Who is credited with inventing the modern surfboard fin in 1935?

Tom Blake is credited with inventing the modern surfboard fin in 1935.

Blake attached a fin inspired by the keel of a boat to the underside of a surfboard. The addition improved directional stability, helping the board track through the water instead of sliding unpredictably from side to side. This changed how surfers could control turns and maintain a line on a wave.

Blake was also an important surfboard designer who developed hollow wooden boards that were lighter than many earlier solid boards. His experimentation helped connect traditional Hawaiian board knowledge with modern board engineering.

Today’s boards may use one fin, two fins, three fins or other arrangements, but the basic stabilizing principle remains. The fin is sometimes confused with later developments such as foam blanks and fiberglass construction, which involved other designers and materials.