want to take a $200,000 commercial real estate loan request to a bank the size of Bank of America. Conversely, you won't want to take a $15 million commercial real estate loan request to the small Bank of the Northeast Corner of Tiny Town.

The second most important class of lender making commercial real estate loans these days is the conduit or CMBS lender. CMBS stands for commercial mortgage-backed securities. A conduit makes commercial real estate loans according to a very precise cookie-cutter. A large number of these cookie-cutter commercial real estate loans are then assembled into a portfolio, assigned to a trust, and then securitized. Conduits offer terrific rates on commercial real estate loans, but their loans have lock-out clauses and huge prepayment penalties.

The third class of lender making commercial real estate loans are the life insurance companies. Historically life insurance companies have always offered the very cheapest commercial real estate loan rates, but convincing them to make you a commercial real estate loan is very difficult. They usually only want deals on the top 10% most desirable properties in the largest cities, and they seldom will go higher than 60% to 68% loan-to-value. You might work an entire lifetime as a commercial mortgage banker and never successfully close a commercial real estate loan with a life company. In addition, the conduits have been stealing much of the market from life companies because they offer much higher leverage.

The fourth class of lender making commercial real estate loans are the real estate investment trusts (REIT's). REITS are making far fewer commercial real estate loans than in the past, and they have largely become irrelevant.

The final large class of lenders making commercial real estate loans are the hard money lenders. Using the funds of wealthy private investors or mortgage investment pools, hard money lenders have been making a ton of commercial real estate loans in recent years. These commercial real estate loans are usually very expensive, but a desperate borrower can often obtain a commercial real estate loan from a hard money lender in a matter of a few weeks by http://www.pro-bargainhunter.com.

DVD'S For Under $1

If you’re just learning to surf, the kind of board you use is second to learning the ins and outs of the sport, but once you’ve gotten a handle on the sport and the different ways boards ride on a wave, you will come to understand the art of choosing your perfect surfboard.

Many beginners learn how to surf on a long board, a board that is at least nine feet long. Any board longer than nine feet will be much easier to learn on because it will be much more comfortable to lie down on, much faster to paddle out to the break, and much easier to catch a wave. With time, practice, and patience, you will be standing up on your long board and catching waves in no time. At that point, you may consider a smaller board.

Let’s talk a bit more about the advantages of the long board. The factors that allow you to catch a wave are the size of the wave, the velocity of the wave, and the quality of your board. The key for beginners is to not get a board that is too short or too narrow. You will be much happier starting out on a long, wide board, as you will catch more waves and get more practice standing up. You’ll have far less inclination to lug a heavy board around with you, so find a board that is light enough to carry around. The thickness of the board doesn’t matter as much, but try to get a board that will fit comfortably under your arm or one that you can actually carry for at least two blocks.

As a general rule of thumb, you don’t want a board that seems discolored or overly worn or tired. You want a board that still has a little life in it and you shouldn’t be afraid to ding it up a bit. Beginners definitely shouldn’t buy new boards. The ideal situation for beginning surfers would be to borrow a board from a friend, buy a used board, or purchase a long-term (seasonal) rental. Don’t worry about buying something fancy. Just get something that will get you in the water, keep you coming back for more, and will stand the test of time.

Short-boarding beginners might prefer a “fish,” which tends to be short (about six to seven feet in length) and wide (about 20 inches). Fish-shaped boards provide a little more float for the rider, which is a help to beginning surfers. Fish-shaped boards may be a little harder to turn and duck dive, but they will help you get the feel of short boarding and provide enough confidence for you to continue learning. As is the case with beginner long boards, your beginner short board should also be newer (10 years old at most) and should not have dings, holes, bumps, or bruises.

If you have a decent budget, you could opt for the practically indestructible epoxy board. Epoxy boards, as opposed to cheaper fiberglass boards, last longer and are machine made. They’re good for beginners because they don’t ding as easily (and, as a beginner, you will find that your board is difficult to carry without bumping into things).

