Twin fins

monkeyonboard's picture
monkeyonboard started the topic in Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 11:04am

just wondering the general feel of it & pros/cons of it.

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thermalben Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 11:22am

'Loose' is a good start.

stunet's picture
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stunet Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 1:21pm

Twinnies give a nice, loose, skatey feel through turns, and a lovely little whip out of them when done right. They're very fast but are harder to control when the waves get bigger and suckier. Speaking of, they just plain suck in the barrel.

I reckon a quad gives you all the good aspects of a twinny without the downsides.

Quads> twin fins

udo's picture
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udo Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 1:54pm

How good MR was in the barrel at off the wall on his twinnies...looking at them twins now the were fucking Barges
Kealoha charged on twins too, who shaped his ?

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stunet Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 2:34pm

udo wrote:

Kealoha charged on twins too, who shaped his ?

Glenn Minami at T&C. Think he might've ridden a few Byrne's here in Oz too.

uplift's picture
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uplift Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 6:02pm

Oh no, oh dear... the problem is getting much worse than at first thought... Alfred...

'Twinnies give a nice, loose, skatey feel through turns, and a lovely little whip out of them when done right. They're very fast but are harder to control when the waves get bigger and suckier. Speaking of, they just plain suck in the barrel.'

Good grief, you were obviously sitting inside Pete's dad, in his prime, on his infamous MR, 'barge' twins, taking the bigger, suckier... the real bombs off him at blax, and squaring up harder and belting the things, not to mention getting stuck behind him in the barrel.

And then of course you took John Batchelador, legendary on his twinnies, to the cleaners at pipe, windang etc.

The good ol' days... Alfred...???

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uplift Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 5:45pm

Maaayyyteeeeee!!!

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stunet Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 6:19pm

So does Mick T still ride 'em at Blax?

 

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uplift Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 6:26pm

He loved the things, still does... are you still sayin' they were, or his surfing them was shit... alfred... tricky situation you've got yourself into here... almost wordy like!!! Alfred...!!! Remember the hi pete... hi mick... tricky days...

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uplift Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 6:29pm

''Loose' is a good start.'

Yep, sure is, very fitting, you know what they say... loose lips sink... alfred... mmmmaaaaayyyyyte!!!

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stunet Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 6:34pm

uplift wrote:

He loved the things, still does... are you still sayin' they were, or his surfing them was shit... alfred... tricky situation you've got yourself into here... almost wordy like!!! Alfred...!!! Remember the hi pete... hi mick... tricky days...

Yes, it is a tricky situation...I'm totally shitting myself here....*parp!*

Now, where was I? Twin fins are shit in the barrel.

Hope I extricated myself out of that awfully delicate situation. Could've been terrible...maaaayyyte!

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uplift Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 6:41pm

So, then how come they went so good for Pete's dad, and Batchelador at super sucky waves famed for barreling... alfred... now you beein' all bad arse too wiv ya fuckup!!! Or are you saying their surfing was just shit, and the waves fat handers... alfred...

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blindboy Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 6:56pm

Some people can surf anything in anything uppy but they are the exception. So while stu might have overstated the case, twois generally the wrong number of fins for serious hollowness. Me? I stick with odd numbers in all situations.

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stunet Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 7:04pm

"Here’s what I remember best about twin-fins. They mostly sucked. Yes, MR ripped on ‘em. Dane too. And young Martin Potter. The rest of us struggled. God, we struggled. Off the bottom, twins were as reliable as a wet paper bag. Top-turning, you get a little foam between the fins, you might as well be riding a unicycle up there. All those 360s we did on twin-fins? Half were accidental.

On the plus side, all of sudden we were going 25 percent faster than we ever had on single-fins. And if you did manage to work out the twins’ complex and hypersensitive control functions, you could whip that thing up and down a defenseless small wave like a frat boy snapping freshman asses with a bathroom towel. Style didn’t much come into it. The point was to do damage. “Rip, tear and lacerate,” as the great MR himself put it.

