CI Twin Pin

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,617
1,329
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Avoid "Mystery Glassing".

I had a CI that was glassed there that would ding if you breathed too hard near it. My Twin Pin doesn't have any indication of where it was glassed but it's a little better.
 
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kool-aid

Michael Peterson status
Aug 28, 2003
3,026
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San Francisco
My CI Twin Pin had an absolutely fine glass job. It was clean and help up well in the time that I rode it.

I traveled with it a bit and I was surprised by how resilient it was to bumps and bruises.
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
11,986
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PNW
Avoid "Mystery Glassing".

I had a CI that was glassed there that would ding if you breathed too hard near it. My Twin Pin doesn't have any indication of where it was glassed but it's a little better.
Yeah i think the softest glass job ive ever had was a mystery glassed ci.
 

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,617
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Mine got a bit banged up on a single trip to mainland Mexico but nothing too bad, just mystery pressure dings etc. My Pyzel Ghost which was several years older and much more used and made the same trip in the same bag and came out looking better.

Definitely better than my Mystery glassed Semi-Pro 12 which came back from a trip to Nicaragua looking like it had been through a war.

My CI Twin Pin had an absolutely fine glass job. It was clean and help up well in the time that I rode it.

I traveled with it a bit and I was surprised by how resilient it was to bumps and bruises.
 
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rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,617
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Anyone tried any other fins in the Twin Pin besides the Britt Merrick Keels?

In the video above the guy is raving about the Rasta Twin fin set in these especially in beach breaks and it got me curious. The Britt Merricks worked great for me in Mexican point breaks but thinking might need something different for my home beach breaks if we ever get waves again.

Summer flat spells breed discontent.
 

ReForest

Michael Peterson status
Oct 7, 2020
3,071
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That doo Mikey has been surfing oside lately. He's a pretty good surfer, but he does not look good on that Twin Pin IMO
 
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rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
11,534
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Don't love his surfing but interested in different fin setups more geared toward beach breaks.
Do not own a CI or never tried keels but do like TA twin fiberglass set and Fins Unlimited 2win set at beach breaks and local reef on my mid pin "2win" and AO swallow:waving:
 

ckupczynski1

OTF status
Oct 14, 2009
277
110
43
Don't love his surfing but interested in different fin setups more geared toward beach breaks.
I have a twin pin from my local shaper and the album Fins from NVS work great. It’s a slightly taller fin then the T1and has that looseness with a touch more hold. Rode that setup in El Salvador 6-8ft no slide outs and held through turns just fine.
 

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
11,986
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PNW
Anyone tried any other fins in the Twin Pin besides the Britt Merrick Keels?

In the video above the guy is raving about the Rasta Twin fin set in these especially in beach breaks and it got me curious. The Britt Merricks worked great for me in Mexican point breaks but thinking might need something different for my home beach breaks if we ever get waves again.

Summer flat spells breed discontent.
Rasta are much smaller and more flexible than the BM's. Not to mention they have inside foil. I have the Rastas and I quite like them in my narrow tailed round pin twins even though they are smaller than just about any other twins I run. They are basically the T1 template, I think. They're not enough fin for my wide tailed twins like the Plasmic, Twinsman, etc but for the longer RP twins they are nice for loosening up longer boards, allowing for tighter shreds. TA twins are somewhere between the Rasta and BM's both in size and rake. Great all rounder for most mid/heavyweight's (I'm 185). Album NVS are similar to the TA but more refined tip and thinner foil. I'm a fan.
 

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,617
1,329
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Great Info thanks.

I'm 160 so the Rastas might work for me. I'm thinking the BMs will be the go to when it gets bigger and for travel which is what I bought the board for but want something for the smaller days when I feel like taking the board out though it's not optimal conditions for that shape. Sounds like the Rastas, the T1s and the NVS are all good candidates. I have some Captain Fin Especial Twins but they are pretty small. They seem more designed for subing into thrusters with the trailer. I also have a set of fins I bought from the Surfboard Broker which might work. They are bigger than the Captain Fins:


They are probably knock offs of one of the common twin fin shapes, but not sure which as they don't provide stats.

Rasta are much smaller and more flexible than the BM's. Not to mention they have inside foil. I have the Rastas and I quite like them in my narrow tailed round pin twins even though they are smaller than just about any other twins I run. They are basically the T1 template, I think. They're not enough fin for my wide tailed twins like the Plasmic, Twinsman, etc but for the longer RP twins they are nice for loosening up longer boards, allowing for tighter shreds. TA twins are somewhere between the Rasta and BM's both in size and rake. Great all rounder for most mid/heavyweight's (I'm 185). Album NVS are similar to the TA but more refined tip and thinner foil. I'm a fan.
 
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rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
11,534
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Great Info thanks.

