So, my friend is 155lbs; she wants a fish. it will be her first board she has only ever riden a 6'2 in costa for two weeks. Now she is moving to mushy bad waves in the big NAPLE FLORIDA WOOO HOOOO :,(.
what is best for her?
…a fish is not a beginner board…
do other design or frustation and possibly hurt herself with the big swallow tail can occur
a fish is not a good idea. too squirlly and flat. she'll probably pearl.
It has to have a lot of volume, especially under the chest. you should probably talk her into something a little longer. keep the rocker flatter, but with some flip in the nose, and possibly tail to prevent pearling. Remind her that she doesn't rip, and that a shortboard potato chip will not benifit her in any way.
Eggs go over easy. Lower the rocker. She’ll be ripping. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gkUIT1HicM&feature=related
All of the above is true. However… if she wants a fish, build her a fish! Isn’t that why we’re all here? We want to ride what we want to ride and have fun. And if she gets frustrated by the fish, build her what she wants next, and on and on… If you build her a fish and she’s stoked, she’ll spend more time in the water with it, and be positive about it the whole while. She’ll learn it’s not as easy as it looks, but she’ll have a clear goal in her head, and enough stoke to keep at it.
I say a big, fat fish… wide and thick and flat with down rails, a deep swallow, vee bottom, twin keel, flat rockered F-I-S-H. In the waves you get in Naples, which are only weak, knee to waist high dribblers 80% of the time, she’ll have a blast. Pearl? Naaaa… she needs to be able to catch waves at all. She can break out the 6’2 when it gets good.
A 6’0-6’2 aughtta do her.
Female @ 155# + mushy waves will require some volume but also a shape that turns easily. She can’t surf waves unless she can catch waves. Ideally she should start with a longer board, like an egg.
But if it has to be a shorter board then something along the lines of a CI Pod or perhaps a Lost RNF, possibly in the 6.0 range. If she were a guy @ 155# I’d include a Rusty Dwart-type shape, but those have wider tails that might be harder for her to turn. Go with a local shaper and consider the merits of a quad setup, 'cause learning to pump well takes time.
An actual fish is a tough shape to surf because there is so little room for error when compared to boards with more length and rocker. They’re also harder for girls to duckdive because of the distribution of the volume and the width.
Hello, when I was in college I used to give surf lessons to a lot of girls from the east coast down here in PR (good times).
The basic question is: can she stand up consistently on a longboard? Does she have the pop up technique mastered? If she does, a fish would be ok, but as said by nj_surfer, make it floaty and wide.
Maybe one of those big fish type 7' X 16" X 20 1/2" X 16" twin keels but pull in the tail at the tips to around 101/2" so she can turn and maybe around 2 1/2" - 2 3/4" thick. She can turtle roll it but not much duckdiving although she will catch some waves and learn how to use a rail.
Let her ride what she wants but I would reccomend a 7' singlefin egg.
How'd she do on the 6'2" ?
so many variations on a 'fish' that some can be great to learn on, and others, no good at all, I do a semi-fish that is very user friendly and stable as all hell, rockers are good and forgiving rails, but a flat, short, thick slab with twin keels, not so good especially in beachies, maybe mini-mal fun shape would be more suitable, depends on skill and wave type really.......
Have you ever seen the surf in Naples?
Good question. Although I'll certainly defer to someone who lives there (GT?), the waves on Florida's southern Gulf coast aren't exactly what most would expect. Small, yes. But quick and dumpy, it's been my experience that one has to get in quickly and throw a first turn in order stand any chance of making the wave.
IMO it really depends on the athleteticism and aptitude of the young lady, and her ''wish for a fish''. She doesn't need a boat, though. Ponderous boards aren't quick enough for the waves (again IMO).
“quick and dumpy, it’s been my experience that one has to get in quickly
and throw a first turn in order stand any chance of making the wave.”
Yep. No such thing as getting in early. Just gotta jump up in a nano sec. Doesn’t favor the elderly.
I asked Mr. Loehr a while back for a design recommendation for the Gulf. I think it was a 7-0 Millenium rocker by about 21. But that was for me. I wouldn’t ride a true fish in a frontal system swell. Or a longboard.
hey, im back i was at a swim meet all weekend.
thanks for all your input 
she was really good on her 6’2, and she pops up very well.
If you have never surfed the SW gulf…dont it is crap lolz
i ride a no rocker in the tail 8’6 and minimal rocker nose, about 2 2/3 thick and 22 wide. Best board i have ridden here.
just out of curiosity am i the only naples shaper here or are there more?
Have you guys seen the Al Merrick Fishcuit? Would that be a good board to "copy" or is it trying to do to much?