There are loads of variations of this turn, in fact the very best surfers can do several of em in a row and vary each one slightly each time. The important part is busting those fins out of the top of the lip, your message to surfers in the line-up is, ‘Say Hi to these guys.’

Becoming a fins-out guy as opposed to a standard off-the-lip guy will probably change your life. When you start to get them wired you’ll have an extra spring in your step and will be more confident with, and as result more attractive to, members of the opposite sex. After showing you how to do irie roundhouse carves in Biarritz on the previous spread, here the Rasta Rocket goes fins-out in Indo.

1. Control dis! Appas gets straight down to business. Coming in to the move with more speed than the all-conquering Lion of Judah at full sprint, he’s aimed his turn that bit higher than a normal off-the-lip. As your board busts out of the top of the lip and starts to go weightless, that’s when you want to start to pivot – tail up, nose down.

2. Blood and Fire! By pushing hard on his tail Appas has got the money shot in the can – his fins are glistening proud in the midday sun, and the photog is frothing. Appas has got his board completely perpendicular to the lip line, sliding it as if he was on a handrail. You want to keep your weight low and stay close to your board, helping you stay in control. The first few times you do this it’ll fell pretty weird surfing without fins, but hang in there, you’ll get used to it.

3. By the very nature of this kind of turn, you’ll be doing it in the steepest part of the wave. Because of that, if you’re surfing a shallow bank or reef like this one in the Mentawais, the lip will be throwing over whilst you’re still up there. You’re going to get thrown
forwards and down, and need to get your body position right to be able to deal with this. It’s all very well and good getting your fins out, but now you’ve got to pull the thing off. Try and stay over your board as you go over the falls, and look down at the place you’re
gonna be landing.

4. Hear me now! Appas pulls it. As soon as you feel your fins engage in the bottom transition of the wave, let your knees absorb the shock and try to use the momentum of coming down to propel you and your board forwards, rather than slapping down too hard on the flats. As you crank into your next bottom turn and plan whatever rad shit you’re gonna pull next, take a brief moment to say to yourself,
‘Ah yes. It appears that I am in fact, in the club.’