old school single fin designs

General Discussion
1

my single fin has seen its better days and I hate to replace it with a new rack board and have been very reluctant to try and shape one. Then, i was going to try to totally refurbish the board but after finding this site and reading some of the past post it seems to be a bad idea?

Has anyone shaped a single fin similar to this one? This board is 6’2" long 21" inches wide and 3" thick. i would like a board a little less wide but otherwise very close to the shape of this one. Any pictures or motivation on shaping my first board would be great.

thanks-

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2

Why do you need motivation and pics?

You have your real board that you want to replace right there next to you!

Just make it 3/4" narrower, the nose and tail 1/2" narrower, and if you want to retain float and paddle, keep the deck flatter out to the rail.

3

hi LeeB… !!

welcome to swaylocks …

from typing “single fin shaping” in the "search box " below , this came up **…

[ that should get you started eh ?! ]

" Has anyone shaped a single fin similar to this one? "

yes , I 've shaped a few single fins similar , but narrower and thinner. [Depending on your size , and the waves you surf, of course …but, 3" thick may be a bit thick, too ? ]

I have enjoyed boards in the 6’ x 19 1/2" - 20" x 2 1/2" range , but then i’m only just 5’10 and 145 lbs [on a "heavy’ day !]

let us know what you decide on , and please put up some shots if you like , of your shaping progress …

cheers

ben

you could , instead, go with LeeDD’s suggestions , too …[especially if you DO alreay like that board , it makes sense !]

**

Home: Search Results

"Your search for single fin shaping returned 255 results " [and, “retro single fins”]

[=1][!!!..not all of them were about single fins , though …here’s a few recent ones for you …]

[ 2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 11 [/]Subject Username Forum Post time [/]

http://www.swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.cgi?post=228796;search_string=retro%20single%20fins;#228796

[=1][ 2]Oct 5, 2005, 4:33 PM[/] Re: [chipfish61] Looking for singlefin templates Rhino [/]

[=1][ 2]Oct 3, 2005, 7:59 AM[/] Re: [ambrose] Retro single fins nativeson [/]

[…etc etc ]

4

yeah 3" thick is too thick for me at around chippers height and weight.

My green singly is just over 2 3/8" and has plenty of float. its 6’1" 19 1/2" with a 14" tail.

5

I guess i was just looking for some new ideas and a little motivation never hurt anyone!

6

im in the process of shaping one for my self, similar to the one in the pic. ill attach the pdf made by APS if you like the shape, ill send you the .brd file and you can tweak it.

tommy

7

Pancho Sullivan seems to be enjoying his Gabe Gadarque [sp?] singley from the late 1970s / early 1980s.

Here’s the bigger picture…

cheers !

ben

8

Perhaps it’s an old school single, but the move is hot!! Then again, Pancho rips. Thanks Chip.

For the young guys who haven’t, try a modern single and try moves like that, and full roundhouses, and off-the-lips. If you find you can’t turn, then keep trying. It will help work on power, style and most of all technique.

Once you’ve got good single fin moves down, the way you ride your present board will change forever, for the better.

9

…the better is single fin with an stabilizer behind (in line) but with a thruster shape…

…in the pict the boards resemble more a thruster shape than a “single” shape…

10

I’m with you Reverb, that’s why I said modern single, a modern shape shortboard.

I’ve been a fan of in-line for nearly fifteen years (wow, has it been that long??? early 90’s) because it gives single style with better ride and performance.

One day, just maybe, the right person will ride one, on the right wave, on the right day, with the right photographer handy, and it will get mega publicity, and then everyone will want in-line.

Sadly, it’s that simple.

11

shape it your self, you all ready have the board in front of you and that will make it a lot easier to shape.

i am re shaping a early 70’s 6’2 single fin right now. it was my first board and i forgot just how much fun it was to ride. pick up the 6’8 p and you will be in business. its a pretty wicked looking blank though, the tail is wider then the nose and its real flat.

12

this one is 6-1… 1 lb eps with a carbon fiber deck. i still gotta pin stripe and gloss. the “tint” didn’t come out too well on eps.

13

looks god to me, my boars is very similar but the tail is pulled in quite a bit more then that one. i took the old one out for some hurricane wilma surf in the gulf and i couldnt believe some of the rides i was getting. thats when i told myself my next board is this board.

14

Josh, how wide is the tail, from tip to tip??

15

My 1978 6’ 10" pin tailed flyer. Shaped by Doug Bell who shaped for Lighting Bolt and Channel Island Surfboards in Australia.

Not sure what he’s doing these days

16
Quote:

Josh, how wide is the tail, from tip to tip??

5"

17

leebones: welcome to swaylocks. i reckon you should make your own singlefin. it’s rewarding. you’ll never regret it.

here’s one i made.

7’0" by 20&1/2" by 2&3/4"

18

Oldy,

I really like that board. What bottom contour did you do on that 7’ 0"? Flat bottom, concave, vee?

19

jrmdds. thanks mate. flat bottom.

20

Thanks josh. How would a single fin go with a swallow tail??. I got talking to my mate, and now maybe we might go for a big fish, maybe 7foot, and im thinking of the chipfish " put as many plugs and boxes in as you can " philosophy, and i know that both modern fish, and single fins both have a widepoint in front of centre, and can both be wide, so im just thinking maybe we can do a modern type big fish, with a finbox in the middle so it can be a single fin too. Just random thoughts at the moment.

Sweet looking board oldy, any chance you could let us know what the nose and tail specs are?