My first session on my first twin-fin was a massive rush; almost a drug experience; speed and more speed, and a not-totally-unpleasant loss of control. Then I spent the next three years, with varying degrees of success, chasing the tiger. I would make this design work. I would figure things out. Mowed through dozens and dozens of boards. The next one, I told myself, with blinkered teenaged optimism, would be the one. And yes, a couple of those boards were close.

But no. Not really. Not if the surf got over five-foot. Not if it got hollow."

-Matt Warshaw

Read more at http://www.surfermag.com/blogs/eos/twin-fins-mostly-sucked-2/#XZLFy1YFDCVz8DY6.99

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uplift Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 7:07pm

That explains it then!!! Now ya's are going all scientific on me!!!

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uplift Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 7:52pm

Yeh, but pete's dad hated my boards... then of course the smouldering staff saga unfolded. So, the 'scientific' theory is flawed.

And thus we have a perfect example of how 'legendary' surfees, and how the 'history' of surfing are created. Pete's dad... batchelador... pppffttt. Let me tell you about... about... on superior equipment... presenting... ALFRED!!!!!!!!!!

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uplift Tuesday, 7 Jul 2015 at 8:34pm

'Aye... owfred oow? Nar, nar, corse I faaarkin know ooow he is aye!!! Corse I faaaarkin do... seen Im up the farrkin NW I dun... aaaayyeee maaaytte... cunt faaaarkin rips aye... faaaarkin bad boy too... smashed sum cunts faaaarkin twinny aye... eeedun... mmmmaaaayyte!!!!!!'

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uplift Wednesday, 8 Jul 2015 at 1:36pm

'Speaking of, they just plain suck in the barrel.'

'Twin fins are shit in the barrel.'

You may be able to faintly hear over the music a somewhat authoritarian voice literally, somewhat expertly screaming from the beach at the surfer, that his board and barrel riding are, and I quote, 'shit'.

Probably just a scientifical fluke... again.

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neville-beats-buddha Wednesday, 8 Jul 2015 at 1:54pm

So why then are there no twin fins at Pipe, at Teahupoo, at Cape Solander, at the Right, the Box etc etc?

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stunet Wednesday, 8 Jul 2015 at 2:01pm

uplift wrote:

'Speaking of, they just plain suck in the barrel.' 'Twin fins are shit in the barrel.' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zPRhZtLxyw You may be able to faintly hear over the music a somewhat authoritarian voice literally, somewhat expertly screaming from the beach at the surfer, that his board and barrel riding are, and I quote, 'shit'. Probably just a scientifical fluke... again.

This has been bothering you all night, hasn't it Upollo.

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Shatner'sBassoon Monday, 13 Jul 2015 at 2:05pm

My two fins worth.

The Gold Coast twin fin. My brother had a couple of examples. One Hayden, the other a Neal Purchase Snr. Circa late 70s?

After riding these, I got a version made up by Andy Inkster (of the NP)...a mate of mine also did (Scotty Alexander RIP), and it is now in the hands of my brother.

The fins are big...straight up and down (bugger to travel with in the boardbag)...set closer together and the tails drawn in with flyers!

They were built in and for the Goldie...steep, top to bottom, dare I say, barrels!

They're good fun and they work in all sorts including barrels, here and abroad. Will try and post a photo if I can.

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uplift Wednesday, 8 Jul 2015 at 7:56pm

No alfred, but, doesn't seem too bad in the tube, that stinking twinnie?

Again, its a classic example of how these legends, and customs, how surfing 'history' and 'fact' grow. Which also answers your question nevbb. Why did the western world ban eggs and fat, whilst joyfully, healthily barfing megatons of sugar, simultaneously producing an obesity epidemic. Why are the eggs so hated and feared? Why are elite athletic surfees built like drinking straws... because of the ignorance of... of... suckers.

