The paradoxical case of the surfboard with two tails and two fin setups

Bithruster: the two-tail board by Ventura's Program Surfboards | Photo: Program

Could a surfboard have two tails? Or, in other words, could a surfboard have two fin setups? Well, in surfboard design, impossible is nothing.

The richness of surfing is its creative participants and craftspeople who add increments of knowledge, experience, and innovation to its universe.

The time when surfboard shapes stood still around the same pattern of outlines, deck and bottom contours, and tail and nose paradigms is long gone.

Board manufacturers who keep bringing new designs to life using their own hands and expertise are constantly testing out-of-the-box concepts.

The era of asymmetrical surfboards is no longer a novelty; aggressive and deep channels have been in the water for a while.

So, what's left to try?

This time, we challenge you, dear reader, to reflect on the pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages of the surfboard with two tails and two fin setups.

The model in question, which went relatively unnoticed and under the radar and could've very well been crafted by Greg Webber, is called "Bithruster."

Its name says it all, right?

So, the "Bithruster" is a 5'5" surfboard featuring two tails, one of them, obviously, where the nose should be.

The unusual shape allows surfers to quickly switch from a squash to a rocket tail swiftly, always in thruster mode.

Bithruster: a squash tail on one end and a rocket tail on the other | Photo: Program

The Tail Is a Nose Is a Tail

In a way, it's like having two surfboards in one.

And if you want to keep playing with words, you could say it literally works both ways.

As someone put it, "Bring one board to the beach and get two feels out of it." All you need to do is have a hex key to switch fins from tail to... nose. Or tail.

According to an owner of this rarity, "the squash side has a quarter inch more rocker tail than the rocket tail side."

"One side is designed for mushier waves, and the other is more pulled in for tighter surfing."

It makes sense.

The "Bithruster" was shaped by Program Surfboards, a small indie shaper from Ventura, California.

The shaper states that the 29.7-liter, 21 1/4 x 2 5/16, two-tail board has a standard weight comparable to a 6-oz fish.

This unique board was built in 2023, and the manufacturer promised a second prototype that is lighter and focused on "more performance."

We need more experiments like this.

But if you ever put your hands on this beauty, remember to use only one fin setup. After all, a tail is a nose is a tail.

Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com

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