Local Surfer Has No Idea What Long Twin Fin Doing Under Arm
In an unexpected moment of self-awareness, easily-persuaded Toonalook surfer Gordon Gallagher has paused midway down the stairs at Toona Point this morning to ask himself exactly what the fuck this long-railed twin fin is doing in his grasp.
“Well, fuck me!” Gallagher exclaimed with a snort of amazement. “What in God’s name IS this thing?
“What, exactly, have I gone and spent fifteen-hundred hard-earned on NOW?” he giggled nervously, examining the almost-eight-foot channel bottom country soul twin fin, as if for the first time.
“I mean, it’s a thing of beauty and craftsmanship, no doubt, right down to the extra bits of stringer running along the fin boxes, and with this length and volume it’ll paddle into waves nice and easy, but what little critical thinking I can bring to this scenario is SCREAMING at me that I’m NEVER gonna be doing anything other than nurse this thing through whatever shaky redirections I can manage.
“Seriously – and I’m not kidding here – if I end up trying to do some high-line soul-arch crap, simply ‘cos I can’t break trim, I sincerely hope someone paddles up to me and gives me a smack in the chops.”
With a rueful chuckle, and smacking his palm into his forehead theatrically, Gallagher continued his self-directed tirade. “When will I learn to discriminate between function and fashion? Like – all the clips of those ruggedly pretty retro lads surfing quality point waves on these long-railed twinnies – EVEN I CAN SEE IT’S NOT EASY FOR ‘EM! And though they’re at that crazy-talented level where it’d actually be satisfying and fun to solve such a puzzle every time they catch a wave, I – unremarkable, harmless and easily swayed Gordon Gallagher, with my middling skillset – really should know better.”
“Dear oh dear,” Gallagher sighed, running his hand along a seemingly endless straight rail, “nothing but false promise and heartache here, I suspect.”
“Truly, this is beyond the pale. How many more fibreglass parlour tricks must I fall for before I wise up?”
Slumped against the wooden guardrail, Gallagher racked his brains to try to piece together the unfortunate sequence of events that led to this absurd-yet-irresistible board under arm.
Now addressing himself in the third person – perhaps to better find the clarity required to parse the story – Gallagher went on, “It’s gotta be Instagram I suppose. Yeah. That’s where you first saw ‘em, ya goose.”
“Remember? You fickle thing, you! One moment it was Thruster this and quad that, and the next it was like Simon Anderson never existed! Just ‘presto!’ – the magical middle fin disappearing act! Twinnies everywhere. First the functional little guys, morphing into, oh dear, this thing!
“And you fell for it all, hook, line, and Simple Ben sinker, didn’t you?! You saw one Boardporn post too many, showing those long ones with the round tails and the channels and they got you feeling nostalgic for a time in history you never experienced, while at the same time hungry for the jolt of novelty they promised, not to mention the intimation you’d be kinda cutting edge somehow.”
“You’re a good fella and all, but really, you DO know you fell for a marketing programme every bit as crafty anything the Big Three ever put out. Arguably even more cunning – commerce cloaked in disingenuous country soul. Curated to appear as un-curated and authentic as possible.
“Hats off for the ruse, though: On the one hand it’s a grand entry-level board for your cashed up clueless COVID gumby – basically a mal with a twinny’s pivot point – and on the other hand, to surf it well in a half decent wave, you’ve got to be a frothing genius…and here I am, neither of these things, caught in no-man’s land of my own making!
“It’s a mug’s game, and you, Gordy ol’ pal, you’re the mug.”
And so, sadly burdened with such self-recognition, Gallagher made his way down the stairs to paddle out at the point, and – correctly assuming a skyrocketing degree of difficulty on his backhand – is currently wishing desperately he was a natural footer.
// DING ALLEY
Ding Alley is illustrator David @maccatoons McArthur, (who’s actually really open-minded and curious about boards), and writer Gra Murdoch, (who hasn’t actually surfed one of these boards, but hasn’t let that stop him being an absolute kaaarrnt about ‘em.)
Comments
Hah, nice work boys.
“Dear oh dear,” Gallagher sighed, running his hand along a seemingly endless straight rail, “nothing but false promise and heartache here, I suspect.” I reckon old Gordy is not on his lonesome.
Love the face.
R
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... and then some!
You gotta admire a bloke who can give himself an upper cut and a full dressing down in third person.
A pure moment of Enlightenment .