Batchelador's performance at pipe on his twinny was legendary. As was pete's dad, in barrels of consequence. Wardo conclusively shows the line the twinny holds in the hollowest part of the wave. The opposite to what the ever growing legend, Owfred Ooow, the guy that stitched up batchy at pipe, the guy that trounced blax, and took pete's old man to the cleaners, both apparently dolts, lucky fools at best, on their sub standard equipment. And now, Owfred Ooow has nothing but open, global, also on view for the Americans, utter disdain for Wardo's feeble efforts!!!

It seems like a great idea, the growing legend. But is it... a scenario often seen at blax. Eventually the time comes when they take the right turnoff by mistake... the calculator breaks down... the swell is growing... a lot of west in it... the nervous stories of islands, points and superior equipment blowin in the wind... the cumbersome rig blocked into the car park... only one way to go...

It seemed like such a good idea. Surely if that bloke on a twinny can ride it, or the bloody nugget!!! Blurbsy reckons eee killed it!!!

I vowed to protect one particular legend to the very, very end. And i will. You can't protect them all though. A myriad got flogged, trounced, pummeled, slammed, crushed, hurled, splattered... even though the internet, or the guy in the surfee shop said that this, yes, this was the board that would take Owfred to the top...

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caml Wednesday, 8 Jul 2015 at 8:50pm

Stu some exceptional writing there . Mr T recently seen delving into a quad maybe , From thruster . Everyones forgetting to mention one of the best ever Rasta on his twins

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udo Wednesday, 8 Jul 2015 at 9:23pm

I think Rasta just rode Muzza swell big Nias on a twin.
Anthony Tashnick Mavericks ?.... on twin as well.

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uplift Wednesday, 8 Jul 2015 at 10:13pm

'I vowed to protect one particular legend to the very, very end. And i will. You can't protect them all though. A myriad got flogged, trounced, pummeled, slammed, crushed, hurled, splattered... even though the internet, or the guy in the surfee shop said that this, yes, this was the board that would take Owfred to the top...'

monkeyonboard's picture
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monkeyonboard Friday, 10 Jul 2015 at 12:33pm

what about no fins

Shatner'sBassoon's picture
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Shatner'sBassoon Monday, 13 Jul 2015 at 2:09pm
Shatner'sBassoon wrote:

My two fins worth.

The Gold Coast twin fin. My brother had a couple of examples. One Hayden, the other a Neal Purchase Snr. Circa late 70s?

After riding these, I got a version made up by Andy Inkster (of the NP)...a mate of mine also did (Scotty Alexander RIP), and it is now in the hands of my brother.

The fins are big...straight up and down (bugger to travel with in the boardbag)...set closer together and the tails drawn in with flyers!

They were built in and for the Goldie...steep, top to bottom, dare I say, barrels!

They're good fun and they work in all sorts including barrels, here and abroad. Will try and post a photo if I can.

NP Jnr & his 'duo'...old man's work a bit of inspiration?

M.B. for scale

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hovercraft Wednesday, 15 Jul 2015 at 6:40pm

Mate if keen, get a MR mega or super twin with a trailer in the back .....firms it up

Neal Purchase Quartet front fins are MR twins with 2 rear small stabilisers with equals a quad then but a good board to try if you want to start to understand twins without losing your shit

They really are much maligned, but adaptations are a look of fun.

I'd love to try a Dane Kealoha T&C, we are a similar build and think that makes sense that plan shape.

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toneranger Thursday, 16 Jul 2015 at 7:59pm

still remember the first time i tried one.M.R. lightning bolt 6'3'.whooah scary but fun.all of a sudden a top turn was more of a floater and a feeling of being a bit out of control.a quantam leap from the old single fin.sliding the tail on cutbacks but you could still kinda dial them in,maybe coz of the flyer.3 years later everyone is on thrusters and twins are dead.but i reckon they were a great transition to thrusters.ended up trading in in on a new custom about twelve years ago and couldn,t beleive the guy was giving me more for it than i paid new.stupid me,didn,t see the retro boom.

