Twin Fins/Fishes

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bro
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Twin Fins/Fishes

Post by bro » Wed Aug 03, 2005 2:48 pm

I have ridden a Keyo (with a stabiliser), an MR 1980 model and I have a T&C retro fish which I ride with a stabiliser. I have only ridden one true retro twinnie with skegs only and only for a few waves. I'm thinking if I'm going to ride a twinnie I may as well go full retro with skegs and no centre stabiliser. (like Wanto's old avatar). Even though they surf way much better with the centre fin.
I don't want to go a full fat pig I would like some performance!

Has anyone ridden the Al Merrick twinnies?
Can you suggest a board brand and how they ride?

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tootr
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Post by tootr » Wed Aug 03, 2005 2:58 pm

i havent ridden one but have a look at those dick van straalen modern twins - looks halfaway between a fish and a MR type twinny

they look pretty interesting

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Post by bro » Wed Aug 03, 2005 3:18 pm

hey Wanto, I agree with you on both counts, but feel if i'm gonna ride that type of board I should try the full retro. My keyo was great as is the T&C but want to have a go on the traditional type with the skegs but have heard the "different performance' you refer to translates into 'they are crap in beach breaks, bad for your surfing and only go in down the line flat waves, nah in fact they just go crap'

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Post by philw » Wed Aug 03, 2005 4:52 pm

I got a Steve Lis style 70's twinnie (flat, thick board with skegs that have no angle) and it's fun. Cutbacks are hard but it goes nicely down the line and has a completely different feel. I reckon the fins make a big difference. Skegs on mine are totally parallel to the stringer and have no foil or angle. I've got other fish hybrid boards that i ride with fcs twins (no trailer) and the feel is totally different. Dunno if there's any point in trying to get 'performance' out of those old style boards though - you just have to surf differently.

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Post by tootr » Wed Aug 03, 2005 7:07 pm

philw is on the money - surfing a keel fish requires a different approach - it's all about speed and flow.

having said that there are so many variations around now there is something for everyone (who owns an open mind!)

e.g. the 'steve lis' type with the wide point way forward, flat rocker with big keels is NOT the ticket for surfing beachbreaks, however some guys are making keel fish with a less extreme planshape/rocker/fin setup which works great in many types of waves. However, they will still not be able to do "high performance" moves that the thruster is still the best option for.

why not try a "hybrid fish" (poor choice of words I know) such as the darren symes 3 fin fish or a quad fin fish for something that surfs in between a "normal" thruster and a keel fish - the best of both worlds IMHO

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Troy_Cisco_Kid
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Post by Troy_Cisco_Kid » Thu Aug 04, 2005 8:15 am

check out these little rippers from Santa Cruz shaper ... my colleague at work is picking one up when we head over there for our sales meeting in a few weeks time

http://www.mandalacustomshapes.com/FAQS.html

choice looking ....whether they work well, well......

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Post by tootr » Thu Aug 04, 2005 8:48 am

troy u are a lucky boy if u gets your mitts on a mandala quad fish - he was taught by Rich Pavel - one of the push behind modernizing the 70's fish

take a gander at the surfmag interview with pavel
http://www.rainbowsurfboards.com/fishes.htm

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Post by bro » Thu Aug 04, 2005 8:58 am

Thanks but the whole point is to ride a traditional twinnie/fish

like I said I have owned a Keyo, a Warner slingshot, a DS Tombstone and an Insight time machine and Punt Rocker amongst others like MR Super twin, MR 1980's twin and a T&C etc all have merit but want to try the old school, because now i try and stay on a moderb thruster 95% of the time including a modern fish otherwise my normal board surfing goes backward.

I saw a nice one in 6 ounce i might try

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Post by Longygrom » Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:57 am

if u have a look on the http://www.rainbowsurfboards.com/fishes.htm website the 'rainbow fish' was inspired in Australia for Keyo's John Gill. Theyve had their fish on the right track for a long time.

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Post by tootr » Thu Aug 04, 2005 10:27 am

hey bro - theres a whole bunch of fish at six ounce ATM , and a few second hand ones in very good nick (and price?) the previous owners did not persist with

ben will help u find the right one

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Post by bro » Thu Aug 04, 2005 12:07 pm

Thanks Wanto but 6'0 is a little big, I also have a Fenech fish under T&C at 5'10 and i have seen one of Rob's personal fishes that I might try and get.

Still no news from anyone who has ridden an Al merrick twinnie out of the mona vale factory?

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