Did Thrusters Screw Up Surfing??

ReForest

Michael Peterson status
Oct 7, 2020
3,238
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"Here’s a question for all you Surf fanatics. Did the invention of the thruster actually screw up surfing??

From a style aspect or are we just soo obsessed with maneuvers That nobody really gives a crap what you look like in the water"

What you guys think? I think twins force you to surf with more patience and more rail.

(This quote is taken from Joel Tudors Instagram post below.)
http://instagr.am/p/COa_VbIpwih/
 
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menobrah

Gerry Lopez status
Feb 28, 2021
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No. Curren on a thruster in his prime, pinnacle of style. Best surfing I have ever seen has been on thrusters with one exception -- joe curren on a ci fish at really big rincon connecting through the rivermouth when no one else could. Otherwise its hipster swiveling too horizontally on twins, wiggling and thinking they are asher pacey in 1 foot closeouts.
 

need 4 speed

Phil Edwards status
Nov 1, 2003
6,711
3,628
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SoCal
Surfing wouldn't be at the performance level it is without thrusters (imo)

I think twins force you to surf with more patience and more rail.
Don't disagree, but I was trying think of a better description than patience (for myself) definitely taught me to engage my rail more
 
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casa_mugrienta

Duke status
Apr 13, 2008
43,662
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Petak Island
"Here’s a question for all you Surf fanatics. Did the invention of the thruster actually screw up surfing??

From a style aspect or are we just soo obsessed with maneuvers That nobody really gives a crap what you look like in the water"

What you guys think? I think twins force you to surf with more patience and more rail.
My response would be people from pros to average joes looked much worse before the thruster was invented.
 

kane

Michael Peterson status
Sep 30, 2003
3,032
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Thruster is the most versatile from all levels of surfers imo. I doubt Simon Anderson wins his world title if everyone else was on thrusters.
 
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Tarab_ish

Legend (inyourownmind)
Nov 14, 2018
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It seems to me that that this guy and Tudor aren't even talking about thrusters vs other fin configurations, but more generally about boards you drive off the tail/generate speed off the fins vs boards you trim/surf off the middle and rails. I've seen tudor on a wide variety of boards but it's always something in that latter category. I almost exclusively surf quads now and I like all manner of hipster sh!t, so I could never surf a thruster again and be content, but I would feel so limited with Tudor's quiver of boards. I wanna pump down the line, not trim.
 

doc_flavonoid

Michael Peterson status
Dec 27, 2019
1,792
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style wise there is an awful lot of truly awful looking surfing going on these days. most of it on 3 fins, but thats only because its the most widely used setup pretty much everywhere.

anyway everyone knows the leash did more to fukker style than any board design ever could
 
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Feb 8, 2008
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Finale Ligure, Italy
No. Nothing can screw up surfing. Curren, Slater, Parko, and countless others down to Ethan Ewing make surfing on thrusters a thing of beauty.
Nevertheless, there ARE surfers who to my eye look really bad. They are on thrusters, but also on single fin logs, hipster mid lengths, fun boards, mini mals, fishes, alaias, finless boards (when they start rotating like spinning tops I'd shoot them point blank), you name it.
 

rowjimmytour

Tom Curren status
Feb 7, 2009
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No Occy and Curren perfect styles reg and goofy foot but so many lousy styles since. Me personally to bland quiver has quads, twins, and 5 fin MC Bonzers only:)
 
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