If any of the Torren Martyn groupies had ever seen him surf a regular shortboard they'd know just how good he was before he made it difficult for himself.
too right crg - this clip of TM on a 5' something short twinnie is one of my favourite edits of recent years - beautifully linked, fluid performance surfing - guys a savant
mid length twins look and feel good in my experience until you're running out onto the shoulder and don't have the artistry to bring the thing back to the source - which is pretty much immeadiatly - have seen recent footage of Rob Machado and Dave Rastovitch in small to medium surf on mid lengths and IMO they looked ordinary by their usual standards - so what hope have the mere mortals
Yeah beautiful surfing on a lovely looking point break. Cannot see how a thruster would’ve done it any more justice
Yes of course he was a great surfer on a shortboard, but perhaps he's making it "difficult" for himself because it's a challenge and a different feeling. He's gone outside his comfort (safety?) zone. And the surfing is more rewarding for the surfer actually doing it as a result.
Another beauty.
Thank you, DA.
Beautiful...I actually saw a bloke riding one of these at...wait for it...Arrawarra Headland...the right hand point where you keep going left...
Was up there recently, for the first time. I swear it wasn’t me. :-)
Classic. Deft humour and great language. Complimented and enhanced by the illustration as always.
Super funny.... I kind of want one kind of don’t now.... I have had rode a mates 7ft Twinnie on a 2 ft forehand beachie and it went pretty good I must say
Yeah nah yeah. Awesome penmanship as expected and delivered, love ya work.
You could interject a multitude of reiinvigorated/revisited/reinvented board designs in this yarn and still ended up with a self admonishing first world fury of falling for the spin. But geez I'm a better surfer for having a crack at a mini simmons and a NPJ duo and happy to have a dig. Old school creativity with new world engineering, pure alchemy. Hendrix covers Dylan, IPA's and spotify on yer mobile-back to the future
Plus a dark and stormy and vegemite cheese slice was worth a crack......once.
Gra the real crime of the century is gotta be man buns - I mean WTF.
Definition of a man bun....??
A pull-start for a f#@kwit
Usually the only people hating on them are either bald grouches, or hard-line Christians who disapprove of their blatantly sexual magnetism.
They do look a bit try hard hipster anywhere but Byron Bay.
Another ripper fellas, thank you. Very funny and clever. One of my favourite surf topics.
Let's face it, honesty is the best policy, we're all probably guilty of at least one board purchase in our careers, (if at least a decade long?), that looked sooooo good being ridden by a (semi)pro, but when reality hit, was just a waste of money! ie..."tell him he's dreamin' "... The Castle.
Every new innovation had me in wow mode. I started on singles early 70's, then Twinnies after mesmerised by MR live at Bells, then Thrusters after watching Simon live at big Saturday Bells 81, then quads watching too many ASP vids etc..etc.
In 47 years of surfing, so far, by God's Grace, I confess, I've had a couple of wrongens (for me)... a quad I couldn't get to sharp turn off the top but went like the clappers in a straight line, and more recently a short board "potato chip" that just left me bewildered.
Re: Danny Glover in "Lethal Weapon"...I'm getting' too old for this s---!"
Anyway, God Bless you all and the surf craft you rode in on.
"if I end up trying to do some high-line soul-arch crap, simply ‘cos I can’t break trim"
Fucken spot on and ouch perfect.
A sad tale of buyers remorse. Thankfully he didn't go full hipster and purchase an old VW or invest in some lego block looking house in a freshly bulldozed coastal estate.
Lesson learned hopefully
What about all those stock standard thrusters with 5 fin boxes ?
Really .?
Exactly
and i have to glass and sand them all the time.... eye roll...
Pray 6 channel bottoms don’t become the new punter “must have”
Dropped $1200 on a beautiful little twinnie by a famous Cali shaper. Surfed it once and its been in the rack ever since . Dont know what I was thinking.....(does look good on the wall tho)
got an mr 1980 retro used it twice, design quirks ? hey they worked for mr on the north shore, looks good on the wall though ditto
I'm gonna play contrarian this morning and say the long-railed twin deserves recognition, if only because it's the single original design of the last ten years - maybe more.
(Can anyone think of the last breakthrough design?)
Of course, the long-railed twin ain't truly original. Students of design would point to San Diego's Bear and Nick Mirandon and their long-railed Twin Pin from 1968 - the stepping off point for both Steve Lis' fish and greater aceptance of swallowtails.
Anyway, in a world where old people mutter about a lack of originality, the modern long-railed twin with it's late channels and round tail - two notable differences to the Twin Pin - stands as a beacon of fresh thought.
