retro fish boards

[surferdude_scarborough]

may be getting one when i can afford it anyone know how they ride? anyone got one n could give me some tips on what to look for?

[deathfrog]

Well everyone has thier own version of one, but they're all more or less the same...

Skatey, slide out on powerful turns, easy to paddle, and fast...

The retroeyer ones are more of the above, while the more modern ones are just kinda feel like fatter shortboards.

[fishy frenzy]

What do you guys think of this board....



It's a phase one from san diego.

[drowningbitbybit]

Get a modern hybrid fish with a three fin system... you dont have to use all three if you like it as a twinny, but at least you can

Ive got a 'two and half fin' set up on mine, and that seems to work. But it does slide out on turns if Im not paying attention and I dont think I'd fancy it as a twinny.

Other than that, yeah, they're kinda like a fat short board, and with a fat swallow tail they catch more or less anything, almost like a mini-mal. Once you're up and planing, they react (sometimes over-react) to any rider input, which takes a little bit of getting used to.

Loads of fun though, even when the surf is cr@p!

[namino tsume]

I had a "retro fish" although it was the real thiong. It was from the mid 80's so it was like 3 inches thick,,, and it had about a 5/6 inch swallow tail, with two fins. It was my first board so its tough for me to compare it but, it caught waves beautifully, gave me plenty of speed. I loved it.

[Brent]

Hi,
I've got a 5'10" skip fry fish circa 1982 it's a minta and was hardly used when I got it (bought way before they became trendy), it's 21" wide and has 7" between the pins of the swallow tail. It has plywood fins with no cant and almost no toe-in (i.e it's a real fish), I love it for small good waves 1-2 feet and no more, it catches anything and with a wide 15.5" nose I can, if travelling fast enough get 5 toes over the nose...well almost. The best comparision I can say is it's like riding a really short skateboard. Wild crazy fast and fun. But control...na. I just love it for novelty value and I just do carves on it. Cool toy.

I also have two hybrid fish, one a 5'11" 20" wide with 15" nose & tail, it's FCS and I ride this with FCS FG-5 on the outsides with a small GS trailer in the middle. This is my favourite summer board. Better 'surfboard' than the real fish.

I have also another board one inch longer than the above board with all other dimensions identical (but with FCS FG-3 fins and GS trailer)..this is my board I use with a wetsuit (as I'm slightly heavier in a wet wettie I need slightly more volume to compensate) both boards ride identical, summer in boardies on the 5'11" and winter in a 3/2 steamer on the 6'.
Note: this is a good example of getting a good shaper relationship going...you can refine things so much more closely.

Honest; my favouite is the new hybrid fish, it just takes all the good aspects of the old fish and moves it on 20 years...better rails, turns better and is more enjoyable in anything bigger than 1-2 foot waves.

Get a hybrid and run it with a small trailer, make sure it's 20" wide or slightly more and with at least a 14.5" nose...otherwise it's just a short wide shortboard.
If you can afford a real fish as a toy...buy one too you'll love it. But for different reasons. Every surfer should own a real fish at some point in their lives.

[gulfsurfer]

I dont like the modern "fish". They shouldnt even be called a fish. Original fish boards are awesome. They are so much fun to ride, i'd get one if i was whoever was talking bout getting one. Dont get that phase one, looks like crap, get one with a big ol' swallow tail.

[Brent]

Um, Gulfsurfer...have you ever even ridden a real fish?
If you had you'd understand my comments above..I know they're romantic & cool at the mo...but really, it's with little actual substance...unless you're a fat 200 pound baby boomer looking for easy paddling & volume (and his childhood)again.
Also, Mark Richards the original user of twin-fins clearly said recently that his design of modern twin-fin (likewise with a removable GS trailer) is a far superior and more versatile board in all areas.

Design moves on. Progress. Likewise owning both types and using them equally I see beauty and fun in each. But the hybrid 5'11" x 20" with 15 nose & tail and the 7" bum split is a better board & real fish in all measurements...it's just fitted with FCS so i can remove the middle fin if desired. that's all.

[gulfsurfer]

Yes, i have ridden a real fish, i just ordered a new one a week ago.

[Brent]

Cool. what size. How long??
Wooden or glass fins?

[gulfsurfer]

The only dimension i know is that its going to be 5'9. Mike said he'd get all the rest down, and hes an awesome shaper, so i know itll be sweet. Wood fins.

[Guest]

cool. good length, some go too short I reckon, 5'6" for example is too short...unless you're a gnome or 11 years old...
Wooden fins are the coolest also, make sure you look after them though won't you. If you bang them up hard & break the fiberglass layer protecting them they'll get waterlogged & go a dark colour (and rot too)
Let me know when you get it

Brent (duh forgot to log in didn't I)