I think it would be pretty safe to start out with a classic twin. They really do have their place in any quiver, so I woudn’t regret it. Also, I could make my own journey through time, starting on the classic template, then gradually progressing through the various stages in fish development.
I’ve been fantasizing about shaping my own but have absolutely no place to do it. Once I do though I will be looking for mentors!
I wonder if templates can be found easily…
I’m sure you’ll have fun on whatever you get. Then try other boards to see what works best for you.
thanks so much for starting this thread- I love a good twinnie thread and we’ve got all kinds of cool board shots here, especially those Griffin’s. I’d say whatever you get in the Fish style will be fun, and if I was in Europe I’d probably go to Lob at Barrel as well- his boards are beautiful and with a custom you can dial in what ever tweaks you want. I’ve been surfing fish/fish style boards more than anything else for the last 5 or 6 years and they’ve re-enthused me on surfing in general (there’s a widowmaker or two in there and Solo got me going on the modern singles but that’s a different thread…) Anycase, this is the Simmons style board (5’5") I’ve surfed this more than anything else I have over the last 7 months and absolutely love it. Fastest thing I’ve ridden and worth the heckling you get when people see it.
I do agree with the rail curvature comment though- trad fishes are stiffer and drivey, which is great fun on a lined up wave. Loosen 'em up with a quad or a change in rail line, and I have this to offer on those lines:
5’6" Mackie sidecut fish, as ridden by Dicko in ‘Glass Love’. Word from the boys in Australia is that these things rip, they turn incredibly well and are utterly fun. Of course none of this helps you, but any excuse to post more fish pics! Good luck with whatever you get, and I’d say once you’ve ridden it a bit you’ll want more so all this may help in the long run!
HEY ZEN SLIDER, I LIVE IN THE SOUTH BAY WHERE BOTH SHAPERS IN QUESTION SURF AND SHAPE. WHAT I’M GOING TO SAY NEXT IS JUST MY PERSONAL OBSERVATION OVER THE LAST 3 YRS OF WATCHING GUYS THAT I KNOW WHO RIP AND HAVE BEEN SURFING WELL OVER 20 YRS ON BOTH ZIPPI’S AND CALVANI’S (BING) THE ZIPPI’S DEFINITELY LOOK LIKE THEY GO A BIT FASTER AND DRAW A LONGER LINE. ZIPPI’S ALSO HAVE ALOT LESS ROCKER AND VEE IN THE BOARD THAN THE BINGS. BUT…THE BINGS DEFINITELY GO RAIL TO RAIL FASTER, GO UP ON A RAIL IN A TIGHTER RADIUS AND DEFINITELY GO BACKSIDE BETTER THAN THE ZIPPI’S. THAT BEING SAID I KNOW GUYS WHO RIDE ZIPPI’S THAT CAN GO UP ON THE RAIL IN QUICK TIGHT RADIUSES. ON THE OTHER HAND I KNOW GUYS THAT RIDE BING’S THAT CAN GO SUPER FAST AND DRAW LONG LINES AS WELL. IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO KNOWING HOW TO USE YOUR RAILS ( THE LOADING AND UNLOADING OF SINKING THE RAILS) BINGS HAVE MORE VEE, CONCAVE AND ROCKER IN THE BOARDS THAT I’VE SEEN ALSO. THEY BOTH HAVE A STRONG FOLLOWING IN SOCAL. IF YOU WANT SOMETHING DIFFRENT (MORE MODERN) AKILA AIPA IN OAHU, HAWAII HAS BEEN MAKING ONLY TWIN- FINS FOR MANY A PRO FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS, THATS ALL AKILA RIDES. IN THE PAST YEAR 3 MAJOR SURF MAGS HAVE WRITTEN ARTICLES ON AKILA TWINS. DAVID RASTOVICH HAS BEEN RIDING AKILA TWINS FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS, EVEN IN HEAVY WINTER HAWAIIAN SURF. THINK ABOUT IT RASTA CAN HAVE PRACTICALLY ANYBODY IN THE WORLD MAKE HIM A BOARD AND HE LOVES HIS AKILA TWINS. HOPE THIS IS NOT TO MUCH INFO FOR YOU TO DIGEST. ENJOY EVERY WAVE AND RIDE!
First of all, thanks to everyone for making this thread immensly useful and interesting. Thanks also for the great pics.
Many of the suggestions sound interesting, but since I’m in Europe I have to restrict myself to boards which can be shipped at a reasonable cost, which for now means through Icons Of Surf.
I’m also going to get in touch with Lob at Barrel as has also been suggested.
Now there’s the question of sizing, athough maybe that deserves another thread.
Greg Griffin ships Delta Air Freight and I know he has shipped some boards to Europe. Give him a call and ask what the charge is for shipping. You might find he’s pretty cost efficient.
If there’s a way you can get a slightly oversized Griffin 5fin fish, you’d have a board that can do it all. It will handle any sized wave and it loves juice.