Still can't ride the fuckers tho'...
Perhaps Stu it takes a special talent to be at one with the ocean and the twin! At my age I’ve arrived at the realisation that I really don’t care how it looks to anyone else. If I’m catching waves and it feels good to me that’s more than enough.
Agree - when you have got those two down (catching waves and feeling good) that’s as close to enlightenment as it gets in surfing. A range of recent high volume craft (I admit even a log) has doubled the days I spend in the water and I now easily switch from a fat almost breaking point with all manner of craft to real waves on the beaches. Having fun all the time and more time in the water - it’s my medicine and and my high all wrapped together.
I think it was in the Flyer you mentioned they lacked drive? Twin plus one solves that. NPJ style with bigger front fins and smaller back one. Amazing board. Is definitely not a thruster as someone commented down lower, fin size and placement totally different .....
Sadly, Gordon is me and seemingly many of us.
After struggling to snag some waves over a weak and busy summer fortnight, I decided to go mid-length.
Wonderful under the arm in the shop and easy on the eye. Excitedly waxed it, got into the water and after two long surfs in decent clean waves was very much in the angst filled thoughts of "why did I just drop a k on this thing?!!"
As my less than sympathetic friend said - "well you just fell for some clever marketing of a mini mal."
I have a 6’10 mid length that goes great on big, fat 6ft+ pointbreak walls. I think of it as my big wave gun haha. Never bother taking it out on anything else
Fair point Geek.
Sorry to talk tech on a thread about satire but..
Just wondering if you or anyone else rides a normal shortboard thruster but then transitions when big to one of those Stacey Ohlson Twins or Joel Fitzgerald type shapes.
I find most step ups and guns are too pinny and refined for lots of really solid days around Sydney - more foam is often needed with big drops but going often into fatter walls. Many of the big twins seem to have outlines which look more Sydney than Indo.
Would like to know if the change from thruster to twinny is tricky? Have done thruster to quad with mixed joy.
Everyone’s had one of those marketing regret buys. I just can’t go Twinnies.. A very knowledgeable shaper mate just laughed when I asked him “What’s with all the hype about Twinnies?” His response was that the thruster has been so successful because it’s just that much better, don’t go there.
Did buy a cheap short, fat volume board ‘for riding summer slop’. Have only ridden it once, which is unfair really to not give it more of a go, but it made me appreciate ‘normal’ boards, which I’m sticking to for the foreseeable future.
It just cracks me up all the people riding here twin ones with a “stabiliser” - sorry dude if it has three fins it’s a thruster. Now that’s marketing !
Technically a thruster. But using large twin fin sides. With a tiny middle fin. The feel of the ride is more twin, than thruster. Anyway. You should give a new style thruster a go. They're fast and loose. With added stability. Haha
Great story though Gra. Hitting a nerve that all of us have, but only a few have the self awareness of our friend, Mr Gallagher.
And the artwork, as usual, sublime, capturing the moment of recognition perfectly.
Yeah thx, you just lampooned the shit out of me. Haha. Had same self conscious moment sliding it out of the wagon in a crowded carpark. Sexiest board I own though.
Yes some are sexy looking
For me the one being shown isnt.
I'm completely sick of hipsterdom, but I reckon too many people are too precious about short-board performance and fail to see that all different boards have their place under all different types of feet. I ride lots of different boards and the thing that keeps me going is that I only have a couple I can hop on and they go right every time. The others all need me to spend the time dialling them in - sometimes it's a couple of waves, sometimes a couple of weeks. They all go well in the right waves, and they all have a different feel with a different buzz depending on the waves. There's a couple I just can't make go like I want to, but I see that as a challenge for the tradesman and not a reason to blame the tools.
Like the past response I posted re that north coast point, it looks like everyone is bagging the craft in the expectation that these guys should be surfing to edited movie-clip level every time they paddle out. Maybe they don't want to, or maybe they just weren't in the mood to tear the bag out of it and instead wanted to ride a few waves for fun and cruise.
If I ride a thruster in anything but good waves, I feel like I've got to drive it hard the whole time to get the most out of it. On a mid-twin in the same waves I can cruise and it still flies. And the speed down the line they generate is definitely quicker than a thruster, though of course the trade off is in turns.
I agree that they seem almost counter-intuitive to ride compared to thrusters, but isn't that the point? If you like riding conventional shorties (and the way you surf has evolved to suit them) then good luck to you, but I'd encourage everyone to have a crack on a different board and freshen up your perspective. It's way more interesting.
