Dimensions for a fish

[3rdaverules0605]

im 5'8'' about 135 lbs riding a cheap 6'6'' looking to uprade
anybody got any ideas on some dimensions?
im looking to get the most speed outta it
thanks

[twerked]

i'm the same size as you, i have a 5' 6"x22"x2 3/8"...i think those are the widthxthickness measurements, i'll check later and update as needed. go with a quad for speed. they're a blast on mushy days, especially when it's bigger and breaking not quite top to bottom and just kind of rolling

[3rdaverules0605]

thanks man. i know those things are insanely fast no matter what. i was able to try one out once on a pretty sloppy day and FLEW down the line and ive been looking for one since.

yea those are pretty much the average conditions around hear

[twerked]

so the dim's are actually 5'6"x20 3/4"x2 5/16"

[themathteacher]

I'm 5'8" 195lbs and was surfing 6'1" x 20" x 2 5/8" fish, my buddy is 150lbs and rides a 5'10" x 20 x 2 3/8" fish

Hope that helps

[Spiney]

Hey guys, I am actively looking for a twin or quad retro fish, but I can't figure out what size I want. I am 5'5" and 60 kilos (120 lbs?). I guess 5'10" would be too much and I was more looking into 5'8". Shall I go down to 5'6"

Thanks !

[themathteacher]

If you look at the original post here you are about the same size, so about 5'10" is good, any smaller it starts getting supper squirley.

I had a twin and now own a quad, both glide about the same, the twin slightly better, but I prefer the quad with small trailer fins (FCS GX centers ). It holds up better in steep waves. Not that you'd really want a fish in steep waves, but occassionally you read the reports for small waves and find bigger ones, to me the quad is more versatile.

[Spiney]

Thanks themathteacher, I will think about it. Only thing is I surf a 5'11" shortboard, so it feels weird looking for a fish about the same size... This shortboard is kind of a fishy one, wide and thick + swallow tail, but definitely looking more like a shortboard (+ it's a thruster).

[Brent]

Hi, one question. Are you still growing or are you adult? You don't mention that.
I own 4 fish. A 5'9" & 5'11" Channel Islands, a 6' Quad Channel Islands skinny fish & a beautiful ice-blue Mandala Canard Quad. Each is very different & amazing in different ways

I look at these boards as long-term keepers. Most people I know who have fish in their quivers think the same.

So, think & buy ahead. It's better to have a board that's 1" longer in your quiver...than a board that's just slightly too small to get into waves on.
I find the 5'9" CI for me at 165lbs is the very limit of what I can easily use.
Remember the purpose of a fish is fun & shorter boards are slower to paddle regardless of how much volume they have, they're corkier float-wise as well and you have to work harder to get into waves.

The 5'11" is my bigger wave fish where I need more paddle speed, and when I'm paddling lots in the lineup (point breaks etc) it's easier to get into nasty waves.

The 6' quad CI skinny fish is the ultimate performance fish, it is a very refined design and is barely 2.5 inches thick with low sharp rails and although it's physically bigger it actually has less volume than the 5'9". It makes up for it in actual surface area (for paddling).

Motto - fish are all so different. a fat little 5'9" will have similar volume to a refined 6'. Better to go an inch longer...and have an easier to ride fish you'll know & love for years, than a board that frustrates you in the waves it should be most suited.

I reckon start with a 5'11" and work downwards from there.

[Spiney]

I am 23 and unfortunately I stopped growing up at least 6 years ago

Anyway, I will probably take a 5'10 then, and not 5'8. In fact I used to have a 5'10 fish and it felt alright for the size, I had to get rid of it because it was a beginner board and it was way too heavy, very stable but it wouldn't fly on the waves.

Brent, as you seem to be a fish lover, I have a question for you : how would you describe the feeling of a real retro shape fish (deep swallow tail, twin fin, etc.) compared to a modern fish ? As my shortboard already has common features with a modern fish, wouldn't it be smarter to get a truly different board ? What's more I feel attracted to those old lookin boards, they look fantastic and I think they would feel alright for the style I want to reach with a fish : smooth and fluid style with speed, but not too radical.

What do you think Master Fish ?

[themathteacher]

I am 23 and unfortunately I stopped growing up at least 6 years ago

Anyway, I will probably take a 5'10 then, and not 5'8. In fact I used to have a 5'10 fish and it felt alright for the size, I had to get rid of it because it was a beginner board and it was way too heavy, very stable but it wouldn't fly on the waves.

Brent, as you seem to be a fish lover, I have a question for you : how would you describe the feeling of a real retro shape fish (deep swallow tail, twin fin, etc.) compared to a modern fish ? As my shortboard already has common features with a modern fish, wouldn't it be smarter to get a truly different board ? What's more I feel attracted to those old lookin boards, they look fantastic and I think they would feel alright for the style I want to reach with a fish : smooth and fluid style with speed, but not too radical.

What do you think Master Fish ?

i know it wasnt' directed at me, but here is my 2cents worth anyway.

The retro's seem to have a lot more glide, probably the flatness and thinkness has to do with that. The modern fish will still glide better than a shortboards but not as much as a retro. The retros you have to surf rail to rail, you don't really get to dig in the rail, so wider more swooping turns. The modern fish you can actually dig in more, take sharper turns.

I own both a small quad modern fish and a big retro quad fish, dig both, but use them for entirely different reasons: the modern fish is my all-around board, handles anything from 2ft to headhigh+ but not ideal for steep or barreling waves. It's the board I take out when I dont' know what to expect but know it wont be huge. The Retro I take out specifically if I am surfing small waves or if I know it's a mushy reef or point break, never to a beach break for example.

