Being a huge fan of all things traditonal fish, (Lis, Frye, Brom inspired or what have you) I find fish theory fascinating. So, the fish came about as an evolution of boards that were being ridden in clean point surf, the realm of the clean line hunting pintail. What Lis did in adding another pin to accomodate his swim fins makes sense and coincidentally this double pin design has many magical qualities. With the new revival of the fish design these days however, these boards are being ridden in everything from clean point surf to barreling beach breaks to mushy wind chop. I am tralking of course about the traditonal (or if you must “retro” feesh) Their thickness and width translate into a very functional board and in some conditions, it would seem the swallow tails are just along for the ride and are out of their element. Over at Freeline surf shop in Santa Cruz, I saw an interesting board (~5’8"x20.5"x2.5") with a nearly traditional fish outline though with a squash instead of swallow tail. How do twin fins feel about a squash tail? Does deviating away from a swallow tail on traditional fish outlined boards enhance or detract from the boards feel? (in perfect point vs. other breaks) I feel that in many of the conditions I see fish being surfed in in California, their thickness and outline translate to greater wave-catching, glide, maneuverability, and flow for the riders but in less than perfect conditions, what are those point break craving pins feeling? Is the evolution of the traditional fish ever going to see less than traditional swallow tails as part of its outline?
What Lis did in adding another pin
Bear Mirandon made his “twin Pins” BEFORE Lis, according to him and my memory. I have put “other” tails on my “fish” type boards with great success. My favorite is a wide diamond tail. A clean unbroken tail gets rid of the “glitch” in the turns. There are no set rules, if you got an idea do it. If it does not work figure out why and you are on your way. Its funny things that SELL the best are not always what RIDE the best!?!?
A wide diamond tail. That is the answer I’ve been looking for to the very question he asked. Thank you ACE.
Here’s what I did…http://www.swaylocks.com/resources/detail_page.cgi?ID=1922
My inspiration came from a 6-4 Mandala Stubby Bonzer. I took my 6-0 fish template, stretched it a bit, used a double-bump tail outline that came from a Pavel fish, and finished with a 8.5" diamond tail. I added the Turbo Speed Dialers (another Pavelian idea) but without bottom concaves. I ended up with a responsive sub-7’-er that is extremely predictable and smooth.
I just did a BIG fish outline with a wide diamond tail. Used wings to bring the tail in just a bit (it’s still around 10" wide) and set it up with the Pavel speed dialer fins. So far I love it.
I was thinking of doing a shallow “moontail” (yeah, i just made it up) It’s basically like a boogieboard tail…
I think the moontail would be pretty cool looking.
Santa Cruz used to have a moontail–looked just like that!
Can’t find one online, so you’ll just have to believe me!
From grain surfboards web site.
Someone should try not just a butt crack but a whole butt. A double round pin
I’ve been thinking down the same lines on fish shapes… I think Bill B posted a similar opinion sometime back on Swied’s Balsa fish thread.
My thoughts are along the lines of:
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Keep the fish outline
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Instead of the traditional twin pinned fish tail, go with a diamond, bat, moon, square etc.
Mandala does some really nice bat tails along this line - they are beautiful looking boards.
There are also a few good examples of moon tails around
I’m currently shaping a diamond tail using the fish template that I have developed over the last few years as the starting point. In my opinion these variations / evolutions on a fish style board are best suited to a quad fin setup.
I’ll keep you posted with feedback once my Diamond Tail fish is done.
-Cam
Someone should try not just a butt crack but a whole butt. A double round pin
Ummm, why don’t you try it and let us know how it goes 
-Cam
I have done a couple of quad diamond tails, 9.5 to 10" wide, with fish like outlines. One point to consider is that by replacing the fish tail you have some where from 20 to 30 square inches of tail there. From my experience this affects things like concaves, increasing tail lift a little, and of course any vee. Seems to me that it demands an adjustment of fin placement. I use MR quads in a modified speed dialler formation and think the back fin has to move back say .5" and maybe the front fin too, this might overcome the skitterishness that these boards seem to have compared to a fish. But once up and in trim as opposed to say on your backhand bottom turn they feel smooth and loose. Anyway my first 2 cents worth, thanks all.
Pete.
Hurry calmly
I’m currently shaping a diamond tail using the fish template that I have developed over the last few years as the starting point. In my opinion these variations / evolutions on a fish style board are best suited to a quad fin setup.
Cam, there is a pic of something similar in the stubie pics thread - awesome board - sky blue in color… I think Chipfish posted the pics… rif.
I wonder would changing the tail require you to change the bottom contours in the tail to release the pressure built up by the keels, eg big double concaves. I rode a square tail Pod with a super wide tail once with KG keels instead of the bonzer setup. although there were small waves it went pretty good.
Cheyne Horan already did the “bum - tail” - won a masters comp on it as i remember…pics anyone?
“I have done a couple of quad diamond tails, 9.5 to 10” wide, with fish like outlines."
I was thinking about doing something like this for my next board. I started thinking that it might be good to match the angle of the fins with the angle of the diamond tail. any thoughts on this? my theory is that it will have good release off of the inside tail when the inside fins are fully engaged. Sort of like 2 square tails one or frontside and another for backside. Or is they angle of the diamond tail mostly adjusted to control stability?
I have a 6’2" Pipedreams flex fin twin, Murray Burton shaped, “Trippun Fish” with the moon tail you are describing. Look for it on the Pipedream website. Huge v out through the tail. Works well in fast Noosa pontbreak waves.
Yes, Murray Burton does some really nice moon tails.
Your name reminds me of another alternative - a certain shaper on here also does a shape he calls the cuttlefish. It is:
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Outline along the lines of a fish
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Rounded tail with a wing
Hope he can add some pics / comments, otherwise I think I might need to dig through the resources and see if there is a pic there 
-Cam
I found the cuttlefish in the resources.
Here it is: http://www.swaylocks.com/resources/detail_page.cgi?ID=1662