I concur. Second favourite board right now
Chime rail 7’4 deep double into 4 channel. Surfing it with keels and holy shit yeah it’s a whole lotta fun in anything from 4ft to double overhead + winders. Carves solid drawn out lines without any blowouts as yet and it’s been pushed moderately hard yip yip. Doubles as a log in the small stuff you can get on the nose if ya try hard enough
Fins right at the back and relatively close together is a big part of it.
" it looks like everyone is bagging the craft in the expectation that these guys should be surfing to edited movie-clip level every time they paddle out. Maybe they don't want to, or maybe they just weren't in the mood to tear the bag out of it and instead wanted to ride a few waves for fun and cruise."
Absolutely.
Funny story too in the article, it's good to laugh at yourself and i did
Yes, agreed 82. I had a chuckle, too.....until my self righteousness took over.
Could you tell me why the FCS twin tabs have the rear cut out ?
FCS2 cant handle the pressure forces exerted by a large twin fin. I have snapped out twice. Avoid.
Perhaps this is why Futures have a much better twin range also. Better connection point.
Ideally, twins should be glassed on.
Keels are not a large fin the MR twin is a Large fin
Futures fin rear cut out is only for Installation - Some FCS twin tab fins have cut out -others depends on brands.
i was off the hypster twin movement but just over a year ago a mate got me riding twins now ive got 3 short ones and a 7 footer and cant get off them
everyone finds something in boards i like to try different stuff to challenge myself because im old
Are you old enough to have surfed the first time around? Had some good thrusters but never with the speed I used to love in twinnies. Always seem to have to pump them and I reckon quads are better backhand anyway.
Does anyone surf just for the feeling, every board gives a different one, high line speed run on a single, quad or twin is amazing...so is being able to lean as hard as you like on a thruster’s rail...you can do both ya know!!
"I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time....." Abe Simpson
Yeah I've been tempted but have restrained myself so far although... the Mctavish El Rayo Verde looks pretty nice
Another surf craft to tie down on the roof of ya pommy mobile, Plug Plug got himself a long railed twin thing, must be a landrover thing to do. I recon pop is due for a new board. She goes well on the weirdo twinzers.
While I like the idea of long twins ( I’ve recently been suckered into buying a second hand 7’0 version) They seem to be far better suited to long point/ reef waves on your forehand. I’ve never seen good footage or witnessed great backhand surfing on one. I could be wrong though! Ha!
There is some backhand surfing that's not too bad here
Yep , great surfing, but he's not riding a mid-lenghth twin on his backhand. Torren's first board on the hollow lefts looks sub 6'0 and later the seem to be semi- guns. Nice surfing though
Yeah and you can't go vertical in the pocket on them and notice he catches an edge at the top coming around on that lip and bobbles a bit. Despite this they are fun and different, Torryn on a thruster would rip the crap out of that but not sure it would be anymore fun.
Another beauty!!!
Could never get a twin going on my backhand.....
I once ordered a round tail fish quad, it was loose on drops with a bit of tail drift but turned insane. The guys on swaylocks all said too much turn not enough drive.
So i ordered a step up of gary mcneil and asked for more drive than turn. it was 6'3 rounded pin quad with rasta fins. the fins seemed further back and no toe in.
Boy did it fly in a strait line or in the tube. The reason i bought this board was specifically for desert point and supersuck. only problem once you go up for a top turn or cutback you cant turn turn without shuffling your back foot right on the edge of the tail.
I never got to surf it at supers or desert point only north point in gracetown, it went well there as there are no cutback sections. Ended up selling it to a local who really ripped on it. I sold it because i found i surfed barrelling waves better on boards i surfed all the time with a little bit of toe in.
Another dog i bought was a rob machado firewire fishy thing (almond butter) just couldnt get used to it. only got one tube on it but usually the front/nose would be bouncing up and down all the time. Rob machado surfs it well though
4 WFS plugs could have fine tuned the Cant and Toe on that McNeill or any Twin..?
Yeah those fin setups look good. is it possible to replace a futures socket with wfs?
I would like an asymmetrical board with easy cutback fins on one side and more drive on inside rail.
Yes but isn't the biggest marketing ploy is actually the high performance short board??
I very rarely surf a standard thruster short board these days.
Could be something to do with the waves down here, or it could be that I’ve finally realised I’m not trying to make the world tour here ( or even the final of the local c grade board riders comp) so why the need to surf what the pro’s are riding day in day out.
Plus it just gets boring riding the same board every surf.
