Fish Dims Questions

General Discussion
1

Ahoy,

I am about to start shaping a retro fish.  Probably about 5’10, 21.5, 2.5.  I have been looking at fish dims online and noticed that many of them have wider tails than noses.  Some common numbers I have been seeing are 16.25 nose and 16.50 tails.  I then read some information by Dave Parmenter that said that a fish should have a wider nose than tail.  I am interested to hear peoples opinions on this matter and maybe some pros/cons of wider tails than noses and vice-versa on a fish.  I was of the opinion that wider nose would compliment the widepoint ahead of center of the outline but would value different opinions.  What are your thoughts?

2

Yeah… 16"-17" sounds about right.  A bit wider at one end or the other won’t really make much of a difference.  If your wide point is forward, the nose could be a bit wider than the tail and look right.  What really counts is the curve.  Famous shaper Bill Thrailkill has posted to shoot for the curve rather than the numbers or something like that.  Once you get your template faired out in hard material like masonite, you can shift it around a little here or there until you like it.  

3

…hello; why a retro fish; why not a modern fish?

Go and search the thread for “modern fish” or like that; there you will find concepts about the design, numbers, etc by several shapers.

4

Cool thanks for your help guys.  Appreciate the info!  Reverb, I already have a modern fish so figured I would give something else a try.  

5

…are you sure you have a modern interpretation of a Lis fish?

6

Wider tail than nose is the way to go!  Those numbers you posted are perfect.

7

Great Thanks Free and Easy.  I ended up building my template with those numbers in mind.  Reverb, I actually am not sure.  I have a double bump swallowtail fish.  The outline kind of reminds me of a speed dialer.  What would be a modern interpretatation of the lis fish?