Finally, if you don’t feel completely comfortable on the board, don’t worry too much?you’ll get used to it. Get something decent enough to keep you paddling out for a year and trade up for a better, faster board when you’re ready.

DVD'S For Under $1

In ancient times the art of surfing was a deeply spiritual affair for Hawaiian people and surfing was not only recreational but a means for resolving conflicts and training for the Hawaiian chiefs. The Hawaiian people had rituals for building surfboards and the surfboards they built ranged from 10-16 ft made of solid redwood and the longer the board the higher your social ranking. During the early days the Hawaiian's made two types of surfboards made from the Wili Wili, the Ula and the Koa tree's.

The 'Olo' surfboard was ridden by the Chiefs or the noblemen usually between 14-16 feet and the 'Alaia' surfboard was between 10-12 feet in length and ridden by commoners.

Captain Cook witnessed natives surfing solid wooden surfboards when he visited the Hawaiian Islands in 1777 and his diaries are the first official documentation describing the art of surfing.

Later in the mid 19th century when the western/white missionaries arrived surfing almost died out in the islands. At the start of the 20th century the missionaries influence over the islands began to decline and Hawaiians along with the new European and American settlers began surfing again. One of these was George Freeth, who through his surfing, experimented with board design, and cut his 16 foot Hawaiian board in half. Making the typical solid redwood Hawaiian board of the time to around 6 to 10 foot long.

In 1926 one of the most famous names in surf history; Tom Blake designed the first hollow surfboard constructed of redwood with hundreds of holes drilled in it and was encased with a thin board of wood on top and bellow the board. The board was 15 foot long, 19" wide, 4" thick and weighed 100 lbs.

This hollow surfboard eventually became the first mass-produced board in 1930s due to it's weight and the speeds it could generate.

In 1932 Balsa wood from South America became a popular material for building surfboards. The new balsa wood boards only weighed around 30 to 40 pounds apposed to the 90 to 100 pound redwood boards. Such a reduction in weight was a major step forward in board design, and became more and more in demand.

The end of World War 2 opened up new possibilities in surfboard design as many new materials had become available through advances in technology. Fibreglass and styrofoam were the most significant of these.

The shortboard first came to the surf scene during the late 60's to early 70's and the average length went from 10 to 6 foot, with an obvious reduction in weight. These new boards allowed surfers to ride in the pocket of the wave and Dick Brewer is credited with it's design. These new boards allowed faster, more aggressive surf and more manoeuvrability. It was around this time that the twin fin was created, apposed to just the one.

In 1966, Nat Young won the World Championships on a shortboard called 'Sam' designed by George Greenough and Bob McTavish. This board allowed greater performance style surfing with sharper turns and greater acceleration, which kick-started the 'shortboard revolution'.

Cheap Beach Holidays.

Summer is here again and the surf is up. All around the world surfers are throwing away hair brushes, digging out the sunscreen and boardies (long shorts) and preparing their surfboards with their sex wax. For the grommets among you (no, not cute animated doggies but wannabe surfers) I have set out below some terminology that will help you at least sound as if you know what you are talking about.

First, you need a surfboard. This is a simple affair of fibreglass decorated with either pretty colours or in a design of your choice. If you are trying to surf without one of these, then that's called swimming, or drowning, and that will make you look stupid so please don't do it.

Knowing the terms for various waves will also make you appear a little more experienced. A crumbly is not what you may think. It is not the old boy sitting on the beach with the knotted hanky on his head eating an ice cream but is, in fact, a wave that is affected by onshore winds. The lip of the wave crumbles and will send your surfboard in all directions, ruining the session.

When a fellow surfer points towards the sea and says 'fetch', do not run into the waves holding your hands up and shouting 'What, what?' He is, in fact, pointing towards the area of the sea's surface where the wind generates the waves. It is this area that will determine the quality and size of the waves and this is the area you need to keep an eye on.