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stunet Thursday, 16 Jul 2015 at 8:19pm

Had a chat today with Gary McNeill who saw this thread, he showed me photos of a 5'9" twin (2+1) that Rasta recently rode at big G'Land. Check the channel in the thing! Reckons it holds wonderfuly in the hollow stuff. More to come soon...

img_20150704_065616.jpegimg_20150707_202511.jpeg

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nochaser Friday, 17 Jul 2015 at 10:33am

His boards the CV2 and the twin fin have a channels that run the length of the board. Not as deep as Rasta's Gland board, said the same thing to me that the channel holds insane.

Looks like a thruster as well, pencil marks on the blank. The photo of Rasta holding up board isn't so clear. Rasta was massive on quads...interesting.

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floyd Friday, 17 Jul 2015 at 11:34am

What about keel fins? I have one and I love it, not every wave mind you but they are so much fun. Great footage of Joel Tudor surfing one in One Cal Day.

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nochaser Friday, 17 Jul 2015 at 12:21pm

Do you switch the fins up floyd?

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floyd Friday, 17 Jul 2015 at 12:45pm
nochaser wrote:

Do you switch the fins up floyd?

My board has glassed-in wooden fins, not sure if its a real good idea to have plugs with keel fins, have heard you can pop the plugs.

Mackie does the sidecut with glassed in keels or quad set up with plugs

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quadzilla Friday, 17 Jul 2015 at 3:19pm

all numbers of fin configuations have their positive and negative aspects...However, my observations are that lots of twin fin set ups have the fins too far forward which is the cause of the"drift".....early 1970, the first twins(they call them mini simmons these days) had the fins on the corners of a wide square tail.these boards went great in weak beach breaks.

Geoff McCoy ran with the twin fin longer than most other designers back then but later reverted back to singles because Hawaii was such an influence at the time.

One guy who never abandoned them was MC(cundith) and they were popular in Byron a long time before MR made them a competitive success.MCs current fish designs with the 12 plugs enable experimentation with all but singles.He supplies the boards with keels but I've found the Greg Webber designed twins(6base,6-7deep lots of rake and flex) go the best.MC has retired but his boards still float around !

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stunet Friday, 17 Jul 2015 at 4:32pm

quadzilla wrote:

MC has retired but his boards still float around !

MC sold his factory but I don't think he's fully retired. Said he'll still be shaping here and there.

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groundswell Friday, 17 Jul 2015 at 4:49pm
floyd wrote:

What about keel fins? I have one and I love it, not every wave mind you but they are so much fun. Great footage of Joel Tudor surfing one in One Cal Day.

Yep agree. I love a good keel fish. A Jim Banks keel I had never had drift or slid out. Even at a secret slabby Indo keg or speedies. Lots of drive. Instant speed after a big drop.
Handled 8ft waves unless sidechop.

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groundswell Friday, 17 Jul 2015 at 4:50pm

At least one mavs local has large twin keels on his gun.

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floyd Friday, 17 Jul 2015 at 5:22pm

Yeah. Lots of drive + instant speed = super fun :)

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Roy Stuart Friday, 17 Jul 2015 at 8:39pm
groundswell wrote:

At least one mavs local has large twin keels on his gun.

With very poor results.

The 70's twins often had too much fin toe in and too much rocker I thought.

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udo Friday, 7 Aug 2015 at 3:26pm

Slim from Bali waves has posted up a few pics of bumpy racetrack yesterday, nice sequence of a hipster type complete with his button up shirt on what looks to be a very short twinnie. Pic no: 40 shows how short it is.

EDIT: just guessing its a Twinnie ?

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rh-taxi Saturday, 8 Aug 2015 at 8:44am

MR was a legend on the twinny, Rasta could pull your dunny door off and surf better than most of us, but for the average punter they're best for smaller waves for the fun value, but hey different strokes for different folks.

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talkingturkey Monday, 3 Jul 2017 at 6:00pm
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Herc Monday, 3 Jul 2017 at 9:25pm

The nerve of them back stabbin ****ing lyin' ***##ing **##s!!!

We made a pact with em, a bond, swillstabbers!

Now this! Anyone would think its deliberate!