I think most people are trying so hard to surf like fanning or jjf that they’ve forgotten how much fun it can be riding alternative boards.
Here here goofy. I can’t stand the parking lot hypto crypto, monsta box, Dhd, Phyzel performance thruster short board gobbledygook. Basically all talking about the same thing with some very subtle differences. No doubt they all work and pretty well. In two words reliable & trustworthy. My favourite board right now is an asym channel bottom edge surfed semi finless.. Just enough fin to drive off the bottom then get drifty. Reliable and trustworthy hell no. Fun and challenging hell yes
I'm hearing ya goofy
Been riding these weirdo twinzers from Dean Kennedy Cosmos, Love the things, and they look like they shouldn't go but they do. Unfortunately, My 10 yr old snapped my favourite one, ordered a new one, fin boxes were a good 2 inches further back compared to my snapped one, so it wasn't the same, the ten year old placed it in front of the car after a surf, didn't realise and run it over. Been riding my 6.0 mosnter 6 ok fun when the waves are good, like at the RIP, but boring as fuck any where else. Although 3 surfs ago grabbed my monster box 3, which I didnt like, stuck some MR twin fins in it with some little fins in to make it a twinzer, goes faster, turns better, holds rail better. Not as good as the weirdo twinzers from Cosmos though. Gunna have to order a new weido twinzer scoop, crossing my fingers he gets it right this time.
Steve you love those weird boards couldn't believe that JS you had under the arm at Portsea just doesn't suit you.
Totally agree with Goofy ! I struggled to move on from my
6.0 thruster , until a shoulder injury made me buy a 6,10 Long phish( Christensen) , took a while to get use to it , but can’t get off it now .
Catch twice as many waves and can actually
wrap it around , its a different style of surfing but so refreshing.
Yeh go the hipster gimmick thing
But I reckon there is nothing more unattractive
than a middle aged person on a standard thruster , under sized in volume and length , trying to hang on to the glory days , catching
Stuff all waves , then when they do get one flap and pump like they are ripping !
This article is great. Probably saved me a grand. Perhaps it has saved me a good new surfing experience but probably not. I have a short twinny that is a revelation in small waves. The long twin seems tempting, but in videos, they mostly look awkward. Watching Torryn Martin on one, he is constantly moving his back foot up and down the board, but also across. You'd have to be pretty handy to make his boards work I reckon.
I agree with what others gave said here that even good surfers in edited surf clips don't make those mid length twins look particularly good. Case in point, the guy on a thruster at the start of the most recent vid is surfing at a completely different level. The guys on the mid lengths look like they're floundering in comparison.
I have a couple of twins and surf them from time to time. They seem to go best on small zippy clean point type waves on my forehand. Once it gets over about shoulder height I prefer to be on a quad or a thruster.
To me, it just feels better riding a twinny regardless of the length. I love riding a thruster, love the certainty in bigger stuff, but riding my 6'1 thruster sometimes feels just like that - riding my thruster, not riding the wave. I suppose it's a feelings thing, a mindset. You can't rip or gouge like a WSL pro on a mid length twinny. But, maybe, just maybe you don't need to. Maybe you don't want to that day. I mean, I love driving my car along winding country roads, but I don't need to corner like Lewis Hamilton. I sit back and enjoy. I'd still rather see a a mid fish in the lineup than a SUP.
I quite enjoyed this post Stephen. Especially your comment about the 'feelings thing'. I mean if you're not surfing to some kind of arbitrary criteria or having to puppet for a sponsor then its about catching waves and having fun isn't it? For sure trying to fit 3 turns in (where one would suffice) might be where it's at for some but I think those who enjoy different boards enjoy certain other sensations; the take off, glide, speed, etc.
A good example of what I've said above was at a left indo point break a few years back. Crowded, all manner of abilities (or lack of) from all corners of the globe. However the surfer who really took my eye on this session was this 50+ year old bloke riding this step up single fin. He was paddling into the proper waves, making them, high lining and swooping into these really pure lines, all with the biggest smile on his face. What struck me was the juxtaposition between what he appeared to be experiencing and the fella from Cornwall (insert punter here) that was flapping around on his 6'0 DHD trying to force turns he couldn't do and blowing waves he was never goin to make.
I guess it's super individual about what you're wanting to get out of surfing and watching this fellow on the single fin really made me consider this.
This twin fin thing has me tinking. Thank you commenters above.
I think the best so far, reckon JP & Shaz made a go of it?
I'm with a few of the commentators above, only bring out my thrusters when it's pushing 5ft and above and I move onto my step-ups.
