Whats happening to O'fish'l

I post this on the industry section but im hoping some of you might know whats going on:

I place an order about a month ago and still haven’t get my stuff yet. Their voicemail is full for couple weeks and just recently i was able to leave a message but still havent got a reply from them. I send them a email couple weeks ago and haven’t got a reply yet. Are they out of business or they went on a long surf trip and didnt tell their customers? I talk to one of their distributor and was told he talk to Mark recently. Does anyone have a clue on whats up with O’fish’l?

I broke one of the quad fin and need a replacement, if i can’t get the fin from him, i might need to pull a mold on my non broken fin and make the fin myself which i prefer not to. thanks for the help.

i was by there a week ago,didn't see the sign out front.........?

or maybe i just missed it.

 

herb

Mark has moved and as far as I know he is still around next to T.Patterson glass shop. 

 

When you said he moved, does it mean he move to a different location or he quite making O’fish’l products? if anyone got his personal # can you give him a call and post his response here so i know whats is going on. Thanks again for all the response

Still not a single reply from Mark yet. Have anyone seen him lately?

He just sold his house and downsized. seems like a lot of stuff going on.

Hello yiu cycle, My name is Stingray. I'm a backyard repair guy. Once in a while I get a repair job for a board with OFish'l. I make a phone call and get my stuff in the mail. Keep in mind that OFish'l is a very small company...not FCS or Future....Let's not bash OFish'l.......I'm sure some old fashion networking will do the job. Several professional repair shops post on Swaylocks. Someone reading this post right now has the parts you need.

The crew at Swaylock's.com can help you.... Be nice....What is it you need? One side fin? What model? Do you need a fin box too? Where do you live.

You can be nice and get help or you can get cut off........you need to change your tone. It's just a broken fin...

Stingray

.....edit....

a quick internet search shows that www.Foamez.com sells O'Fish'l.......

www.greenlightsurfsupply.com might be a place to check if you are on the east coast

.........Ray.

 


Stringray- maybe its the internet and my crappy write skill, make it sound harsh and monotone.  But i haven’t bash o’fish’l at all, just want to know whats going on.  I know O’fish’l is a one man band that is why i turn to swaylock as someone might know. 

 

But Im look for one rear carbon SUP quad fin. its double foil and zero cant.

im just north of OC.

 

Acqua_glass- thanks for letting me know that he is going through a rough time as i didnt know beforehand.  

Mark Stavron who owns O’fish’l, and took it over from the original owner and laminator extrordinare Mel Ross [who taught me the basics about laminating] is a great guy, with 3 amazing boys, Chase, Kyle, and Shane.  His wife of many years, Jeanie, couldn’t take the stress of the industry and pulled the plug on their relationship a while ago leaving Mark more responsibility than ever.  Over the years I have had the priveledge to spend much time with him and his family, and consider him a good friend, and someone I admire.  O’fish’l products have always been high quality, and I hope somehow for a happy ending for him and his family.  Mark is a quality man, with a good heart.  I haven’t talked to him of late, but will try to soon, like today.

My friend put in an order two months ago for a fin box for a repair that I am to do. He ordered from his web site and Im not quite but pretty sure that when you complete checkout the money has been electronically transfered into his hands. His problems no matter how bad they may be are no excuse for not taking care of business in a timely mannor. 

Hi everyone....I'm not connected with O'Fish'l......Sorry for getting so uptight....

My life got turned up side down when a family member had major health issues a few years back. A good friend of mine had health issues this summer and his life has turned up side down. Sounds like O'Fish'L is having "issues".......

Insanecutback.....I have one white fin box I will send you if you are in the USA...no worries...send me a pm.

GhettoRat....Help a brother out...I know you have connections...lets get this guy a fin...I can drive it up to OC....

