Pondering next project–flex tail fishy thing. Early fish like in that pdf.file that is floating around had/have lowish rail like 60/40? with a bit of an edge under (or so it looks to me in grainy diagram) and then to loosen it up, a couple inch wide flat bevel under the rail a bit over 1/16 inch deep at wide point but continuing for most of board length.
I’d love to hear any comments about this vs more of a soft round rail/no edge and loose the bevel. One faster the other looser or one better both ways or one holds in better and…or,???
I have both. The first one exactly like the lis fish in the .pdf file and another one slightly longer with a hard edge all the way up. I noticed that the hard edge all the way up helps keep the board from slipping out too much (from what i’ve noticed). It seems as if it doesn’t ‘suck’ the rail into the wave. I only use the fishes when its hitting 1-4 ft. anything bigger I bust out my thruster. But a definite improvement from the traditional lis fish design for me was the hard edge all the way up and a single to double concave and slight vee on the bottom. Also, I made my own fins for my first fish (to go all retro) and comparing that to the merrick fins from lokbox, I would definitely choose the lokboxes because they seem to be lighter than my fins and have a better foil. But I think either way you choose it should surf great because I still enjoy both of my fishes. Oh yeah one more thing, I used epoxy for my second fish and a super light blank (6’2c) I think that is a better blank than what I used with my first fish (6’9a).
Daklaw, I would think that “sucking” the rail into the wave would help prevent slipping? What I thought from the jpg was that the Lis had some edge all the way and it was just lifted by “triplane” to prevent catching. The ‘round’ rail would be basically a 50/50 in the middle and behind wp somewhere a very tucked edge would begin and as go towards tail, rail gets lower and lower and edge gets harder and less tucked until behind fins its is a fully hard edge.
Might go w/ EPS as I live near enough to Hayward to get that…Definitely going for make own fins as tail will be too thin for boxes to give flex. aAlso, box would inhibit flex. Will use keels and only glass on the front 3 inches or so and leave maybe 1/8 inch gap under the rest to allow max board flex.
That is a whole other question–trad/old school keel was 5X9. This board likely to be 4’10" X 20 1/2 or 21, would that be overfinned? If so, the question is where to cut on the keel; length, depth, both, cut out base to give rake?
yeah that’s what I thought too. But with a fish’s width and shortness, when the board’s rail gets sucked i notice that the fin pops out and causes slipping. which is why I think riding with your front foot forward is recommended when riding a fish. When the rails are released with a sharper edge, I notice that I can control the board’s tendency to slip out as it doesn’t get caught on its rail. But these are just my observations when I ride my fishes, I bet someone out there prefers a real rounded edge to his/her fish.
ooh…i’m liking your idea for maximizing flex for the fins. Bert kinda noted that he likes fcs because they give the most amount of flex as compared to other fin makers because they’re only mounted fore and aft, not all the way. As far as the fins, I wouldn’t know…
Bay Foam, 20273 Mack Street, Hayward, CA 94545, (800) 743-3626 or (510) 786-9663
Found Bob’s website and looks like they only have 1#. Bay has a 2# that is smaller bead than the usual so it shapes nicely. They actually recommend it for surfboards and told me that is what a number of shops buy from them.
Definitely will post pics eventually but don’t hold your breath. Step one is getting $ for materials. SO–if anyone knows someone who would want a 5’4" kneelo shaped by one of the best (Blast Hawaii) it is in Freeline on consignment in Santa Cruz. Its a Stubb Vector (see website) shaped a bit thin for more all around use. Have ridden it from 3-8 foot faces and it worked well though of course it does prefer a bit of jiuce.
I made two fish in the past 6 months both similar 5’11" WP 3" forward.
The first is a small wave fish, no rail bands tucked 1/4" almost all the way from 10" up front, flat bottom to Vee in between the fins. hand foined wooden keels.
The other for bigger waves 50/50 rails with 1/4" tuck in the last 6", rolled bottom to Vee in between the fins. Lokbos Kange Garden keels
The former is fast off the mark and down the line. Does not like square turns. Very very fast board.
The softer railed one is harder to catch waves, but very forgiving and much smoother turns. Still faster than a thruster.
Thanky Burnsie. At present I’m leaning toward the 50/50 rails w/ tucked edge in back. Since it will have lot of flex in rear 1/2 of board, when not pressured in a turn, it will have zero rocker i.e. dead flat behind the wide point (maybe soft double concave under knees fading back to flat in front of fins). Speed will not be an issue that’s for sure!