Stall.
Rocker the board back on it’s haunches and dig a hole in the water surface to slow the board down. Then rocker the board forward to pickup speed? push yourself outta that hole you just dug to turn or make(carve) yourself a ledge on the tube face…
What about dropping the flaps and leaving the hull position in speed trim. Create drag to brake for the turns or tube, don’t dig a hole. We’re not carving a turkey back in the day, we’re slip-slidin away.(?)
Leave the tail rocker flatter but (slightly) more flexible, catch those paipos once-and-for-all. Let fins be fins instead of brakes. Can we think past the thruster? Blasphemy of the highest degree.
Stop the thruster maker machine? Nah, start it up again… nothing here. Long live the three headed god.
Weighted tow-in board keeps the feeling of surfing instead of flying, plug into the juice, forward momentum, surface skimming, fin in the water, not for the faint of heart. (or me)
Watching Taj at Trestles, not so much vertical as, pivot-pivot launch. Practice for flying from section to section? Mom, I’ll be in San Diego by noon, can you come pick me up? Wow, was he fast. Pocket/face speed, slightly different from carve-stall, up and down, vertical style, hang in the pocket, ride 'um cowboy, bucking bronco contest winners, but I saw the future. Dig it!
Leave the radar guns and closed courses to the boats and RS, surfing is about that smile that starts in your heart.