I'm 160 so the Rastas might work for me. I'm thinking the BMs will be the go to when it gets bigger and for travel which is what I bought the board for but want something for the smaller days when I feel like taking the board out though it's not optimal conditions for that shape. Sounds like the Rastas, the T1s and the NVS are all good candidates. I have some Captain Fin Especial Twins but they are pretty small. They seem more designed for subing into thrusters with the trailer. I also have a set of fins I bought from the Surfboard Broker which might work. They are bigger than the Captain Fins:


They are probably knock offs of one of the common twin fin shapes, but not sure which as they don't provide stats.
Also take note on fin suggestions coming from twins ie: album etc with back placement compared to CI twin pin forward like both my twins. I think for this reason I never figured the smaller more upright fins like Aipa twins etc would work for me:shrug:
 

j_mac

Legend (inyourownmind)
Aug 16, 2020
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Rasta are much smaller and more flexible than the BM's. Not to mention they have inside foil. I have the Rastas and I quite like them in my narrow tailed round pin twins even though they are smaller than just about any other twins I run. They are basically the T1 template, I think. They're not enough fin for my wide tailed twins like the Plasmic, Twinsman, etc but for the longer RP twins they are nice for loosening up longer boards, allowing for tighter shreds. TA twins are somewhere between the Rasta and BM's both in size and rake. Great all rounder for most mid/heavyweight's (I'm 185). Album NVS are similar to the TA but more refined tip and thinner foil. I'm a fan.
I wish I saw this sooner! There is a lot of insight in this post. I have 3 different types of round pin twins.
6'0"x18.25" Sterlana - Akilas work best, and work so good that I haven't considered other fins
5'8"x18.25" skinny Twinsman - Rastas work best (though only one surf, but solid session) great speed and hold, Akilas worked, but too loose, smaller Geminis a bit too stiff, NVS uprights were too much fin.
5'7"x19" Bullet Twin - smaller Gemini twins feel best, AMTs close second though with more pivot; NVS uprights were good, but didn't make the board feel electric; Akilas never really worked, nor did the Rastas; Larger Ashers too much hold; Also tried the ENs - didn't care for these at all in the board.

The Sterlana and skinny Twinsman are pretty similar in foam distribution, contours, and width, so board length played important role in fin selection. I tend to surf the Sterlana more forward, and move around a bit more, where the skinny Twinsman is set your feet and go.

The Bullet Twin took some time to find the right fins, and didn't think the small Geminis would work as they sat on my shelf. Then one day I tried them and couldn't believe I delayed trying them for so long.
 
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rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,617
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I've been running the Britt Merrick Twins but besides a trip to Mexico where it went great in perfect point breaks I haven't really clicked with the board.

Seems like it wants a bigger and cleaner wave than we've been getting lately so It's been collecting dust mostly. Not sure if it's a fin thing or just the conditions here don't really suit the board.

Been using the true ames twin fin which has felt amazing. Tried the ENs and felt really stiff. This board is epic. Took some time to get use to but nothing beats carving on this.
 

ckupczynski1

OTF status
Oct 14, 2009
277
110
43
I haven had that many sessions on mine but I can tell this guy wants point break head high and up. I probably had the best left at cottons point ever during that Frank swell on this board and it was strange not having that concave and just vee in the back. Almost like the speed was there but the vee sat and kinda dragged it. Another time I took it to 5-6ft Newport but felt slow and swapped for a shortboard instead. kinda what you only see in the marketing of this board. I’m hoping the a set of the Krakens or Album twins will open it up in average conditions otherwise I’d rather just surf a performance board in pumping points.
I've been running the Britt Merrick Twins but besides a trip to Mexico where it went great in perfect point breaks I haven't really clicked with the board.

Seems like it wants a bigger and cleaner wave than we've been getting lately so It's been collecting dust mostly. Not sure if it's a fin thing or just the conditions here don't really suit the board.
I've been running the Britt Merrick Twins but besides a trip to Mexico where it went great in perfect point breaks I haven't really clicked with the board.

Seems like it wants a bigger and cleaner wave than we've been getting lately so It's been collecting dust mostly. Not sure if it's a fin thing or just the conditions here don't really suit the board.
 

rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,617
1,329
113
Mine went great in perfect mainland Mexico point breaks at about chest to head high. I was surfing backside which shouldn't really be the best for twins but it handled it well. No hitches or feeling like it wanted to spin out. The big Britt Merricks probably helped here.

I've taken it out about 3 or 4 times back at home in punchy, less than perfect beach break and just haven't connected. Seems like it's a travel board for me or something I pull out once in a blue moon when conditions are just right. Will give it another go if we get a clean head high swell that isn't super dumpy like the last Fiona swell.

I haven had that many sessions on mine but I can tell this guy wants point break head high and up. I probably had the best left at cottons point ever during that Frank swell on this board and it was strange not having that concave and just vee in the back. Almost like the speed was there but the vee sat and kinda dragged it. Another time I took it to 5-6ft Newport but felt slow and swapped for a shortboard instead. kinda what you only see in the marketing of this board. I’m hoping the a set of the Krakens or Album twins will open it up in average conditions otherwise I’d rather just surf a performance board in pumping points.
 
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bluengreen

Michael Peterson status
Oct 22, 2018
1,763
4,641
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SF x Encinitas
Interesting to read the above. I rode mine for the first time in some shreddy, low tide beach break (shoulder to head high A-frames) and it went really well. Granted I'm surfing at about 60% while rehabing a knee injury and have been on bigger boards the last few weeks, but the Twin Pin was fast and wanted to surf pretty tight in the pocket, even at 6'3. Really excited get more confidence in my knee and be equal to the kind of surfing this board wants to do.