Fish??

[surfhorn]

I switched to a 5'5" fish when I lived in SoCal. Great design for both beach breaks and points.

I mentioned to Jon Manss recently that he should put his expert woodworking skills into fabricating sets of fish/keel fins. We have accss to original templates........

[W.G. Facenda]

The fish was originated in the reef breaks of sunset cliffs most notably Newbreak.It also proved itself worthy at Big Rock were it's speed put kneeriding in some limelight.Both spots were very localized in the seventies and thus very lttle documentation......I would add that the hollower,cleaner, and gnarlier the wave the faster a great fish will fly.....and the only way you will stay on ......is if you kneel!

[flojo]

OK,
Fish is good--how wide for beachbreak mush?? should a fish be specially designed for beachbreak or will a properly designed one work in a variety of conditions??

still flojo

[DrStrange]

That's the question Flojo! And how much difference would putting a couple of flyers into the outline make?

[flojo]

Flyers??

Please Dr Strange, what is a flyer?? Like a bump or a wing in the outline??

[DrStrange]

Wings are cut in at sharp angle, flyers/bumps are same type of outline change only more gradual curve in. It's what Mandala and Kane Garden do w/ their modified, fish-like, more beach break oriented boards.

[toofast]

I`m in the process of shaping a fish myself. A 5-3 fish, about 20" wide.I don`t have boards for curtain size waves. i`m doing it because I have a OLD 5-3 that I ride from time to time because its just fun to ride

[Jacksquid]

I just saw a 6'2" Siebold (I think that's how you spell it) epoxy fish, 21" wide, with an inlaid pad at my local shop ($390 US) and I had this strong urge to purchase it. Is this a stand up board? Anyone have any input on this? Thanks.

Squid

[gray]

I'm new to kneeboarding, I fell into it when I made a Steve Lis copy (of sorts) hollow wooden fish, using the template from "surfboard design and Construction" book.

I stretched the template to 6' and made it primarily as a stand up and couldnt surf it. So I slipped onto my knees and in small beach breaks its a really nice ride and I love being closer to the wave, I'm hooked.

I made the board out of ply and cork and glassed it with epoxy...it is heavy and not somthing you want to wear on the head (personal experience has made me buy a gath to pretect the mellon!)

The twin keels are 5" x 9" base and foiled both sides and I've glassed them on with the trailing edge 5" from the pins. My question is whether this is too far back, given what I've been reading on the fin placement on some other boards being almost 3 times that distance.

It doesnt particularly perform in bigger surf. I took it out at Margaret River main, got some waves, but didnt seem to have the speed on those big faces.

Should I be moving the fins forward to get better performance?

thanks in advance

Gray

[Beeline2.0]

..

[toofast]

Hey Gray... I`m no shaper by any means but this is what I think and works for me. The boards that I have shaped and ride, I put in what they call longboarder fin boxes. The boxes allow me to move the fins forward and backwards. The boxes come in 8" or 10". I ride single fin boards or what some say a special twin. Anyway, when I have the fin up, the board is looser and when the fin is back, its sluggest and has more hold. The 5-2 fish I just shaped has 8" boxes and the boxes start at 8" from the tips of the tail and go up towards the nose. By most standards my fins are high up. But this is what I like and suits my style

[gray]

thanks toofast.

Unfortunately because the board is hollow there isnt any support for fin boxes, which is a pain. If I move the fins I will have to grind them off and re glass, which is no great problem and I'll gladly do it, if I can improve the performance of the board.

Reading on Swaylocks, fish of similar size, ridden standing, seem to have the fin trailing edge starting at 7" from the pins, which is getting closer to your 8" to 10" measurements. I would also consider another fin template which may be more suitable, thruster, single etc ...I'm all ears for suggestions.

I'm convinced that fins are 50% of what makes a board perform well, even though a lot of people dont consider them much as they are hidden from view!


cheers

Gray

[toofast]

Gray... don`t be afraid to try something new and what you think mite work. All my boards are WAY different then everyone elses and they make everyone think.Your ideas may work and they may not.you never know unless you try.

[lowrider]

the traditional Lis fish was around 5'5", with the keels about 5" from the pin to the trailing edge. Your board at 6' may need them a few inches more forward ( under your ankles?)