Akila Aipa's/Slater Designs' Twin release

sh3

Michael Peterson status
Dec 1, 2008
2,403
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@tedshred5 I found those fins to not have enough drive. Akila makes 3 different fin templates.

1. Pivot Twin Fin (the one you posted above).

2. Performance Rake Fin.

3. Performance Keel Twin Fin.

I think i would like the keel most in the Flat Earth... but maybe the Album one would work better??
Idk... I guess we'll have to wait and see which one Slater Designs recommends with this board.


View attachment 104236
Pivot

View attachment 104235
Performance Rake


View attachment 104237
Performance Keel



Those Raked fins and the Keel fins look amazing. As mentioned above, my issue is with the more pivot oriented fins - I like drive and rake. Yum.
 

ChaseTMP

Billy Hamilton status
Apr 6, 2014
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S. Redondo
I fondled a 5'6 and a 5'8 this evening at E.T Surf when I went in to grab a couple of leashes. They have an interesting foil with a lot of centerline thickness going pretty far towards the nose. The center thickness tapers dramatically towards the rail. I've looked at the dims and the 5'7 seems like it'd be the best fit for me (I'm 6' 166ish), but I can't see it feeling less foreign under the arm than the other two sizes I checked out. I think the only way I'd grab one was if I could demo my preferred size for a day or two. Maybe they'll be available through some Awayco affiliated shops?
 
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tedshred5

Michael Peterson status
Aug 5, 2015
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if I wanted one of these, I'm wondering why I wouldn't just get a custom Dark Twinn in XTR
1611684069473.png
I'm sure they're different boards though the outlines look similar, and I'd imagine Akila's design is more tuned for HI waves while Duke’s is more tuned for SoCal, since he's based out of Huntington
 
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oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
6,931
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San Diego, CA
if I wanted one of these, I'm wondering why I wouldn't just get a custom Dark Twinn in XTR
View attachment 104299
I'm sure they're different boards though the outlines look similar, and I'd imagine Akila's design is more tuned for HI waves while Duke’s is more tuned for SoCal, since he's based out of Huntington
Both the wing and the tail look a little more squared on the XTR by Duke than the Akila FW. But yeah, I imagine same template from Ben originally, then tweaked by each shaper. I believe this is the board Akila has said he's surfed most the last few years so I assume he's refined it over the years to his liking, plus KS input too.
Surprised I haven't seen more marketing from FW yet. I could see it being a bit too HP for what most average surfers think of a "twin fin" and they'll be bummed when it doesn't light up crappy waves. I'd expect to see a lot on CL. Or maybe whoever bought the Tokoro in LFT as their Pipe board, will snap these up?
 

ReForest

Michael Peterson status
Oct 7, 2020
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Both the wing and the tail look a little more squared on the XTR by Duke than the Akila FW. But yeah, I imagine same template from Ben originally, then tweaked by each shaper. I believe this is the board Akila has said he's surfed most the last few years so I assume he's refined it over the years to his liking, plus KS input too.
Surprised I haven't seen more marketing from FW yet. I could see it being a bit too HP for what most average surfers think of a "twin fin" and they'll be bummed when it doesn't light up crappy waves. I'd expect to see a lot on CL. Or maybe whoever bought the Tokoro in LFT as their Pipe board, will snap these up?
Hopefully some used ones will end up on craigslist. haha.
 

tedshred5

Michael Peterson status
Aug 5, 2015
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Both the wing and the tail look a little more squared on the XTR by Duke than the Akila FW. But yeah, I imagine same template from Ben originally, then tweaked by each shaper. I believe this is the board Akila has said he's surfed most the last few years so I assume he's refined it over the years to his liking, plus KS input too.
Surprised I haven't seen more marketing from FW yet. I could see it being a bit too HP for what most average surfers think of a "twin fin" and they'll be bummed when it doesn't light up crappy waves. I'd expect to see a lot on CL. Or maybe whoever bought the Tokoro in LFT as their Pipe board, will snap these up?
ya checked out a Flat Earth at Surf Ride the other day, and it felt like a board to ride in better days around here, instead of a HPSB
 

sh3

Michael Peterson status
Dec 1, 2008
2,403
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if I wanted one of these, I'm wondering why I wouldn't just get a custom Dark Twinn in XTR
View attachment 104299
I'm sure they're different boards though the outlines look similar, and I'd imagine Akila's design is more tuned for HI waves while Duke’s is more tuned for SoCal, since he's based out of Huntington
EXACTLY the board to get. Love it, and Duke does have it tuned for solid use in CA. Love mine in XTR.

Forgive the kookiness, but it was a present to me from me. The fins have since been switched out to the raked Rasta twins. Super stoked on the board with raked fins.

On top of everything else, Duke is a great person & a credit to his family for sure. Nothing but the best to him & his family.
 

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tedshred5

Michael Peterson status
Aug 5, 2015
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EXACTLY the board to get. Love it, and Duke does have it tuned for solid use in CA. Love mine in XTR.

Forgive the kookiness, but it was a present to me from me. The fins have since been switched out to the raked Rasta twins. Super stoked on the board with raked fins.

On top of everything else, Duke is a great person & a credit to his family for sure. Nothing but the best to him & his family.
that thing looks FUN
 
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frontsidegrab

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 4, 2014
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ya checked out a Flat Earth at Surf Ride the other day, and it felt like a board to ride in better days around here, instead of a HPSB
I can confirm that as the case. Have used it all through our recent run of swell. Really wants some push.
 

sh3

Michael Peterson status
Dec 1, 2008
2,403
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@sh3
looks like a fair amount of toe
what template are the 101, AM?
Those are the MTF fins (the ones for the twin fin + trailer board) for CI Surfboards. They're very upright. I'm loving the super raked out Rasta fins, but truth be told I'm (of course) super curious to try out Akila's template in the raked or more keel style.
 
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griffinsurfboard

Duke status
Oct 31, 2004
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Those are the MTF fins (the ones for the twin fin + trailer board) for CI Surfboards. They're very upright. I'm loving the super raked out Rasta fins, but truth be told I'm (of course) super curious to try out Akila's template in the raked or more keel style.
I could reshape an existing set of Futures to impove what you have :) Lots of room on the EN fin