Hey all, first time posting but have been reading archives for awhile. I’ve done some exhaustive searches for help, but cant seem to find anything that addresses my issue. I recently was given both a 6’6" and 6’8" pu blank from a friend. I had originally been planning a fish with the 6’6 blank, cutting it down to a 6’4 perhaps. Upon further inspection, I noticed that this blank is just short of 2.5 inches thick, with crust. Also, I can probably only get about 20 inches wide after shaping. This blank was not made for a fish-style board. I’m 5’11, 160 pounds, pretty average. Is this going to be too thin and too narrow for a fish for my height/weight? If it will be fine, its obviously my first choice. But I was wondering if I should go ahead and shape more of a traditional shortboard instead. I’ve been wanting to move to shortboards for a little while now, but have no experience with them. I’m not sure of the dimensions if i go this route. Both the 6’6 and 6’8 blanks are made for shortboard shaping (i am guessing, since the nose comes to more of a point, not providing much width at the top).
Sorry for the general request for help. I know there are people on here with a ton of knowledge that can hopefully help out! Any suggestions are much appreciated.
Reverb, thanks so much for the advice. I never thought about doing a shorter fish. I guess I just had in my mind that anything under 6’0 was no man’s land for me. But i’m pretty light and average height, so i might try for a 5’10 fish or that mini-egg you mentioned. I think i can get the 15 or 16 inches necessary 12" from the nose if I chop down the 6’6 blank. I’ll have to see though.
Quick question though: regardless of whether I go with a mini-egg or shorter fish, is the thickness of 2.5" (possibly slightly less after shaving off the foam crust) going to be a problem? I’m under your example of 75 kg (165 lbs), but again, i’ve always been told go 3" for thickness, so hearing about less is somewhat new to me. I’m definitely up for trying and taking the time if it will float!
…the volume is important, but if you exceed the proper one for your biotype + surfing skills, you ll finish with a board that surf “flat”, from the bottom not from the rails
the final thicknes depends on how good you re paddling, your training, how many surfing days per months (how many waves per sessions) your surfing style, if you surf pointbreaks or beachbreaks with currents, winter or summer surf, etc
so, there s a lot of fish around 2 3/8
but if you re surfing life was on a longboard or large boards, is better to have more bulk (at least the first time)
