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How to pick a beginner surfboard
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Twin Fin SurfboardsTwin fin surfboards are a concept that originated in California, pre 1970’s. The twin fin concept was then taken up in Australia by Geoff McCoy who under the McCoy surfboards label brought the design to prominence in Australian surfing community. McCoy eventually came to be known as ‘The Twin Fin King’. After several years of designing twin fins, McCoy, seeing the limitations of the design, across the wave range decided to move on pursuing a more progressive single fin design, now known as the Lazor Zap. It was around this time that Mark Richards (MR), was introduced to the twin fin concept through his association with McCoy. MR decided to pursue the twin fin design further, successfully going on to change the design and win 4 world titles riding these surfboards. After this feat the twin fin surfboard faded quickly from prominence and popularity. It also was around this time, that Simon Anderson put a 3rd fin on a wide tail design taken form McCoy’s twin and single fin designed wide tail surfboards. This was the end of the twin fin surfboard and the birth of the 3 fin Simon Anderson design, which is still the most widely used surfboard design of all. In recent times with the popularising of retro designed surfboards the twin fin surfboards are re-emerging. But in many instances it is being prostituted by modern ignorant surfboard designers with little or no knowledge of the twin fin design or function. A twin fin surfboard, when designed properly, is a very effective design in waves from 1’ ~ 10’, but for most surfers the design is best used in waves 1’ ~ 6’. This is because the twin fin design’s function is to rotate one fin around the other very quickly. As I said, the twin fin, when designed correctly is a great fun board offering an alternative style to surfing. If you are considering buying a twin fin surfboard, be sure it has been designed by a designer with a long history in surfing and a known former involvement with twin fin design. |