Stingray

 

I’ne always liked O’Fishl boxes.  I’ve installed many over the years.  For awhile they were the only box you could buy at Fiberglass Hawaii on Maui so they were used in alot of boards.  I think there is potential for the O’Fishl system if they had progressed as rapidly as Future and FCS.  Easy install.  The capped center boxes are good as well.  Needed to work out some glitches and work on fin designs.  Off course a media blitz like Future’s would have helped.

 

Stingray, that’s super sweet of you but I’m in Japan. I just talked to my friend and he just wants me to fill the hole and surf it as a single fin. 

My son had a repair come in needing one “Z” clip O’fish’l box.  Looked everywhere with no success.    Returned the board with the box ripped out because the owner was too cheap to convert both sides to something else.  In this economy, you never know who will be out of the game tomorrow.  Plan for that when you decide on boxes. 

I too had some problems getting a replacement fin recently.  On the advice of Bill Thrailkill I was able to get one from Bird's Surf Shed.  Since then, I was contacted by Mark the O'Fish'L guy.  Too late.  Done deal.

Another option, if you're looking for fins, is to use one of the Pro-Teck models made to fit O'Fish'L... the 'Color', 'Size', and 'Fin System' options drop down after you choose the type of fin you want.

http://www.surfcohawaii.com/Pro-Teck-Fins-s/26.htm

Haven’t check this thread for a while.
Thanks John, I still haven’t able to get in touch with him.  But just sent him another email two days ago(there isnt a voicemail anymore for the warehouse #) and hopefully he will reply back soon.  I also check my CC statement back in Oct and it doesnt look like it was charge.  Wonder if i should place the order again, maybe it got lost???  if all else fail, i probably will order the pro tec fin(just dont know if it have zero cant on those). Or rip the rear boxes out and put two probox back there.  Thanks for all the help.

I’ve had a sense about O’fishl for awhile and have been holding out hope that it is nothing more than my own paranoia…  O’fishl makes a great product; both their fin system and their center boxes for longboards.  There were initially some quirks.  Primarily fins occasionally falling out of the boxes. They started with the snap in box.  An ocassional fin fell out.  Then I seem to remember that for a time they went to a box with a screw.  Then back to an improved snap in box.  It gets confusing.  They were an easy install under the glass.  Very similar to Futures.  But;   FCS plugs were an easy install and all the glass shops loved that.  I’ve said it before and still believe that idiot surfers should avoid running their boards onto reefs,  other surfboards and throwing groceries, gallons of milk etc. onto surfboards in the back of “Yuppy F^#king SUVs”.  Futures went on add campaign in all the Mags and now they are the Big Dogs.  O’fishl faded and FCS played catch-up with “Fusion”.  There is alot of thought and research that went into O’fishl.  In the fin system world a fire in the chest is what is required.  No matter what the owner of the company is facing on a personal level.  I’d like to see O’fishl make a come back and be competitive with the other systems.  Maybe he will.  Maybe not.  If not; then I hope someone with a fire and a vision buys him out and runs with it.  Lowel

Hi,

 

I had just ordered an ofish’l proteck grommet set this week and stumbled across this thread.  I now fear my order will be bust and officially fear for the Ofish’l system.  I hope Mark can eventually pull it out of the flat spin it appears to be in.

 

If someone needs ofish’l parts:

I have various fins but no full sets so if someone is looking for a fin or two - centers, sides, bites and some small trailer center fins (no longboard fins) I might have something for ya.

 

I have maybe 12 snap in boxes and about four or five of the original boxes.

 

I have a bunch of z-clips.

 

Ofish’l parts that I’m on the prowl for:

If anyone has fin parts I’m looking for one BB left glass fin.  (or possibly any matching glass pair of side fins)

 

Have fun,

Randy

OFISHL Fins website http://www.ofishlsurfboardfins.com/

Coconut Peet’s Has remaining inventory of OFISHL fins and boxes.

You can still order from remaining inventory if you go to there website.

Mark Stavron is back in the fin game…   http://stavronfins.com/     Website shows SUP fins but I think he can make others too.