Mikey February Flows Over & Rips Into Rincon on Signature Fish

Originally posted on SURFER | By August Howell | Last updated May 13, 2025 5:20 PM ET

Bob Simmons, one of California’s earliest board builders, is credited with being the first person to slot two fins under a surfboard sometime in the 1940s. Simmons, renowned for his popular planning hulls in the post-war surf scene, sought to gain speed on rail-to-rail transitions, a feeling anyone who steps on a twin fin can experience to this day.

Decades later, surfboard trends and ideas and shapes have changed a lot. But the essence of Simmons’ early design can be seen in later twin-fin maestros like Steve Lis, Reno Abellira, Ben Aipa and Mark Richards. Easy speed, easy flow. These days, there’s no better example of how well a twin can be surfed, particularly in powerful waves, like Mikey February.

What would Simmons, who shaped and rode 10-foot balsa boards, think of the surfing Mikey is doing on 5'5" sleds today? No way to know, but he'd likely appreciate the South African putting his hydrodynamic principles to work.

Above, Mikey rides his fire engine red fish and clandestine prototype he’s developing with Channel Islands Surfboards. While the latter looks interesting, it’s the speed, release and sheer velocity of the twin that makes me sit up straighter. You may have seen some of these clips in the CI takeover video last month (more on that below). But this is all Mikey. The surfing, the tone, the music, it’s his signature concoction. We’ll take two, please.

What more is there to say? This is nine minutes of Mikey February taking over Rincon. Play. Savor. Repeat.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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