Could someone help me with real fish design for my height/weight, please? Thanks

General Discussion
1

I’m going to jump on the bandwagon here and get a fish, and was wondering what size I should consider.

I am 195 pounds and 6 feet tall (okay, 5,11 and 3/4).

I am an intermediate/advanced surfer, can comfortably surf waves up to about ten foot on the face, and will venture into larger stuff if there is a deep channel.

I don’t want to make it, because I want to get the most positive surfing experience out of it, and this summer (asap).

My instinct is telling me that 6,2 or 6,4 would do well for me. I don’t know if I am comfortable with the 5,10 that seems so popular. I want to have some paddling power as well.

Keep in mind I am talking about a real fish, not a hybrid. I want the low rocker, big fins, volan glass, etc.

Any help would be very appreciated.

Thank you

2

Maybe 6ft2, 21, 2 3/4? Get big twin fins, Flatter rocker, deeeeeeeep swallow and you’ll have a blast!

3

Talk to Larry Mabile at

http://www.kanegarden.com/

4

I finally jumped on the bandwagon myself this summer and got ahold of a fish. Being 55 and not having ridden a board under 7’ for many years I went ultra-conservative on the length/width/thickness. The board is 6’10"x23"x3". Future fish fins with a small trailer. Surfer weight 180lb +/- and 6 ft. Flat-rocker with the deep swallow. From the very first session I could see the potential of this design and wondered why I did not surf a fish before this time. Yeah, it was like “a bar of soap” the first time out but I felt more at ease with each session. Most of the go-outs have been during periods of some really low tides at our local beachbreak. Pushed the envelope riding the highline (which I love to do) but that board hauls ass. The more experienced fish riders here will probably roll their eyes at my board dimensions. I would not argue their point and if I ever get another fish design I would size down some on the length/width/thickness, but I am still very stoked on this board. I should add that I have not ridden my old trusty 9’ LB since early June. The few problems that I have with my fish are all “operator error” Still learning but having more fun than an old man should. Last bit of background, started surfing on longboards age 15 circa 1964, shortboards 68-late 80’s.

5

Fairmont,

Damn! I hate being on the Bandwagon more than I hate being part of a trend. I would go a bit wider than Josh’s recommendation. About 22 inches wide. Larry Mabile makes nice ones. Rich Pavel, of course, except you might not get to ride it until next summer. Mike

6

I just got a 6’x21.5x3" I’m 6’ 185+ and am just loving it! I could go 2" smaller and still have more than enough board. I got mine from Gary Hanel through moonlight really beautiful workmanship!

7

Fairmont-

I’m 45, 5’8” and 185lbs and have been surfing about 28 years. This spring I had Manuel @ Mandala make me a 6’6” quad, he suggested a 6’4” but I was hesitant going that short considering that I’m not getting any younger and I usually ride boards over 7 feet. Anyway this board came out about 3” thick about 21 1/2” , it paddles and catches waves great and it is fast! In retrospect I could have taken his advice and gone 6’4”, but I love that board . The first time I used it it was 52 degree water (4/3 suit, gloves, booties) and overhead, I had no problems catching waves or paddling.

I just finished shaping my third board - a Fish (6’2” x 21.75” x 2.75”, 16.5N, 16.75T, 12 inches tip to tip on the swallow, Larry Gephart wooden keels. Thick blocky rails, FLAT rocker) It came out really nice. I’ve only ridden once in waist – chest somewhat weak East Coast summer surf and it goes great (no one was more surprised than me!) It paddled great; I caught a ton on waves and can’t wait to ride it again.

I guess my point is you can go really short with these designs; at your size I would guess anywhere from 5’10” to 6’4” based on how you like to paddle/float. To your advantage, you live in an area with many excellent shapers who are familiar with Fish, heck they were developed there!. Just an observation- how often do you read someone on this BB saying they wish they had gone shorter after they buy their first Fish.?

Good luck and good waves

JN

8

Hey guys,

Great subject – I’ve been really curious about a fish but think I’ve been putting off buying one out of confusion on to size to actually get.

I’m 6’1” and 195lb in fairly decent shape and most also have been telling me to get a 6’2” fish. To make things even more confusing, I recently purchased a 6’6” x 21” modern fish (was told this was plenty big and that I could go smaller) and noticed it was def harder to paddle, getting into waves than my normal shorties. Although it was more more maneuverable when riding – it was not so much more that it made of up for its former faults. I’d be really hesitant on dropping even farther in size.

Anyway, I’m really not trying to throw a negative vibe on the whole going smaller thing – Just having a hard time swallowing getting this much performance in such a shorter board. Does it template/thickness really make that big of difference?. I guess I really need to borrow one to see for myself firsthand.

Best,

Herb

9

Rocker has a LOT to do with paddling AND driving down the line.

