Twin fins as go-to boards

[Cpt.Caveman]

Sounds interesting...

I reckon there would be a real risk of the tail becoming squirrily with the extra curve of the rounded pin plus the pivot/anchor point from the fins being far up.

What do the shapers here think?

I would make a deep double with fee and a very hard hip after the fins leading to a very tight tail like the Merrick MTF or Aipa twins. The other option is the pull the fins back a little to get some more hold in the tail, bringing the pivot point further back....

I'm no expert though...

[Topher]

I had one of the 5'9 mini fishes for a while. Went like a rocket but was sometimes hard to controll.
The big red fins were slippy when you dug in at speed, and the thickness was a bit over the top. I think the crappy SLX contruction, was corky and stiff - it did not absorb any bumps in the wave. Would love to try a hand made one without the crazy thickness like Little has - THAT could be an awesome go to twinny.

What about singles? I've been riding a performance single almost exclusively for the last month, maybe I should make a new thread?

mackie: http://www.mackiesurfboards.com.au/designs

check out the new futro flex rocket fish - now that is interesting.

I love the look of those. You seen him riding them in 'lost in the ether'?

[batoes]

I gotta see that movie! i should just roll out the cash and get a copy - worth it? I once saw Mick surfing at the Ulladulla bombie a few years back - man he goes well on a twin fin in the big stuff, so bloody effortless. Mind you he cut his teeth surfing Shark Island and Cronulla Point (when it used to work properly). If i ever get a fish again - it will be one of his for sure.

Hey Captain - i've been riding my dim-sim with traditional keels (shapers) in it for a couple of weeks now - not sure they are as good as the black keels that came with it from Mark though. They Don't have the same speed, release and turn.

Back on task - anyone else here ride a tomo? Man the yanks are going crazy over his stuff. I'm yet to still really 'get' this richter i'm riding....

[alakaboo]

What about singles? I've been riding a performance single almost exclusively for the last month, maybe I should make a new thread

I thought you were still looking for one?

[speedneedle]

Hey Capt -

You be right there thinking a round tail twinny would be "squirrelly"...I've seen the odd one, but as a kneeboard, where the pressure applied to turn is in the middle of the board rather than back half to tail.

With no back fin and loose anyway, curves in the tail would mean you're doing figure-8's but not going forward. So lots of straightish tail outlines.

The first round of Quads back in the 80's were almost exclusively swallows for the same reason...(if my foggy memory is right.)

Akila's twins would be sharply pulled-in to cope with juice in Hawaii. I think that the wings on his and the typical MR outline will act to give a big reduction in tail area without using curves.

BTW - the fella with the black rocket-fish is Greg Loehr, Florida Epoxy wiz.

JD

[Topher]

What about singles? I've been riding a performance single almost exclusively for the last month, maybe I should make a new thread

I thought you were still looking for one?

I am - the one i'm riding (dhd butterbox - bought cheap 2nd hand to give it a try) is on it's last legs. It has so many big divots on the bottom, the deck has sunk so much that the stringer felt sharp and wierd on my back foot and I've had to put a tailpad on - and the finbox looks like it has been reset a few times and now there is no trace of any uniform v or concave in that area of the board.

Still goes good though!

[Beerfan]

Im a big fan of "twinzer" style boards, with a main twin fin with a little one tabber in front of it. I definately think they work at reducing drag on the main fin, and giving acceleration through turns.





This is my 5'8'' twin eggy thing, that i surf a lot in small waves. 21 wide, with 17+ in the nose and tail. I recently added the little one tabbers, and love it. I've "twinzerfied" 3 boards now, and all with positive results. My next board will be a semi fish, with the twinzer setup. It will be my most high performance board haha.

6'2'' x 12 7/8 x 19 3/4 14 3/4





The above Aipa twin fins are what im using in the eggy board, and will be going in the semi fish. They are awesome twin fins, drivy, carvy and loose!!.

[Hatchnam]

Used to have a twinny, and experienced mix results at the time (some good, some not so) and had since forgotten and lost interest in them. Until I recently found one that grabbed my attention. And now it's the board I surf most.

This one is a recent shape (Nigel Beckham) and is nothing like a typical twin board. And there's certainly nothing flat nor fish-like about it.

