Greetings, Shredderz! As far as I recall, I’ve only written up one previous Rory Russell Twin Fin, which you can find here. Lightning Bolt needs no introduction, and while the label will be forever linked with the iconic Pipeliner, I always love going a little deeper and learning about models that aren’t necessarily big ticket collector boards.

Russell is an all time classic character. If you don’t believe me, just check out some of his Lightning Bolt ads. Extracurriculars aside, Russel is also a two time Pipe Master. (Side note: I got that info from Russell’s entry in the Encyclopedia of Surfing, and if you don’t already subscribe, you really should.)

The Rory Russell twin fin pictured here was listed for sale a few weeks ago. No dimensions were listed. I’m not sure when it was shaped, but I’m guessing sometime in the early 80s.

For all the history behind the Lightning Bolt marque and Rory Russell, one of its OG team riders…holy shit, the airbrush on this board is unreal. It blows my mind that once upon a time stock boards looked like this (though I guess this particular example could have been a custom; I don’t have any way to say for sure). I just wish there were closeup pics of the subtle bolt pattern on the rails. But yeah, it’s unreal craftsmanship, and every time I walk into a surf shop nowadays, presented with rows of indistinguishable plain white boards, I think of boards like this one.