Surf below that I have so much fun switching between my 2+1, mid-length single, fishy twin and foamy quad.
Can't see myself getting one of those bigger twins though..
I picked up a secondhand short twinny fish last year. Love it. Still ride my normal short board a lot but it's good to have something different to muck around on.
Here's a 7ft square tail twin [looks much longer]
No comment boys No comment
I think alot of people try to surf a twiny, single or quad like a thruster. And this is what is the downfall. these boards do not go or do what a thruster does. If thats your intent, stick to a thruster.
All boards can have purpose in certain waves, sometimes the board directs you how to surf the wave. It navigates where it wants to go. You can feel it.
If you want to go up/ down vertical, progressive- thruster is your go.
I mostly go to my thrusters on my backhand as i do like to come of the bottom and go vertical. Or quads if a fast down line or swopping style waves or barrels.
i seem to prefer to mix it up on my forehand and depending on the waves could surf either thruster, single, twin or quad.
love them all.
To add i have a couple of boards that surf awesome as quad, twin or thruster. By changing fins around, makes for very versatile travel boards.
Yep I have to concur with much of the above. The twin I picked up on on gumtree for 75 bucks has been one of the best purchases I've made. Makes me look forward to a surf at 2ft, love the glidey feel and loose underfoot. When it gets a little bigger and the beachies steeper out comes the bonzer which is the total opposite, heaps of hold on a steep face but great fun too. Hipster or otherwise, it feels damn good.
I love it - solid gold.
A few years ago I started making my own boards - now my quiver ranges from 5"2' to 9"2', square, round, pin, swallow tails; long rails, soft rails, short rails, 50/50 rails on 6"0's; step decks, shakers, reverse vees, venturi channels, eggs, twinnies, quads, 2+1s... I think every time I stand up on a wave, I have a new feeling. At about 250 bucks a board, all ingredients considered, it's still vaguely manageable, cost-wise. I still rarely finish a wave satisfactorily, but it's still kick-arse fun. Try anything once, even twinnies. 'Bout to recreate my first board - 5"6' Brett Munro Prana surfboards twinny with monster blue fins! I'l fuck up the cool spray though...
Hey Drop W sounds like a Fair Quiver
Put some info and Piccies up here
https://www.swellnet.com/forums/the-shaping-bay/492197
After a long run of banks so bad any sort of turn became near impossible despite decent swells and winds and with frustration levels through the roof with surfing I got off the thruster onto a mid twin....would catch a wave and just stand there...going straight or trimming high quickly before the closeout, hanging on through the backwash, doing that cool crouchy style thing new schoolers do and surprisingly surfing was fun again....I ride the mid now and again when I have zero ambitions to do a decent turn due to waves or injury and instead of reversing out of the car park I hit the water for a few....
I have a 6'7 and a 6'4 eagle sword in my quiver both channel bottoms. LOVE THEM!
Pretty much agree with most of the above re: fun to ride. Issue as stated some of those boards suffer backhand but, I think they can be a little flat when the waves get a little hollow and don't lend themselves well to beachies. Great fun though.
Interesting conversation here. At the end of the day it comes down to how you want to surf and what sensation drives a sense of fun and accomplishment. For some that's just going fast and carving drawn out turns for a feeling of speed. For others it may be hacking a vertical turn and feeling the achievement of athletic progression. Neither is wrong. I will say this - many, many surfers that I see on HP shortboards don't realize how bad they actually are at emulating their favorite pros. I had a revelatory moment recently, as I watched a four wave set roll through at a head-high point. The first three waves featured average young guys on shortboards. The fourth wave was surfed by an old guy on a 7'0 midlength. I'll just say of the four, only one of them looked like he was surfing (speed, power, flow - to quote the WSL). As for the mid channel twin pin being a marketing trend, yeah Torren Martyn definitely inspired a few board purchases with his recent edits, but this is a drop in the bucket compared to the onslaught of high-performance marketing nonsense we are all subjected to by the industry at large. It's funny that the guys who buy designs endorsed by world tour surfers(welcome back to the billabong/quicksilver pro presented by hydroflask in association with Jeep!) are the ones calling out local/smaller shapers making channel twins as a marketing fad. That being said, I have a Mayhem shortboard that I love. And a somewhat doofy, oversized midlength that I also love! And I've actually found the midlength has taught/reminded me of the fundamentals of drive and flow that can be applied nicely back to my shortboard surfing.
Edit: Sorry - double commented. I'm a noob here and clicked twice.