Twin Tip Surfboard

[mashimisha]

Last year, I really enjoyed carving turns with my twin tip, and was expecting that the experience would be even better on a surfboard.
What a DISAPPOINTMENT.

It appears to me that the placement of fins at the back of the board is ill-suited to a sport in which the rider is pulled and must provide resistance to the pull.

It seems to me that the fin(s) should be under the inside of the heel of the lead foot (directional board) or between the feet (twin tip).
The twin tip configuration could use three fins in a triangle pattern with two fins for strong heel-side edging and one fin for toe-side carving.

I am going to assess these designs by 1. Moving the fin box of an old directional surfboard from the back to under the front foot straps; and 2. Connecting the front end of two surfboards to make a twin tip in the shape of a banana.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this idea, and would greatly appreciate any advice for connecting the two boards and mounting the fin boxes.

[SMJ]

These may interest you:

https://ten-kiteboarding.com/the-mark/

http://www.axiskiteboarding.com/product ... DcHjfBOnic

[Matteo V]

Last year, I really enjoyed carving turns with my twin tip, and was expecting that the experience would be even better on a surfboard.
What a DISAPPOINTMENT.

Can you say more about your experience with a surfboard?

What boards have you ridden and in what fin configurations?

How would you describe your approach to fin loading/tail inputs?

[bragnouff]

You're welcome to reinvent the wheel and find your own path, but a surfboard works typically pretty well at opposing resistance to the pull. There is a whole rail to engage and fins to track and drive, and similarly on a TT, the rail does most of the job, and you don't need a daggerboard in between your feet. But, you're totally free to install one if you think it's the solution to your problems.
Of course your first few days on a surfboard after riding twintips for years will feel like you're a beginner again, as there is a different pressure balance, with more front foot pressure.


On the other hand, there have been Twin Tip boards designed for surfing and carving turns, like the Axis board mentioned by SMJ. However these were a pretty poor attempt at the concept, mostly due to production reasons, as they use their typical snowboard pressed construction. One guy carved his own route from the beginning of the sport and kept on making twin tips that are fantastic in waves. Not fully comparable to a surfboard, of course, but providing a good skatey feel and an ability to do fully loaded turns and tight or changing radius turns without ever skipping. That's due mostly to a more rounded outline and to a full chunky surfboard rail, something that gives a dependable feeling so much different than the typical thin slicing rail which is great at going straight and cutting through a carve... until it reaches its loading limit and skips out and lets you down. Anyway, there's definitely more work involved in the shaping of those boards, but the result is well worth it. Go check Franz Olry's www.alkita.fr website.

[kct]

I have the liquid force space craft and like it. Moon patrol is supposed to be fun to.

[mashimisha]

I have primarily used a Cabrinha with four fins in the back. My main problem is with the basic design concept of surfboards. It looks like they just took a surfboard and started using them with kites, instead of considering how the two sports differ. Snowboarders must deal with gravity. They put all of their weight on the front foot (to resist gravity) and change the direction of the board by swinging the back leg. That is exactly what I have in mind - locking in pressure against the kite with the front foot and driving the rear foot to adjust the direction. Placing the fins at the back hinders the free movement of the board and forces you to swing the front foot. I have spent decades telemark skiing and know how a beautifully carved turn feels. I would like to emulate that feeling on the water.

[mashimisha]

I have primarily used a Cabrinha with four fins in the back. My main problem is with the basic design concept of surfboards. It looks like they just took a surfboard and started using them with kites, instead of considering how the two sports differ. Snowboarders must deal with gravity. They put all of their weight on the front foot (to resist gravity) and change the direction of the board by swinging the back leg. That is exactly what I have in mind - locking in pressure against the kite with the front foot and driving the rear foot to adjust the direction. Placing the fins at the back hinders the free movement of the board and forces you to swing the front foot. I have spent decades telemark skiing and know how a beautifully carved turn feels. I would like to emulate that feeling on the water.

[jumptheshark]

How much time have you spent kiting on surfboards?

[longwhitecloud]

Last year, I really enjoyed carving turns with my twin tip, and was expecting that the experience would be even better on a surfboard.
What a DISAPPOINTMENT.

It appears to me that the placement of fins at the back of the board is ill-suited to a sport in which the rider is pulled and must provide resistance to the pull.

It seems to me that the fin(s) should be under the inside of the heel of the lead foot (directional board) or between the feet (twin tip).
The twin tip configuration could use three fins in a triangle pattern with two fins for strong heel-side edging and one fin for toe-side carving.

I am going to assess these designs by 1. Moving the fin box of an old directional surfboard from the back to under the front foot straps; and 2. Connecting the front end of two surfboards to make a twin tip in the shape of a banana.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this idea, and would greatly appreciate any advice for connecting the two boards and mounting the fin boxes.

it used to be a thing to have 2 extra fins on the heelside edge of a twintip .. further forward - 6 in total... or did i dream it - im sure i tried it years ago - 2" fin and teh back - 1" fin further forward

kitesurfboards have had some super funky fin positions in the past - for going upwind/edging.. great - for turning - $hit. For landing freestyle tricks? unforgiving. non hydrofoil e raceboards those things that existed for 6 months and went from $2000 to $100 used were all set to be in the olympics and had more windsurf race fin setups

[Janus]

Twin Tip Surf board?..
Ocean rodeo Mako is a nice board, wouldn't call it a TT surfboard but more a Carving Machine. try it..