I am about to build my fish from the Clark 6’9"A blank. The dimensions of this blank are 18 5/16" nose 24 1/2" middle 18 1/2" tail and 13" end. Would a fat boys fish work if the blank was close shaped ie 18"nose, 24"mid, 18"tail, 12" tail end, 6"fish depth and full blank length. Used with 9x5 jensen style keels with ends placed 6-7" from tail. It will be used mainly in small 2-5foot surf.
I would appreciate some ideas as to the maximums I could get out of this blank that would work. There is so much info on fish at swaylocks it gets confusing and I just want to get it right. My weight is now 220lbs and height 5’11" age 44.
I have just sold my 8’ board that I built with all your ideas and I’m ready to go get my new materials.
I think 24" would be a bit too wide. There’s enough foam on that blank to yield a 3" thick board, so there’s no need to leave so much on the rail. I’d say trim the width down to 21 or 22" if you want a wide board.
Hi Solosurfer, are you using a gulwing fin or a starfin on this board? I love riding those Cheyne Horan style boards but this time my hearts set on a fish. I’d rather go bigger for the first fish to see how I get on, then reduce the size accordingly.
Thanks Joshmosh, what about tail. Remember that being a older surfer easy paddling is important, don't fancy too steeper take off these days.
Cheers Gaz
Old!? That’s all in your head!!
As for a tail, I guess it depends on where you’re surfing and in what conditions. If it’s a classic fish that you want, I’d go with the wide swallow.
I know a few guys here in NJ who ride big Kane Garden classic fishes with swallow tails and they absolutely love the boards. One guy is probably in his early 50s and still shreds on a 7’0" swallow tail.
I say if you’re 44 and riding a shortboard, you’re doing alright!
I have just finished shaping a big fish from a 69a (6’1 by 22 1/4 nose 17 tail 16 3" thick. pins 12" apart)
Looking at it, it seems really small!! i coulndt get any more width out the tail or pin area as i found the blank pulled in to much for the template i was using (a 5’5" lis scaled up to 6’4")
not wanting to highjack this thread but…
Whats the next best clark blank up to use? - i thought 7’10 r or 8’4h - anyone have any other ideas / suggestions
Gazro - I’m alittle heavier and taller than you (225 lbs 6 2 ) and i’ve just build a 6 2 x 16.5" tail X 23" wp X 12" nose X 2 " thick swallow tail fishy thing. I have no difficulty in catching waves on the thing and it absolutely flies in small surf like nothing ive ever ridden before. However - paddling the thing is a real chore - I think this is because i thinned out the tail so much that my calves sink when I’m paddling.
I love the board but will go thicker in the tail next time.
Hi Keentolearn, other possible blank for even larger fish would be the Clark 7’3" mini mal blank but the blank end is only 8 1/2" so by the time you lose a bit of the tail to get pin width it would probably only make 6’11".
Hi Silverback, I think the key for us bigger surfers is to keep it thick and wide in the tail giving us better paddling. The nose on your fish is quite narrow is the mid point in the centre?
Whats the widest tail possible with a fish, I tend to think that as the fish is meant to work as a pair of pintails and that 18" is feasible with big keels. I would like some more feedback on this point.
Thanks for the info, i looked at the 7’3 clark blank but it has a crowned deck and bottom, i assume this means the bottom will have roll at the edges. The fish i want to build next needs a flat (rail to rail) bottom shape.
i scaled a 5’5 lis fish template and it comes up at 6’4 23 1/2" wide, 18 tail, 18 1/4 nose with pins 16" apart! it seems a bit extreme but its a good starting point for a big bloke fish - i normally ride a 6’8" 201/2 shortboard, im 6’1 and 200llbs for example.
Yep - the nose is v narrow + thin - making the board ever so easy to turn - I do tend to agree, however, that a little extra tail thickness is a good thing for bigger guys.
I put the wide pt 2 " behind centre, the board kinda disappears to a point pretty rapidly after this - If I can get my act together I’ll post a pic. Imagine Flash Gordon’s rocket - I’m thinking of painting flames on the swallow tails!
I’m a couple years older, but not as heavy(losing weight cuz of the nasty cholesterol). I have made several big fishes out of the 6 9 A. I know you could get a 6 8 fish out of that blank. I’d go 17 22 17 with 10 to 12 inches between tips. & inch butt crack. Thickness 2 3 2 with big keels on it. It will jam! I think I gleaned from archives the leading edge of your fins should not exceed 15 inches from tips. Measure accordingly if your using the 9 inch base fins. 7 inch keels I line up with the top of the butt crack, 1 1/8 inches from the rail(rear edge). Single foiled toed in 1/8 inch 2 to 3 degree cant. Double foiled straight up and no cant. I think I’ve read everything on fishes in the archives several times. Its all you need to get started. Fun, fun, and fun. I’ve also squeezed a 6’10" fish hybrid thing from the 7 4 R. The 7 3 Becker is a great fish blank, too.Mike
Hi Mike, thank you for the info. I know your pretty active on swaylocks and have alot of knowledge of fish. What is the widest tailied fish you have tried? Because of my weight and the fact it will be my first fish what do you recon to 18" 23" 17 1/2" with 12" butt tips, would it work? I will be going with your fin positioning, I have 9x5 single foiled keels already made.
I’m a long time surfer and novice shaper. Don’t have a lot of knowledge. Everything I passed on I learned from this site and I road em. I’m a down the line soul seventies surfer. The widest tail I have used is 17 inches widest point is 22 inches 3 inches in front of center. 23 inches sounds kind of wide to me, but what do I know? I’m not as big as you(173 and dropping if I stop drinking beer. right). Check the photo archives. There are many fishes. Short fat wide bitchen little fishes. Build it, ride it, modify until you get something can’t ride enough. I think fishes are a pretty forgiving shape for guys our age who can still surf a bit. That’s why I ride mine 90 percent of the time. I think the 6 9 A is a great blank for a bigger fish cuz it has lots of foam and a bit of rocker. Mike
Thanks Mike for the help, (put that can back!) I will try and post some picks of my fish when completed. I’m meant to be off to Jamaica a week next monday (Ivan permitting!) so should start the project beginning of october for the Cornish winter surf in good ol Blighty.