So, depends on the intended purpose. Hope that helps...

[Jimi]

Spiney, I'm is Syd as well, and ride a 6'2 retro twin. I know it's a lot biger than you're looking for, but I find that it's ideal in small stuff - the extra length doesn't really bother me, since it makes it easier to catch waves. P.S. I'm 6'2 and weigh 75kg.

It's good for smooth, fast and fluid surfing, but won't turn sharply like a true shortboard - but in a 4-5ft wave the twin setup is tricky... not enough traction from the fins to bite during a turn - which leads to awkward sideways moments and usually getting swallowed by the wave.

My usual board is a 6'6 x 19" shorty.

Maybe meet up for a surf some time and have a go on mine before you buy - but it's probably bigger and heavier than you'd need.

[drowningbitbybit]

but in a 4-5ft wave the twin setup is tricky...

He means 2-3ft

[Jimi]

Oi!!!

That wave was legit as tall as my shoulder! Granted though the rest of the waves that afternoon were knee high!

[drowningbitbybit]

Soooooo.... the one's you missed were knee-high, but the one you were on was the mysterious, all on its own, shoulder high wave...? Hmmmm?

[twerked]

Soooooo.... the one's you missed were knee-high, but the one you were on was the mysterious, all on its own, shoulder high wave...? Hmmmm?

rogue wave ftw!

my $0.02 on the modern vs retro fish. i was out on the retro quad today. about waist high, occasionally bigger, and mushy. it was a blast. i was out for about 4 hours or so. i've taken it out into head+, but mushy, and it's a lot of fun in that too. more wave to play on. glassy, hollow tubes i pull out the traditional shortboard. though i hear fast, hollow tubes are where retro fish really shine because of the inherent quickness of the twin/quad fins and the deep swallow tail acts like a pintail to really hold the face. but i've never taken it out in that. i find for any of the slight onshore wind, mushy days, the retro really works well. i like the way it turns, and the glide and speed it has just charging straight down the line if i feel like that.

'themathteacher'-why don't you take it out in beach break? that's all we have here and it rides fine in that

[drowningbitbybit]

though i hear fast, hollow tubes are where retro fish really shine because of the inherent quickness of the twin/quad fins and the deep swallow tail acts like a pintail to really hold the face.

Um, are you joking?

If not, then someone was with you. Fast and hollow is about the worst place you can put a retro fish. They dont have the rocker for that kind of wave, and the twin (or quad) fins will not hold a steep face.

Retro fish (any kind of fish, in fact) go best on relatively fat, slow waves. Thats what they're for...

[Brent]

Hmmm, good responses.
personally I love my "real fish" the best. they're nuts. the 5'9" CI is easily the fastest board I own, it's loose like riding a 26" skateboard, goes everywhere, holds speed, skates over flat sections, goes good in anything from 1ft to as big as I can possibly paddle into on it (see comment above about generally slower paddle speed). it works backside, frontside, steep waves...
It fits in small cars, no drama's at airports, I can carry it easily on a bike too.
I love the coke bottle green resin tint, traditional pin-lines, almost 3" thick. The whole thing.

Of all the boards I've owned, this is to me the most elegant design. Everything about it screams retro...but in many ways it's perfect timeless design.

Even now sometimes I'll catch a dream little 2-4 foot wave, scream all over it carving squiggles laughing & screaming my head off while punters on way under volumed Taj Burrow or Kelly model shortboards with grumpy faces can't even catch waves, or do little more than stomp up & down on a wave trying to not bog down to their knees ...

If you're going to buy a fish, buy a real one. Buy a resin tinted traditional one, look after it & love it. You'll have it for decades as a fun alternative craft to whatever trendy boards comes your way in the future...

Having a fish in your quiver is like having a mint old Vespa tucked away for fun.

Cool?

[surferdude_scarborough]

retro fish are really good boards for mushy waves. i love mine because its easy to paddle into waves really loose so you can surf fairly top to bottom pretty easily. ts not a fan of going on roofs with big stacks of other boards but if fits inside my small car so cool. i can surf i up to a couple of feet overhead providing its not a barrelling wave. having said that i did tuck inton one on it the other day (didnt make it). if you get one make sure you have glassed on keels rather than any form of removale set ups as it just makes more sense. removable fins are for performance boards where you might need to change the fins. like Brent said i alsolove ripping it up on the fish when all the shortboards are sinking. love it love it love it.

Mines 5'8 x 21ish x 2 5/8" shaped by a certain big nosed shaper.

[twerked]

though i hear fast, hollow tubes are where retro fish really shine because of the inherent quickness of the twin/quad fins and the deep swallow tail acts like a pintail to really hold the face.

Um, are you joking?

If not, then someone was with you. Fast and hollow is about the worst place you can put a retro fish. They dont have the rocker for that kind of wave, and the twin (or quad) fins will not hold a steep face.

Retro fish (any kind of fish, in fact) go best on relatively fat, slow waves. Thats what they're for...

okay, you're right about the hollow part, i misremembered that. this is where i remember reading about fast waves though:

By the way: those who think the Fish is a mush-board don't have a clear impression of the true Fish design. The guys I know who ride 'em best don't really even get into 'em until they're at a long, fast, juicy pointbreak, where the flat-rocker speed effect can be used to its maximum. The best high-performance mush-board is a stubby version of the conventional hi-per shortboard; in mush, you need curves