If waves are said to be 'dumping', you have no need to fear of sewer leakage because the term means that the waves are folding over in large sections. Do not take your surfboard into these conditions, you will be wasting your time.

However, if there is concern of 'chowder' in the sea then surf by all means but do it with your mouth shut as there really will be sewage in the sea. This is quite a gross thought, but one you need to come to terms with.

A floater is not something to fear. It is actually a term for a surfing manoeuvre that will help to generate speed beneath your surfboard in readiness for your next manoeuvre. These come as front side floaters or backside floaters. If you see a small kid in the water with a grin on his face then backside floaters could mean something else entirely and you should, once again, surf with our mouth closed.

If a surfer is referred to as having 'sick air', it means he has done an impressive manoeuvre. It does not mean he has had too many donuts. Donut is another word for a fall, as is mullering, eating it, pounding and wipe out.

When a fellow surfer passes comment on your stick he is not referencing your anatomy because your wet suit is too tight, he is discussing your surfboard. If he offers you sex wax do not be offended. This is the stuff that stops your feet slipping off your surfboard.

Being 'in the soup' is where you will be if you end up in the white foam after a wave has broken. However, if you get too cocky after doing sick air and are lining up for your floater but end up eating it in the soup with chowder in the surf you're going to have problems.

Cheap Beach Holidays.

Why holiday on the Gold Coast? Its a question I am asked quite often despite our perfect weather, beautiful beaches and laid back way of life. If you are thinking about visiting us here, I have outlined some of the major highlights of our year below, to help you plan your next trip and to make sure you get the most out of your time here.

The calendar of events listed below is by no means exhaustive. So for more information about holidaying at the Gold Coast, make sure you look through our website at Gold Coast Surfboards

January The Magic Millions Carnival - A must event for those who love everything horse racing. The Magic Millions carnival in January brings Australian horse racing to the Gold Coast, combining the annual yearling sales with race meets, parties and dinners, all culminating in the Magic Millions race day, where over 3 million dollars in prize money is up for grabs.

February Without any specific big event in February, it is often the best time to visit. With school holidays coming to an end, the peak tourist period starting to die, you will be left with more space, more time and a more relaxing experience. Perfect for the holiday maker just wanting to wind down on a beach somewhere.

March Every March, the surfing world turns their collective attention to the Gold Coast, as the first event on the annual World Championship Tour is fought out on our waves. Given how much Australian surfers love the Gold Coast as a surfing destination generally, March really becomes a special time for surfers local and visiting, who find themselves on the Gold Coast.

April The Malfunction Surf Festival cruises into Coolangatta during March. Are you a surfer who has a touch of nostalgia for the surfing days not too long past. If so, this festival is for you. Aimed at longboarders and retro surfers, the five day carnival has a look at many aspects of the surfie culture, including art and memorabilia, surf vehicles, surf movies and a surf celebrity dinner.

May Each year in May, over 70 blues artists from OZ and the US, and over 100,000 blues lovers and enthusiasts make their way to Broadbeach to appreciate 5 days of blues music in a massive street festival environment - The Broadbeach Blues Festival has come to town. The line up of artists and festival generally gets better and better every year.

June The Gold Coast Bazaar - Our Festival of Fashion, Food and Fun. Established in 2007, the Gold Coast Bazaar brings the best the Gold Coast retail sector has to offer into a carnival of fashion food and fun. June at the Gold Coast is a definate for those who love to shop.

July The Gold Coast Marathon in July has become more than a race. It has become a weekend of fun and fitness, and a celebration of our modern day athletes who can accomplish these amazing feats of endurance. I participated in this event for the first time in 2008, albeit in the shorter 10km event on this weekend.

August August in the Gold Coast is your time of year if you love to celebrate your taste buds. The annual Tastes of The Gold Coast Festival brings the best of the Gold Coast's food and wine together, to be tasted and feasted upon, in Australia's most idyllic settings. It is a true celebration of the Gold Coast lifestyle, wine and food producers, chefs and restaurants, who now count as some of the worlds best.