With a little extra size, you can paddle easier. You may never ride another board again. In my opinion, they really are that good.
The only thing that holds me back from using my board more is not being able to catch waves because everyone else is riding extremely long boards. What I do then is take off behind them and ride more vertically right in the curl. This works great when the waves are head high or bigger and there are guys out on longboards that don’t have great control. When it’s small, you might need to get out the longboard.
HEY THERE, LIKED THE COMMENTS ON THE HAROLD IGE (IGGY). FYI, I WAS THE SHOP SWEEP, SOLO SALES PERSON, FIN-GUY, DING-REPAIR GUY, SANDER ETC… BOBBY OWENS HELPED ME GET THE JOB AS A DING-REPAIR GUY AT THE “TOWN” SHOP ON QUEEN STREET IN KAKAAKO FOR HAROLD 76-78. THAT SHOP YOU MENTIONED WAS HAROLD’S 1ST SHOP IN PEARL CITY, NEXT TO TAKE’S MARKET IN FRONT OF THE HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC POWER PLANT. HAROLD STILL MAKES BOARDS TO THIS DAY, BUT ONLY FOR LONG-TIME FRIENDS…
Alexandre at Barrel surfboards will make you a great European fish. Check a little profile I did about him on my blog. It is a few pages back in the archives.
If you feel you musst order from Icons of Surf then don’t limit yourself to bing and zippi. They’ve got Christenson’s and my personal favorite, JHall’s too. Call them and ask what they have and what they are expecting to have.
Checkout the “Big” issue of the SURFER. Billabong ad with Rasta. He’s working with Akila alot lately. I’ve seen him ripping at Backdoor and good sized Hale’iwa (6’Hawaiian size) riding his Aipa Twinnie. Pretty amazing when other pros are riding 6’ 6" Round pin thrusters on these days.
Pretty cool to see this kind of surfing happening…kinda like MR back in the late 70s (Freeride era).
Checkout the “Big” issue of the SURFER. Billabong ad with Rasta. He’s working with Akila alot lately. I’ve seen him ripping at Backdoor and good sized Hale’iwa (6’Hawaiian size) riding his Aipa Twinnie. Pretty amazing when other pros are riding 6’ 6" Round pin thrusters on these days.
Pretty cool to see this kind of surfing happening…kinda like MR back in the late 70s (Freeride era).
Ride whatever gets you stoked!!
Some of the best Twin Fin footage every is Dane Kealoha riding a twinnie in big old knarly 10 foot Sunset. I saw him surf the OP pro one year back in the eighties and I think he may have been the fastest person I have ever seen in the water. Maybe even by todays standards. That guy had power and speed. I wish I could remember the surf movie that was from because unlike some of it back then that footage still holds up well.
Greg Griffin is most likely going to be the next big thing. His boards are so unique and so fine tuned it’s incredible. All he is missing is the big name rider…once that happens it’s over. There is nothing that even comes close to performing like ANY of his shapes. I’ve ridden several of his boards and everyone of 'em was magic.
I think one of the main reasons he never caught on in the past was that his boards were just way too ahead of their time. His designs are like 25+ yeas old and i can see people thinking they were too “far out” in the 80’s.
Griffins boards have definitley improved my surfing. And it’s true the only limiting factor is yo imagination. These boards will go anywhere you want to put 'em. in fact the more radical you get the better the board goes.
The only hitch is that its a back foot design. If you try to drive off your front foot it will feel sticky and bog. I WAS a front footed surfer but I found the transition fairly easy. The whole concept it basically having as little board in the water as possible…basically just riding the fins. There is nothing else out there like these boards and I and extremely greatfulland proud to call Greg Griffin my shaper.
Greg Griffin is most likely going to be the next big thing. His boards are so unique and so fine tuned it’s incredible. All he is missing is the big name rider…once that happens it’s over.
Too bad thats what it takes because it means nada. Boards that work for a variety of surfers are likely not what the pros want anyway. I have heard alot of good things about G.G.'s boards and a pro being on them wouldn’t make a difference to me or many I know.
"The Hynson does the same but in a different manner, it has much more nose area than the Griffin and the bottom contours are completely different, the XTR feels completly different, still a board that blows my mind on a regular basis, but I’ll stick with describing and gushing on the Griffin since this was your question…’
Lankameesa,
Firstly thanks for the comprehensive feedback on thread, quite generous considering time taken and ground covered !!
I’ve just templeted and profiled a blank based on a 6’0 black knight, (from pictures and some spec’s)
What I’m particularly interested in are your comments re the bottom contours …
What’s he using, singles,doubles,vee’s ??? and what sort of rocker spec’s
We just don’t see any of his stuff over here and some accurate data would be a great help … (you seem to know what your talking about)
If you have pictures lying around of the beast would love a Captain Cook … “look”
Take care old mate … look forward to hearing from yaaaaa
