Board Review - 5'11 Channel Islands Twin Pin
Smooth as butter, great paddler and awesome subtle retro vibes. Definitely a favourite of mine for this year, the new CI twin pin ticks all the boxes.
Very few of us can surf like Mikey February whose silky smooth style this model was designed for by Britt Merrick but we can definitely enjoy all the benefits of a very well designed and thought through performance twin fin with soul.
I ordered mine in a 5”11 coming in at a just under 33 L. (My standard performance Shortie is at 31L) and it felt just right.
With a flat entry and slight roll before transitioning into a fair amount of vee in the back end. This unique combination with no concaves leads to a very smooth ride that is responsive and fluid. Designed to be pushed hard like a thruster with a lot of hold and bite through turns but still with that twin fin down the line speed and flair.
I’ve ridden mine in local beach breaks in a wide range of conditions and found it predictable and easy to ride in all types of waves and conditions. The slight beaked nose and extra volume under chest makes it a good paddler without feeling “boaty” or “tracky” Turning the board when sections present themselves felt very natural and smooth with the rounded pin tail, low rails and relatively narrower outline. In sucky hollow waves the board felt planted and confident with plenty of drive and speed to make tricky sections.
As a pure groveller in gutless waves there are definitely better options but as a really good all rounder that will perform in steep and larger waves, this is a current favourite of mine for sure. Surprisingly the board didn’t feel drifty or awkward on the back hand either like a lot of traditional twin fins and fishes.
In terms of fins, I’ve been riding it exclusively with the CI special twin fin template that Britt Merrick designed specifically for this model. It lies somewhere between a keel and an upright performance template that felt very balanced but with release when you wanted it.
We currently have two of these in store. They were super hard to get hold of due to popular demand globally. We also have two sets of the CI Twin fins to go with them.
check them out here!
Drop by to check them out or email us to arrange a private viewing.
Aloha@floatcaptain.com
Aloha
JK
Here is a vid of Mike ripping on one!