Retro fish keel fins

Are the twin fin keel fins on a retro fish foiled on both sides, or just the outside? Thanks for your input.

Howzit Bob, I made a set last week and they were foiled on only one side. That was how they were ordered,but that doesn’t mean a double foiled set wouldn’t work. Aloha, Kokua

A lot of the traditional fishes have symmetrically foiled skeg fins. The reason as I understand it is that a symmetrical foil has very low drag compared to an assymetrical foil. Fishes are designed to go as fast as possible across the wave and this is why they have this foil. The size of the skegs give the hold and drive without generating the normal lift forces in contemporary fins. i.e. youre flying with little or no effort. Long live the fish - they rule.

My first ever attempt at making fins was on a 5 8 fish i have been riding religously since its birth. I did a traditional foil on the outer edge and then a lesser foil on the inside. Keep in mind i had never before made a fish or fins before this board. However, the board is ridicously fast and fun. I would say go ahead and foil both sides if you want. If nothing else you would then get interesting grain/foil patterns on both sides of the fin. darren

Were the original fishes’ fins - ala Lis - angled or glassed in straight (parallel to stringer)? Did this cause tracking? Did the fin placement/angle change by the time Nuuhiwa (Dyno) & Beatty (Rocket fish) started riding them How are they on the newer ones by Brom, Mandala, etc? Thanks.

while on the subject of fishes. what is the proper tool to to cut the tringer on the tail. ive finally earned enough cash to pay back my 1.5 grand supply of stuff to get started, sell a couple boards, and about to keep my second. and i now have the money for some well needed tools. im finally purchasing a lap grinder and im curious about what to cut the fish’s stringer with. ive been delicately using a rasor. but ive noticed its still not as perfect as some boards ive seen. thanks dk

If you’re buying tools, get a Dremel and a good assortment of bits. Once you have it you will find hundreds of uses – e.g. cutting fish tail/butt cracks.

Hi,

I am making my first retro fish 5"10. And I would like to make 2 medium keel fins from woord with a FCS fitting (with a small base). But where to begin? are there not some standard measurements for this? Cause I can't find them and I don't know it myself.

Mabye someone can help me out?

Thanks,