Agreed on most points except that (IMO), the majority of surfers cannot do as well on a thruster as they can on a quad that’s set up reasonably. And most noobs can’t even make use of a thruster OR a quad.
I guess I hold the minority opinion on it because I think it should be illegal for shops to even stock entry level eggs and funboards with a thruster or a quad because the only people who can actually surf that setup as intended are surfers who have already spent a considerable amount of time on either a high performance longboard or the shortboards. Most noobs buying an egg are incapable of outsurfing a singlefin on it. Put a safety fin on it and they’re good because the board is already doing most of the work. And that is not a bad thing for someone who’s just starting out because surfing a singlefin is more forgiving with foot placement and stance and such.
But no, thrusters sell better because they’re sexy and because that’s what the pros surf. The noobs think they look cool while the people who can surf think it looks like the equivalent of wearing a gold chain over a Wal-Mart t-shirt.
…hello; so I watched 2 videos, one with I think Purchase riding an small shape in a head/over head long tricky left walls. Steeped but not toobs either. The other, another Aussie surfer riding bigger long point right walls with strong offshore winds with a 7 5 board. The board looks too long for that condition though.
With the small board you can see the lack of projection but plenty of speed (and a surfer that know how to s)
Few years ago I asked Bill his consent to make and try but no customers decided and I have been out of the water due to damaged body so still I do not build one.
I have some ideas though like using bigger boxes to use them advancing one to have more grip or hold in bigger surf etc
I think that closer the feeling is more like a single fin. The Purchase separated ones would feel different.