This issue X-over had me going to WA for a SPUN launch. For those who don't know, Spun is basically a company put together by two of the original wakeboarders or "Goannas "as Marshall would say, going by the names of Dean Mundy and James Klobassa, with the help of Dean's lovely wife Janice.

Until now Spun has focused more on the clothing side of things -hats, shirts, that sort of stuff; but when I told the boys Boarder was featuring surfing in this issue's X-over they suggested I should get over to the west for their new product launch. I was keen to go because 1.I have never been and 2.I was keen to get to Margaret River for a wave myself. So yeah this would work, I would go even if this product was a new style of shirt or even a yo yo.

Going to the west with full intentions of getting to the best known surf spots in the world for this article I ended up down at the cable park, out behind a boat and spending a day or two kiteboarding. My X-over article had not got any closer to getting started, so I was starting to feel a bit skeptical, not to mention edgy as I yearned to catch a wave. At that moment the Spun crew arrived and the next thing I was looking at this innovative product -the Spun twin tail surfboard and sipping on a new beverage called Devil drinks. This is an all Australian made product produced in Tasmania using premium Tasmanian spirits and Hartz natural mineral water. Devil drinks happen to be the company who sponsor the Spun twin tail so as a result they combined their launch with Spun in the west.

Now the Spun twin tail surfboard might not sound like a new idea as we have seen wakeboards, skateboards and twin tip kiteboards for years. Until now shapers around the world have toyed with this idea but could never perfect the work. It has taken five years of trial and error for Dean and James and with their wake background they have done it. This board features customized fins, sharp edges and the original concept of an extra legrope lug in the center of the board. All I wanted to do was wax it up and let it rip but after keeping it out of the industry's eye for this long they weren't about to bring it out before the official launch to the surfing world.

Friday night 23rd of November was the unveiling and there were shapers, surfers and shop owners all there looking, talking and wanting to see this new concept and test its performance. Unfortunately for me my journey was at the end. I had to leave Saturday morning before a surf on the twin tail.

Fortunately for some hot local surfers and myself I had the opportunity to get one of the Spun twin tails home for some hands on experience. Paddling out for my first surf it felt like a traditional board which had its nose snapped off. With this feeling I didn't want to nose dive so I was a little too much back footed as you usually are when surfing. I went straight down the face leaning over for a bottom hand turn when the board slipped out straight into a 180 degree spin. Next minute I found myself going switch, missing the section and having to bail out as the wave shut down.

Over the next few waves I became more comfortable realizing that all I had to do was ride it more like a wakeboard, leaning over and leading more with my front foot. Taking late drops with full on pressure on the front foot, bottom hand turning and heading straight back up the face snapping it like it 's just another day surfing. This board is the loosest piece of equipment I've ever been on. When you are cruising along the face you think the board is going to slide out, but the fins are just big enough to track and keep the board going straight. You can float along the lip natural, slide it out and come down goofy with just as much control as if you were going your normal stance. At last I can wakeboard on a wave without any other source of power except the wave itself.

Even though it is best suited for somewhat fatter waves as it rides similar to fish, the FCS fin system allows you to put in slightly bigger fins for the more sizey, suckier drops and still hang in.360's are easier than ever and with the bonus lug in the center of the board a small rope and handle can be set up so that when you go for an air you can spin and just pull the board to your feet for ease in landing the 540's and maybe even 7's.With the boy 's background, five years of hard work and product testing and trying to keep it out of the public eye, I think it was well worth it.

Wake, snow, skate and kiteboarding are all descendants from surfing but until now surfing has never gone the symmetrical end way. When we first waked or snowed or even skated we were carving either off the lip on the wake or cruising down a 5000ft hill pretending it was a huge wave. With the introduction of symmetrical ends these sports reached new levels. Now the Spun twin tail will provide surfing the opportunity to take the next and probably the final step, allowing the young groms to throw 540 's and ride away. All without loosing the ability to smack the lip after a nice deep bottom hand turn and still even drop into a 6ft pit and race the section before the lip closes out on you.

Surfing is the oldest board sport -the original. As the Quicksilver saying goes, "Only a surfer knows the feeling " and it 's true. Whether you have just caught your first wave or pulled into your 1000th tube it will always be a feeling that lasts a lifetime. If you are a traditional style surfer looking for a new board and you see the Spun twin tail on a shelf, approach it with an open mind. Look to the future and what you will be able to do. The only complication you will have with this board is knowing where to wax up for your stance -and that decision I will leave up to you. Get out there and continue the motion.