Backside on a Twin

Many people will say that twins are harder to surf backside. I think they work fine, you just need to stay on top of them or they will get away from you. I actually like the slippery/drifty feeling of a twin.

 

I surf my twin like a longboard and draw turns out moreso than I would a thruster, especially backside. There is a period of adjustment if you are just starting to surf a twin but once you get used to it delivers a different perspective. I havent ridden anything below head high on a thruster since last year.

 

I've been experimenting with twins for most of this summer. I've found I really have to focus on my back foot placement, making sure it's right over the fins. Your backside pop up is probably slightly different from you front side.

 

I love going backside on twins. Heck, any side on twins is a bonus. You don't often get the chance, so when you do, gotta make it count with those sisters.

 

Asymmetrical boards are made so your backside has a quad setup and frontside has a twin keel setup. Concept is that backside pumping is best with looseness of quad and you get the frontside stiffness of a keel.

http://surfboardsbyhydrodynamica.com/hulls/ekstrom.html

Maybe if you pick up a quad or twinzer, you may have more control. I know what you mean with this post. I agree that foot placement has a lot to do with it. I learned to crank turns on my classic fish when I had my feet back on the board rather than up the nose which creates a weird pivot point.

 

I've been doing some experimenting as well.. I find that you need to focus on one twin more than the other. This makes the other twin jealous and willing to do a lot more t earn your attention. Once you turn them against each other you've got them both in the bag... Good luck!

 

I can confirm this works with "fins" from the same manufacturer even if they aren't twins.

 

It's been awhile since I rode a twin, but I remember that on larger waves you need to go down and out in the flats and draw the turn out so you don't spin out. Get low, in a crouch so you are centered over the board. On smaller waves, which is what they are best in, I personally like the skatey slidey feeling. Throw some tail, go vert, surf it rail to rail, bust some 360s, cause they don't like to go straight down the line like a thruster ( hence the name ).

 

The shape of the board,fin placement,rocker etc,etc,etc also contribute to the overall ride... ex: A wide-tailed keel fish running flat foiled keels is going to be "stickier" than say a modern twin with a pulled in tail and a more vertical fin template.
-Cheers

 

Oh sweet baby Yankee sleeping in the manger, not an asym..... I personally take offense to these boards. Mainly because I'm jealous of people that surf such perfect waves that they have to tweak their equipment so much that one side can't be like the other. Gat Dang Ridiculous. It reminds me of hyper-adapted species of birds, reptiles, amphibians on isolated islands that would never make it in other environments.

With that being said, this guy rips on a finless asym and I'm green with envy.
http://vimeo.com/m/50142772

 

EXACTLY!

Drop in straight, get your speed and level the board. Once you are centered then lean back a bit and crouch a bit....this will be your bottom turn. Once you're turned and heading back toward the wave...carve up to the power source and drop down the line. You'll have too much speed...enjoy

 

I stand up boogie a lot so that probably helped me but I also own a thruster fish that I put the knubster in by FCS. That little knub might help you out. Definitely did with me.

 

I feel that you can drop in with less angle and work on your bottom turn to stay out in front. Also, there's a tendency with most surfers to to place their feet too far on the inside rail. Make sure your pop up is dialed and consistent. Just saw this new product that promotes better foot placement. www.bit.ly/surfsols

 

If you rode a perfect frontside point,would you need an asym?

Again,I think some folks are overlooking the overall plan shape as a major contributing factor to the ride...

...I have one twin that you have to nurse through turns.I have another that rides pretty much like a thruster...(predictable)

 

You would not need an asym but that is their habitat. No one ever needs an asym. I like them though... a shaper Fs up a board, it's not trash, it's an asym!