NEW Mick Fanning Twin Fins Twin fins were the catalyst for surfing’s biggest quantum leap of progression and legends like Mark Richards rode them to huge success in the 1970s (in fact, one could argue that MR’s four world titles were the product of his complete mastery of the twin-fin/fish shape). But after thrusters hit the scene in 1981, twins sort of lost their allure and fell by the wayside. This all changed with the “Ride Everything” movement of the early 2000s, when esoteric freesurfing pros began applying modern surfing to retro boards like single-fins and twins. And it didn’t take long for the average surfer to realize that twins provide a lot more speed than modern, high-performance thrusters. Of course, that speed comes with a few sacrifices, such as control at the apex of turns and the ability to easily square off the bottom and go vertical into the lip, which is why world tour surfers generally stay away from twins and mostly compete on thrusters and quads. But over the past few years we have seen a number of recently retired world tour surfers transition to twin fins, drawn by the speed, freedom, and lively feel that the boards...

There are few names in surfing that are more iconic than Mark Richards. Also known as the “Wounded Seagull” for his signature, awkward, splayed arm style, MR won what at that time was a record four world titles in a row, dominating the world tour from 1979 to 1982 on his self-designed, twin-fin fish. Today, Mark Richards is a renowned shaper, and his Superman-style MR logo is known around the world. Still specializing in fast, loose, twin-fin fish designs, his line of boards is representative of his patented style of high-performance surfing that led him to such dominance in the early 1980s. MR’s twin-fins were a response to the long, difficult-to-turn single fins that were dominating surfboard design in the late 1970s. Although he continued to ride the more stable single fins in Hawaii, he needed something shorter, faster, and more maneuverable in the small waves that dominated most of the tour stops—a need that informed his design of the 1978 Freeride twin-fin. The first one he shaped worked perfectly and became MR’s signature model—one that he continues to build and refine today. Along with the shorter, wider, straighter-railed fish design, MR also worked to create the perfect fin for his twin-fin boards....

FCS II Fin Clinic by Hawaiian South Shore While much emphasis is put on the rocker, rails, volume, bottom contours, and the various other aspects of board design, fins are hardly ever discussed. And yet they might just be the most important part of a surfboard. After all, they literally allow us to steer our boards through barrels and turns!  Fortunately for those of us who like to experiment with different designs, removable fin systems make it easy to do. FCS has been a leader in the removable fin system market for decades, and the current FCS II collection features a variety of templates and constructions that work for a variety of different surfers and conditions. FCS breaks its different fin designs into four families: Reactor, Performer, Accelerator, and Carver.  These families are differentiated by the rake of the fins, which is the degree to which the tip of the fin extends beyond the trailing edge of the base.  The Reactor fins feature low rake (or sweep), which means their shape is generally upright. Meanwhile, the Performer and Accelerator fins feature relatively neutral rake, while the Carver series features extensive rake (meaning that the tips of the fins extend a long...