September The Swell Sculpture Festival hits Currumbin Beach in September. Swell is a globally unique outdoor sculpture festival. The idea of Swell is for artists, both local and international, to create pieces which are large and durable and specific for outdoor display. Not only does this bring some spectacular sculptures to the Gold Coast, but it also provides a free outdoor event for the locals and holiday makers to the area, with plenty of events organised in a spectacular outdoor art gallery on the beach.

October The Lexmark Indy 300 - Four big car races come to the streets of Surfers Paradise, and are raced over 4 days. The Indy is one of Australias biggest car events, with Champ Cars and the V8s descending on the Gold Coast to race around a 4.47km street circuit in Australia's favorite tourist destination This event is a must on the calendar of all motor enthusiasts both national and international

November - December Schoolies Week comes to the Gold Coast. Its become an institution for Australian high school leavers to descend on the Gold Coast to celebrate finishing their secondary schooling. Its a 3 week graduation festival, a rite of passage, where the nations school leavers get the chance to taste the freedom they have worked for for 12 years. Its the perfect holiday event for you if your are 18ish and just finishing high school.

If your ideal holiday isn't one shared with a city of maraudering teenages and you are coming to the Gold Coast during this time of the year, we suggest you book your hotel a little bit out of Surfers Paradise, which is central to the schoolies action. Anything between Mermaid Beach and Coolangatta should be fine.

And don't forget when planning your trip to the Gold Coast, you can do it all from the convenience of one website. From hotel reservations, to car rentals and airline bookings. You can even hire your surfboard for your entire holiday, all from the Gold Coast Surfboards website

Cheap Beach Holidays.

Most surfers feel the thrill of surfing long before they buy their first surfboard. Some aspiring surfers might have innocently dabbled with surfing on the shoreline using boogie boards or spare pieces of plastic. An aspiring surfer is one that has spent many vacations at the beach and in the surf and at some point, they might have developed a yearning to learn how to ride a board on top of a wave.

After they have committed their heart to surfing, by buying a surfboard that will meet their needs, they find that they have many things to learn along the way to ride the board the way they envision it is possible in their head. All of the things that they learn along the way are certain to be thrilling, but what they learn about themselves will stay with them for the rest of their lives. To perfect their surfing style, they might have performed tricks that they were not aware of and the surfer probably never knew that they were actually surfing if someone had not told them.

The inspiration to learn how to surf might have come from surfers who were on the beach and in the water during those vacations. Some vacationers are positively thrilled to learn that there are surfers on the beach who are under the age of seven. Many eyes might be focused on a surfer in the distance that has an uncanny ability to ride the waves with what seems to be a short surfboard underneath them.

Many people will be thrilled when they get to see the surfer paddling out toward the waves with a surfboard and many will wonder if the surfer is aware of the number of people who are in the water with them. Some people might mistake the thrilling feeling that they have because fear and thrill sensations run so close together. Every trick that a spectator views is likely to make them sit up and take notice, and more for worry than the thrill of watching them attempt daring feats on a board that is not as tall as the surfer is.

Some people will enjoy the thrills of surfing without ever trying to surf. These people are content to spend the day with family and friends at the beach and find true enjoyment out of watching surfers perform various tricks. Some of those tricks will seem quite daring and make that person glad that they have their feet firmly planted on the shore. Some friends in the group might want to give surfing a try but will wait until they have a better day to do it.

Other people find surfing thrills between the covers of sports magazines. Some will sit poolside at home and dream of the day that they take their turn on a surfboard. That day might not ever come, but at least the person is enjoying a day in the sun, just like the surfers are on a beach far away. The person that is sitting in the middle of suburbia can at least pursue some surfing dreams by latching onto the imagination of a surfer who stopped surfing long enough to put the action in writing.

Cheap Beach Holidays.

