Hi - I am curious as to what a long fish might surf like....when I say long I mean 8ft long or so. I'm guessing plenty glide and good speed but wondering how you can guarantee it turns okay too. I'm also wondering about the benefits of being a twin keel as opposed to a quad or thruster set up. For the longer fish type boards does any set up suit them better or just a case of personal taste?
Can anyone recommend a template or proven designs?
I have the PDF of the template if you need it just PM me. Yes, they work. I’ve posted this board a few times on other threads…the question of large fish shapes seems to be popular these days. Yes, this thing is massive…but it paddles like a dream and surfs well because I can throw it around like a much smaller board. I’m 6’4" and 245 lbs. One of my fav boards.
Ok BG sorry bout that apparently I turned it off when I was updating my settings. Just PM me the e-mail address you want it to go to and I’ll send it out tomorrow. It’s on another PC.
6.5" Nose, 2.5" Tail. Continuous curve…it looks like it’s got a little stage in the middle but it’s actually the shadow…sorry I couldn’t get a better picture. I really like where the apex is on this board. It’s pretty darn responsive for such a big thick board.
I gotta ask…why a long fish? A thick, low-rockered, tri-finned egg will do every thing a “big fish” will do, plus turn a lot quicker.I just finished an 8-0 “fish” for a customer. I had to add a bump/wing and a tri-/quad-fin set-up, just so it would be able to do more than go fast, in a straight line. (a Simmons shape would be better for that purpose) Nobody has ever asked me to shape them an egg. Are eggs (aka funboards) that uncool? And while we’re at it, why on earth put a fish-tail on a longboard? Yeah, I know the Skipper puts them on his gliders, I’m just saying…?
I agree with your analysis if you’re comparing the classic fish set-up and shape. However, don’t you think that many of the disadvantages of the classic fish set-up are rarely seen in the modern interpretations?
AAAhhh....the mod fish. Yes, when under 6-4. Over that, it remains a question of how to best to fit that length into the wave and still have a shape that has more than one dimension.
I gotta ask…why a long fish? A thick, low-rockered, tri-finned egg will do every thing a “big fish” will do, plus turn a lot quicker.I just finished an 8-0 “fish” for a customer. I had to add a bump/wing and a tri-/quad-fin set-up, just so it would be able to do more than go fast, in a straight line. (a Simmons shape would be better for that purpose) Nobody has ever asked me to shape them an egg. Are eggs (aka funboards) that uncool? And while we’re at it, why on earth put a fish-tail on a longboard? Yeah, I know the Skipper puts them on his gliders, I’m just saying…?
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Eggs have to be the most versatile shape going - I have an 8ft speed egg with rounded pin tail - great board!
Maybe it’s just me but, it seems like a Fish could do a lot more than straight speed.
Lots of variations and modifications on the classic Fish shape/design to explore. Several could significantly affect performance.
BTW for me, 9’6" is long, 7’6" is intermediate, and 5’6" is short (I owned and rode all three). When I was surfing regularly and fit at 185 lb, 7’6" was my preferred length.
It wasn’t too many years ago that I couldn’t see much value in the Fish design at all. I was actually considering an eliptical concept. But then my perpsective changed.
IMO the “basic” Fish concept has lots of potential beyond 7’, expecially with the right rail foils and tail design. It would be a very different board than an egg, very different performance.
BTW I own an 8’ remake of one the earlier egg shapes – Spherical Revolver. One of Harbour’s early EPS/epoxy versions shortly after the Clark Foam crisis. Great shape – sadly the glass job on the rails sucked, resin saturation issues.
If I still lived on the coast, I would be focusing my design efforts on a 7’6" modified Fish. I see lots of potential there. I still plan to make one regardless.
"Lots of variations and modifications on the classic Fish shape/design to explore. Several could significantly affect performance..."
Yes, I agree, with the exception of increasing the length over 6-2. My point is that the more the length is increased over 6-2, the more "variations and modifications" are required to make the shape functional, and the more like an "egg" or funboard it becomes. I think this is especially the case as length exceeds 7'. Which to my mind, begs the rhetorical question, "Why not just shape an egg or a funboard to begin with?"