Alright, so I’ve been wanting to shape a board since forever ago and since my quiver is lacking a fish, thats what I’m going for…I’ve been doing hours of reading around in this forum and based on what I’ve read here are the numbers I’m thinking about:
length: 5’9"
Width: 21 1/2" 3-4" from middle
Nose: around 15 1/2"
Tail: around 16 1/2"
Tip to Tip: 12 1/2-13 1/2"
Butcrack- 6-7"
Thickness: 2 3/4"
Wood keels: maybe 1" up from crack, 1 1/4 from rails 1/8" toe in, 4 degree cant
Also I want to glass it myself using 6oz and 4oz deck patch on top and 6oz on bottom, but i guess i’ll worry about that later
flat bottom with little rocker( in need of some good advice on this)
Ok, so thats what I have in mind, although i’m sure its not gonna come out exact, being my first board…I’d love to get any input and tips possibe before I start building…I know there are some super experienced fish builders on here so I can’t wait for some good advice!!
As you noted, there’s more info about fish building in the archives than you can shake a (marine ply) stick at. Your numbers look good, though I’ve had better experience with a tad less spread between swallow points. Depending on the waves you’ll be surfing, you can pull it in to as much as 10" for punchier beachbreak, and up to 12" for mush. If you’re riding smaller waves, the nose measurement can be brought up to 16.5 or even greater, which would complement your forward widepoint.
Flat bottom fishies are good, speedy fun.
Fishes work well when they’re planing high, but I’ve seen a lot of first-time fish shapers leave too much foam in the tail for efficient carving. Just something to keep in mind as you work on the tail…
I’m not super experienced. About 25 fishes. Retro said it better than me. My only addition is your fin placement. I line them up with the end of the crack. If your crack is 7 inches and you put your rear edge up one inch it’s getting too far up there. Although I have never put the rear edges up 8 inches and rode one. Mine are between 5.5 and 6.5 inches depending on the depth of the crack. Retro is spot on about thinning or foiling the tail. Mine are just starting to get better after 25 or so. Borrow a pro’s board if you can and study it. Mike
Mike, have you watched that Hydrodynamica trailer? What do you think about Cher Pendarvis’ fish fin placement (the girl walking out the door)? Those keels’ midpoints are even with the deep pt of the swallow, and then RK’s new Casper and keeled derivatives are really fish without swallowtails, and those keels are way back too. INteresting.
awesome guys, thanks! I’m not sure about the foils on the fins, I haven’t really read up about it too much yet…whats the difference? I’m starting on making my template tonight so we’ll see what happens…
I don’t go over 21 wide. For the average to a bit bigger than average surfer, 21 is plenty of width.
I don’t go over 16 in the tail (keeping some volume as others have said) and making sure your outline isn’t straight in the tail area - keep those curves flowing all the way to the tips. Also… keep an eye on your rail rocker in the tail. Your stringer rocker can stay flatter, but put enough vee in the tail to keep some rail rocker in the tail. (Flat to vee is traditional, but there are other borttom variations that work well, too).
Keeping the curve all the way to the tail will pull the pins together a bit… something others have said here, too, and is something I’ve found to be adviseable.
Single foiled fins, slightly toed and canted, can proved some lift, especially if they’re big ole keels. Single foiled fins, not toe or cant, are more traditional and give that fast/loose feel of the old school fishes. Just don’t expect it to feel like your shortboard. Glass-on wood keels, properly foiled and glassed, feel great.
I’ve only watched the trailer a few thousand times. I never paid attention to the fin placement on the ladies fish. I’ll check it out. I was just amused to see her park where I used to park and surf the spot where I learned to surf. Can’t park there anymore. I did notice how far back the fins are on Casper. I put my fins at around 6 inches on my attempt at making a Casper board. The board is kind of fun,but not as much drive and squirt as my fishes. I’m thinking of messing around with different fins and combinations. I wouldn’t be shy about going wider than 21 or 16 in the tail. Start somewhere and see what works for you. Then buid another. Mike
I shape lots of retro keel fishes. I would suggest equal nose and tail so increase the nose to 16.5 Thickness looks spot on. I make all my “buttcracks” 7". Wide point I put up 2". Tip to tip 12 to 12.5 is good. Keels all double foils and I put them 1" up from crack. 1.25 in from rail is good and 4* cant also works. Front and back I keep the same. Have fun these rip!
I agree you can cant double foiled fins (I meant to say double foiled fins straight up and straight ahead, not single, in my previous post) but don’t bother toeing them in.
Canting a double foiled fin makes you lose a bit of drive, but keeps the fin in the water a bit better when up on a rail.
Fishes are a fun and pretty forgiving shape. Good choice for your first board…
Alright, so I’ve been wanting to shape a board since forever ago and since my quiver is lacking a fish, thats what I’m going for…
Jimmy, I’m a beginner myself and am just about done shaping a 5’10" x 21" fish of approximately the same dimensions you are doing. Here are a couple of things I think might help- I really wanted a nice flat rocker for instant speed and glide while trimmed out forward. Unfortunately blanks are hard to come by where i live and i ended up with a 6’0" blank that had more nose rocker than i wanted extending all the way back to the front foot area. It looked like it might push a little water. So removing the unneeded rocker wasn’t horrible but starting with the right blank would have been nice. 13" tip to tip seems a little much but thats just a matter of taste. I ended up closer to 11" and the tail looks sweet. Have fun!
so i started my template and it looks like the board is gonna end up 5’8" x 21 1/2" x 16 1/2 tail and nose, tips 11 1/2 apart and a 6 1/2" crack…i did it on this foam board stuff that i had, which was cool because it let me sand the curve how i wanted it, but i still ended up with a flat spot up toward the nose that i’ll correct when i transfer it to masonite…i guess i didn’t realize how wide 13" tips would actually be, but 11 1/2" looks perfect…i’m gonna go with double foiled fins and probably take your guys’ advice and cant but no toe…maybe i’ll post some pics as this thing starts to progress, although its gonna be pretty slow right now cause i’m in the final 2 weeks of the semester at school and my ass is being thoroughly kicked…but yeah, thanks for all the input! oh yeah, anyone have any advice for the rails/rocker/bottom?? thanks a brazillian!