It's full rockered and sits beautifully in the bowl and steep sections of the wave. Lots of foam and foil up front for paddling in early, and keeping continuos speed and momentum throughout turns. Vee bottom to keep it turning clean and easy rail-to-rail. Diamond tail and broad single channel running out the tail between the fins, which helps give the board some extra centred feel and sensitivity. And the fins are BIG and pulled in a bit closer to the stringer than typical twinnies.

So far, it goes unreal. Very fast and loose and goes top to bottom like mad. Punches thru top turns and have had it go well vertical a couple of times on backhand .. Again, unlike what I've experienced before on twinnies.

The real test will be to see how it handles groundswell, that's well overhead, particularly late take offs into hard pressured bottom turns. But so far, so good, and can't yet see it's going to be a concern at all.

[JaM71]

Thanks for bringing this thread back to life hatchnam. I ve been thinking of getting a performance twin fin fish for a while. I love my quads but feel like mixing it up a little. So far I ve been checking out Gary McNeil s boards but mackie's side cut fish looks interesting, JD's boards look amazing.

Anyone else dabbling with twinny's?

[petulance]

Going back to the top of the thread, would there be issues with a retro-styled twin fin using FCS plugs? User "2000man" mentioned blowing a lot of FCS plugs on his twin fin.

[Cpt.Caveman]

I was chatting to a mate who runs Splash Ding Repairs. He sees a lot of large twin fins overpowering the FCS plugs and breaking/ripping out. He reckons if you're really serious about surfing a twin fin you're better off picking your favourite FCS fins and getting them glassed into the plugs ASAP. You could always start with glassed in, but its good to experiment with fins a little first I reckon.


On a side note, I'm pretty keen to try a twinzer when I have the mula for another board. MP has been raving about them, particularly a new idea he has with some extra tail bites. The fast and flowing feel of a twin is pretty addictive, because we all know the sensation of speed is a big source of fun in surfing.

Anyone having a good time on some twins as go-to boards? (not grovel boards)

[el rancho]

My buddy rides a Ellis ericson twin. He surfs it in most surf above waist high, looks good. Twins get real squirrelly in big messy surf, you really have get low when putting it on rail or it just goes bananas on you real quick.

[batoes]

My buddy rides a Ellis ericson twin. He surfs it in most surf above waist high, looks good. Twins get real squirrelly in big messy surf, you really have get low when putting it on rail or it just goes bananas on you real quick.

I've seen ericson ride those in some pretty heavy waves in indo. He comes across as a dude that could ride anything in heavy waves.

[pridmore]

yep, Twinzers can be sick, the right fins and yaplacement can give you the fast free feeling of a twinny but with extra hold, dependin on tail area ( and overall board design ) I been adding some extra plugs in the tail and they have been feeling exceptional....its what I am riding a lot lately....lovin them to bits....

I was chatting to a mate who runs Splash Ding Repairs. He sees a lot of large twin fins overpowering the FCS plugs and breaking/ripping out. He reckons if you're really serious about surfing a twin fin you're better off picking your favourite FCS fins and getting them glassed into the plugs ASAP. You could always start with glassed in, but its good to experiment with fins a little first I reckon.


On a side note, I'm pretty keen to try a twinzer when I have the mula for another board. MP has been raving about them, particularly a new idea he has with some extra tail bites. The fast and flowing feel of a twin is pretty addictive, because we all know the sensation of speed is a big source of fun in surfing.

Anyone having a good time on some twins as go-to boards? (not grovel boards)

[pridmore]

ongoing from above post, -I am just about to shape a 9fter with twinzer set up, should be excellent I think, especially for the customer who is progressive and innovative in his approach to riding waves...excited about this ....

www.MOREsurfboards.com

[Davros]

Had a Neal Purchase Quartet for a few years which has twin fins with to smaller rears, all glassed in. Loved that board in everything from 1-6.

[batoes]

Had a Neal Purchase Quartet for a few years which has twin fins with to smaller rears, all glassed in. Loved that board in everything from 1-6.

that's what i'm riding at the moment and i just got a his step-down version, the squail - both boards are excellent. Massive fins, with tiny trailers - cool set-up.

[tootr]

I have a small quad that was going only OK with the usual size set for my weight - say M7 and M3.

Put a set of MR size twin fins and grommet trailers and it lights up.