Bagel/burlap board technique?

Hey, everyone! I recently started using bagel boards in my bagel baking process. On my first batch, I followed the manufacturer's instructions: start the bagels on the board, flip and remove boards after four minutes, bake until finished (another 8-11 mins; I'm baking at 500 degrees).

The results were delicious (and the bagels didn't stick to my pizza stone), but the baking was uneven: the side that started on the board retained so much moisture that it was much lighter/underdone relative to the side that started out on top.

In subsequent batches, I'm flipping twice (3 minutes, flip and remove boards, 5 minutes, flip again, bake for another 5 minutes). This seems fine but not what I hear/see others do. Any advice/perspective?