The tiki bar is a wonderful place to hang out, relax, or go all out and party. There's nothing quite like a tiki bar to take you away from the everyday mundane life, transferring you to a tropical vacation atmosphere, all without the need to travel to expensive resorts. Providing that unique island charm that feels like something straight from the Caribbean, tiki bars can recreate the setting of island paradise just about anywhere.

Those interested in the wonders of tiki culture should considering owning their own tiki bar. Whether for commercial or for private use, building and owning a tiki bar can be a fun and rewarding experience. It can also fill one with a great sense of pride and is a wonderful conversation topic.

Tiki bars can come in different shapes and sizes. The traditional tiki bar is based on the tiki hut which are found on islands. They are usually made of wood or bamboo, and the trademark thatched grass roofing. A full sized tiki bar can be quite an affair, emulating an environment of an island getaway resort.

Private tiki bars can be more variable depending on the requirements and budget of the owner. Poolside tiki bars are very popular, as well as backyard patio bars. Tiki bars can even be built indoors such as basement tiki bars- a pretty good source of awe and amusement for visiting relatives.

Wherever one wants to build their tiki bar, whatever size it is- the secret to having an exceptional and authentic tiki bar is in the decor one chooses to adorn their home-away-from home with. Nothing can better encapsulate the magic of the tropics quite like a well decorated tiki bar.

There are many types of tiki bar decor. They can range from the small to the enormous, the simple to the outrageous, and the cute to the downright freaky!

A good tiki bar should have some tiki totems, tiki masks and other such decorative items to give that distinctive native atmosphere. There are so many varieties of tiki decor to choose from. One can include anything they want. It's all good as long as it adds to the mood and party atmosphere.

One of the staples of a good tiki bar are funky tiki signs. There's no better way to declare your presence than a huge, flamboyant tiki sign hovering over the bar entrance to welcome your patrons. Tiki signs aren't limited to the bar entrance though, and should be placed anywhere and everywhere, including the restrooms, to mark restricted areas, or just to let people know how proud you are of your cool, vintage surfboard.

Even better is to have your tiki sign actually be your cool, vintage surfboard. Tiki signs can be made from a variety of different materials such as driftwood, surfboards or even canoe paddles. Carvings of fish or other aquatic life also make wonderful signs and ooze style. Just be sure to hang a "gone surfing" sign to let people know when your away.

A hallmark of the tiki culture is the moai. Moai are the famous monolithic statues found on Easter Island. These moai take the shape of giant heads, and according to legend, are said to hold the mystic powers of deceased clan chiefs.

They can also make really cool decorative items! Some people might find some difficulty finding space for a 50 foot monolith moai in their tiki bars; though thankfully moai decorations come in many different shapes and sizes to work with.

Miniature moai carvings are very popular. They work nicely as wall hangings or table pieces. You can even put them in the restrooms for a unique decoration.

One of the most important items in a tiki bar are the special tiki mugs to serve those groovy drinks in. Serve your wicked concoctions in mugs shaped like totem poles of ancient gods or with the somewhat less creepy glasses printed with dancing hula girls in grass skirts.

These are just a few examples of tiki bar decor. There are many more special tiki items available. The best thing about starting a tiki bar now is that these, sometimes difficult to find specialty items can be easily acquired via the internet!

Just remember that the proper decorations can really make or brake a tiki bar. So don't be afraid to go all out. Be creative and remember to have fun!

Cheap Beach Holidays.

Let's take a look at how advertising is done for your niche websites. Many of you who are interested in Internet niche marketing will focus on creating websites which either promote products or services which you sell directly or entice website visitors to click on an advertiser's link. The former is typically considered a commercial website while the latter typically refers to a pay per click website where the website owner profits when the users click on the advertisers' links. In this article we will examine both types of websites and will discuss options for finding advertisers for each type.

Advertising for a Commercial Website

As previously mentioned a commercial website is one in which the website offers products or services for sale directly. In this scenario those who operate the website are generally profiting through the sale of products or services. However, this is not the only possibility for revenue. Savvy Internet marketers realize the opportunity for placing advertising on their website. You, the marketer may still profit from sales through your website but may also profit through these advertisements as well.