I have a 7,2 big guy tri that is 2 and 3/4 thick, 20 wide, with about a 13 inch nose and 14 inch tail. I had it shaped by a friend who is outstanding. What I failed to notice, when I picked up the blank at Mitch’s, was that the blank was custom ordered in a Hawaiian rocker. Not good for paddling into mushy waves. The shaper pointed it out, right before he cut, so I just told him to go ahead.

Now, my 6,10 Rusty Pirannah has a 14.5 inch nose, 21.5 inch middle, 15.5 inch tail, and is 2.6 inches thick. Plus, the thickness does NOT carry out to the rails. Therefore, the 7,2 i just mentioned has more volume AND more floatation. However, the Pirannah paddles in much easier because it has such flat rocker and is wider.

The 7,2 only worked well once. The surf was about 7 feet, very hollow, but makeable. I made the best backside turn of my life on that board, but every other day was not very good.

So, to me, rocker is religion. I don’t think anything can fix bad rocker. And I don’t like rocker, not on shortboards or longboards. I really like to keep it under four inches on anything, and on longboards even shorter.

Tail rocker, on the other hand, is different.

These are my opinions, of course, and not correct for anyone else necessarily, but they are for me.

I might custom order a fish, because it will be cheaper, but I really want one for this summer, so I’ll probably buy one. I found a ton of 5,10s (the original size, I believe) and some others up to 6,2. My goal is a 6,4.

If you really want to see what a fish can do, get the video called Longboard Fever. It shows Joel Tudor surfing a real fish at Cardiff Reef on a 6-7 foot day. He is backside, or course, but is just cruuuuuuuuising on the thing. Total figure eight cutbacks, vertical off the lips, beautiful bottom turns, floaters, the works. He is soooo smooth on it.

Too bad his fishes go for 750. But I won’t complain about his prices. I learned not to do that.

I think that I can pick one up for about five hundred or so. It hurts, but I must feed the addiction.

10

If you want a tall fish, bigger than 6’0"

go with Steve Brom , Clyde Beatty , Skip Frye.

Else pick someone to make it for ya’

and ask them for their size constraints and recommendations.

Seems to me some have design guidelines that restrict

them to the 5’10" range and their abouts.

11

I’m 5’11" 200lbs … adverage surfer started at 14 … 49 now getting a 6’6" made for me … Shaper thinks it is too big for me but we will see and adjust down from that . been riding 9’6" longboard and 8ft. funshapes so it’s a big step down for me … I will post a pic of it when it’s done really stoked by the fish I’ve seen this guy make . will try to post a pic of 1 here … Aloha … Don

12

Clyde Beatty, Brom and the like were shaping these

6’4" and bigger 2 decades ago…

But others and they way they are slapping them together

dont feel comfortable making em’ that big.

13

6-0 x 21, 17" n x 16-1/2 tail tips are 11" apart 7" deep…2-3/4"-3" thick.

Got that?Herb

14

Thanks all.

15

Herb:

I’m about 5’8 and 160lbs, 38 years old. I had a similar experience with a modern “fish” - which, thinking back, was more of a modified modern tri but advertised as a “Stingfish”. I think it was a 6’3 x about 20" with alot of rocker. It was fun to ride once it got going but really suffered trying to catch waves. I eventually gave up on it and gave it to my nephew, who is probably about 50 pounds lighter.

A few months ago I found a 6’0 x 22" traditional fish on the used board rack and decided to give it a try. This board rocks! Shorter and wider than the stinkfish but very little rocker and alot more thickness = about ten times more fun. I plan on going shorter on my next fish.

Anybody out there that’s my size riding a fish shorter than 5’10?

16

Jeff when I was in high school I was about your size. Now I’m about 60lbs heavier. I rode a 5’10" board then it was about 3" thick but was the fastest, loosest board I had ever ridden!

17

Jeff, I’m 5’8", but weigh about 20 lbs less. I’m on a 5’6" and it works just fine. In my opinion, you could at least use a 5’8" without a problem. On these boards, it seems like the shorter, the better. For more info on my first experience on the 5’6", see the “how to ride a fish…” posts from yesterday.

Nilus

18

Thanks Nilus - I’ll check it.

Jeff

19

I weigh 210 w/out fullsuit and ride a Brom Fish @ 6’0 x21x3 epoxy. Plenty of float, in fact a little hard to duck dive. Best board ever for me. These boards are not fads. They work.

SteveA

20

go with a 6’2! you wont regret it! i had a 5’8 x 21 x 2 5/8, i weigh 160, adn it floated me up to my bellybutton! it was a larry mabile shape, and surfed INSANE!!!

you might want to check out surfride oceanside, because i believe there are a few kane garden (larry mabiles) there, that would totally fit the bill! there is also a Channel Islands fish that is around the size you’re looking for, and i’ve been hearing those things work INSANE as well!

good luck man. be prepared for a whole new perspective on speed, and how to surf!