One obvious possibility for profit is through sale of advertisement space on the website. In this case the advertiser may pay you the website owner a monthly fee to run a particular advertisement for a set period of time. Here the you website owner collects their fees in exchange for displaying the advertisement and the profit is not linked to sales generated for the advertiser.

The key to finding advertisers for a commercial website is to select another website which complements your products and services without directly competing for your business. For example a website which sells surfboards and surfing lessons may solicit advertisements from companies who sell bathing suits. This is a symbiotic relationship because the owner of the surfboard website receives the advertising dollars and the owner of the bathing suit website receives the potential for increased website traffic.

When searching for an advertiser it is wise to be prepared to provide them with useful information. Information which will be particularly relevant to potential advertisers is current search engine rankings and recent traffic statistics. This is important because the advertiser wants to know the potential for increased traffic to his website. An advertiser is much more likely to invest in advertising on a top ranking website with high traffic than on a poor ranking website with few monthly visitors.

Finding Advertisers for a Pay per Click Website

Generally speaking, pay per click websites are informational websites which provide content and information relative to the advertisers on the website in an attempt to entice visitors to click on the advertiser's links. Pay per click campaigns may also run on commercial websites but when this is the case they are considered to be a secondary form of profit.

Finding advertisers for pay per click websites is often a simple process. This process is usually simplified by the fact that the advertiser is not paying the website owner for just placing the ad on the website. The advertiser pays the website owner when visitors click through the link to his website. This lowers the risk for the advertiser by ensuring he is only paying for visitors who actually enter his website.

There are many free programs available, where relevant advertisements are served to websites. Google AdSense is one example of this type of program. In this program, websites are evaluated for content and relevant advertisements are placed on the website each time it is viewed. Some of these advertisements may pay per impression meaning the website owner generates revenue each time the advertisement is displayed but the majority of these advertisements are pay per click meaning the revenue is generated when a user clicks on these links.

There are also other programs available which operate essentially as link exchanges. These programs will require you to display a certain number of advertisements on your website in exchange for each website which displays an advertisement for your website. These programs are very convenient because you don't have to search for advertisers but the downside is you may not have much control over the advertisements which are placed on your website.

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Body boarding is an exciting sport that involves riding waves while lying on the stomach on a special kind of board, known as a body board. The body boards are made of special kind of foam, known as hydrodynamic foam. This foam can glide on water, making riding the waves a breeze even for amateurs. Body boarding should not be considered to be the same as surfboarding, although both of these activities involve riding waves on a board. Body boards are significantly larger and wider than surfboards, and the rider can lie down comfortably on these.

Body boards come in various sizes in order to meet the requirements of people of different heights and weights. There are 37” long boards for people who are around 123 cm in height and somewhere around 55 kg in weight. There are also 46” long, giant sized boards for people who are more than 196 cm tall and weigh more than 100 kg. So, whatever your body type may be, do not worry. If you are dexterous enough, you can enjoy body boarding to your heart’s content.

Body boarders need good boards for riding the waves safely. Riding waves is dangerous, and a good body board can make the difference between life and death in case something goes wrong. If you are looking to buy or rent a body board, look for the following qualities in it before you make your decision:

Take a close look at the board. Inexpensive body boards often have a porous surface. These can get waterlogged fairly quickly, and increase in weight. A heavy board has a greater chance of sinking, so make sure the body is solid foam, with not much porosity.

Make sure the board is of the right size for you. Hold the body board in an upright position with the tail end touching the floor. The top end should come up to within 2 cm above or below your navel.

The surface of the board should be smooth. There should be no jagged edges, cracks, splinters, or gouges on the top surface of the board.

Check the underside of the board. If you are a beginner, it is best to choose a board that has its tail curving inward and sloping downward. This kind of boards can glide easily on the water surface, and make steering the board significantly easy.

Lay down the body board on the floor. The board should lie perfectly flat on the floor, and should not tilt, or wobble. Perfectly flat boards float better on water than bent boards.

Make sure the board is flexible. One way of testing this is to hold the board upright, leaning against your stomach. Gently pull the snout of the board downward. If it bends very easily, or not at all, it is not a good board. It should bend to some extent and then resist any further bending after a while. Flexible boards are good for body boarding, but too much flexibility shows a lack in craftsmanship.

Body boarding is a very enjoyable adventure sport. Make sure you choose the right kind of body board so that you can enjoy riding waves on it safely, and for a long time.

DVD'S For Under $1

There are many types of surfboard fin systems to choose from. Choosing the one that you want is an important part of choosing your surfboard. Fin characteristics as well as the brand of fin system are to be considered.

Most surfboards today come with the removable, as opposed to glassed-in, type of fin. Most brands do not have cross compatible boxes. Boxes are the devices that hold the fin on the surfboard. This makes it important to choose the system you want, as it affects all your future fin choices for that surfboard.

First, consider these fin characteristics:

Depth - The maximum height of a fin as measured from the bottom surface of the board. This shows how far the fin goes in the water. The hold of the surfboard increases with more depth but generally makes it harder to turn as well. 3-4 inch depth is standard on tri-fins and longboard single fins typically have a depth of nine inches. Template - The fin outline. Base - The length of the fin where it joins the surfboard. Increasing length adds forward drive, but makes it harder to turn. Shortboard tri-fins usually have a 3.5-4.5 inch base, longboard single fins are about 6 inches. Foil - The horizontal curve of the fin, measured from the front edge to trailing edge. Rake - The distance between the trailing edge of the fin base and the fin tip. This is the swept back characteristic of the fin. Increasing rake increases traction. Tip - The top third of the fin. More tip means more hold. Flex - Stiff fins are faster but flexible fins are easier to turn.

Second, consider the brands of surfboard fins available:

FCS - These fins are the most widely used surfboard fins in the world. The great things about FCS fins are the huge variety and the availability. You can almost always find a replacement at the nearest surf shop. Since FCS is the most common fin system, most surfboards come with that type of fin box. FCS makes a huge selection of fins. For fins with a softer edge try Pro-Tech. The are compatible with the FCS boxes. Installation is with a simple allen (hex) key. Future - Probably the second most popular fin system in the US. They have some of the lightest fin boxes around, weighing in at about 26 grams/box. There are fins system for just about any type of surfboard out there. In particular, Future fins has an excellent selection of of Quad fins. There are also plenty of foils to choose from such as Vector, Vector 2, and the Scimitar. Future fins also install with a simple allen key. Lokbox - These surfboard fins have one significant advantage over most other fin systems; they are adjustable. You can slide them forward and back to find the sweet spot for you. They are easily adjusted with a slotted screwdriver. O'Fish'L - This is a snap in fin system. For those that love to experiment, this might be the fin system for you. You could even slap some fins in your boardshorts and change them in the water. 4WFS - The "Four Way Fin System". Four ways as in forward/back, cant/flair, toe-in/toe-out, or an entire fin replacement. The only problem with this system is there are so many choices you might go crazy tweaking just one set of fins.

If your having a surfboard custom shaped for you, another consideration is the type of fin system the shaper has worked with before. It might be better to go with one he or she knows well rather than risk an incorrect installation of an unfamiliar one.

With so many choices of fins/companies available, you shouldn't have a problem finding something close to what you want. Study the different brands. They should have descriptions of the type of surf particular fins work best in. They usually have charts available for recommended weights of riders as well.

Once you have a system you like, it's nice if all your surfboards use those types of fins. It makes it easier and cheaper to build a decent collection of fins that you can swap around and enjoy. For great deals on fins, visit Surfing-Gear.net to see fins for sale in the US, UK, and Australia.

DVD'S For Under $1