An alternative to a fish?? Eggs? Diamond tails? etc

[SDA]

As the subject suggests.. I am looking for an alternative to a fish. I have a Walden Magic Fish which isn't working for me.. not sure if the board is a pig or I just don't know how to properly ride a fish!?

Anyway.. I am considering the following boards:

-McTavish Egg
-McTavish Scooter
-Southcoast Slot Machine
-Southcoast DT Slider

Has anyone had experience with any of these? Or have suggestions for an alternative?

I want something that will handle the fatter / junky / waves without much push days throughout summer.

Thanks in advance!

[marcus_h]

Was in the local the other day and saw a Bear Fat Arsed Wombat on the second hand rack. Might take it for a test drive on the weekend - i'll let ya know how it goes.

Its a 6'4" btw

[The Mighty Sunbird]

MR twinnie! MR twinnie! MR twinnie!
you cannot beat the all time champ of the world's world beating machine.
MR twinnie!

[Cuttlefish]

I have a DT slider with a 2+1 set up which I enjoy surfing. Very different from a fish (traditional fish). It still has glide due to its flat rocker and width.
No problem to carve big bottom turns and straight back up the face on the right wave.
Gets sketchy harnessing the speed on 4'+.
If you want some solid recommendations tell us how long you've been surfing. Age, weight, height. How often you get in the water? Where you've been riding the fish?
What kind of fish shape- tradition Lis or hybrid twin fin being called a fish?
What are you having trouble getting the fish to do?
What other boards do you have?
Why did you buy a fish in the first place?

[Beanpole]

I reckon its pretty funny that most shapers seem to find it impossible to create an eight foot board that can ride waves over 4 feet unless it a gun. Obviously the blanks aren't available.

Of course it would be a nightmare to have people catching overhead waves on a board that big.

[sean--]

The MR twinnie sounds a good idea and would be a livelier option than the boards you've mentioned. I was up Newy way a few months back and called into his shop and he's got some nice boards in there.

[Cuttlefish]

I reckon its pretty funny that most shapers seem to find it impossible to create an eight foot board that can ride waves over 4 feet unless it a gun. Obviously the blanks aren't available.

Of course it would be a nightmare to have people catching overhead waves on a board that big.

G'day Beanpole,
not sure if you're referring to my post but the Dt slider I'm talking about is 6'4" X 22" X 2&3/4"
I believe there's a storm brewing on the horizon.
The eight foot + crew are massing for an assault.

[Beanpole]

Well my new boards 7'11" so I'm against these bastards

My point is that unless your red hot its an advantage to get into a lot of waves earlier and draw a clean line as opposed to last minute take off, straight to the bottom, straight to the lip in time to see the wave disappearing down the beach. People talk about longer boards being restrictive but short boards can restrict your surfing just as much. Learners don't learn to connect their turns and end up being way more unco than they need to be.

[sean--]

Well my new boards 7'11" so I'm against these bastards

My point is that unless your red hot its an advantage to get into a lot of waves earlier and draw a clean line as opposed to last minute take off, straight to the bottom, straight to the lip in time to see the wave disappearing down the beach. People talk about longer boards being restrictive but short boards can restrict your surfing just as much. Learners don't learn to connect their turns and end up being way more unco than they need to be.

Did you get a McCoy?

[Beanpole]

Nah, worse than that and it goes great.

[sean--]

Nah, worse than that and it goes great.

Did you get a coke and fries with it ?

[Beanpole]

Nah, worse than that and it goes great.

Did you get a coke and fries with it ?

Yep

[Beanpole]

I agree with a lot of that however i found with some oversized boards that i was slower off the bottom turn.
Ive ridden different sized fishes and the least bouyant of the lot was harder to get into fatter waves early but in hollower surf is easier to ride.

Also seemed when it got sucky the bigger boards wouldnt drop in as quick
and would be harder to bottom turn/get speed around a section to setup your ride.
The least bouyant just seems a lot quicker off the bottom and top and easier to control in semi hollow waves.

I guess thats due to
a) less weight needed to sink the tail/rails
b) the bigger ones were designed for larger people
c)less movement needed to pop onto a rail
d)getting better at riding fish

However this board isnt that fun in slop in my oppinion and a beastier board is better to ride.
Also the single concave seems to gain more speed in glassy or offshore conditions but "suck" a bit in onshore conditions.

Maybe thats me just being fussy and only really surfing in protected/good conditions though.ie not getting much better at surfing slop.

On topic, i would go with the egg or a twinny, but twinnys might not suit your style, but they might...So maybe get a demo.

Definitely true. You are really relying on the design of the board to compensate for the bouyancy. On larger open faces it can be a real advantage unless you get blown away by the wind.

[homebush]

For the guys over 50 you may understand. 1st board after standard thruster (not wishing to go mal path) 6"6" McCoy Nugget. Nice board but a bit of a flat skatey feel. Trade for a Rusty Piranha C5 6'7", great board but cut in two by mal riding tourist. Replace with 6'6' Rusty C5 again but now find it too hard to get into waves. Trade in on 6'8" Byrne Easyrider Tufflite 6'8", awesome board when smooth conditions but when usual Sydney summer chop bounces all over the place as so stiff. Trade that in to Rusty T2 6'6" Flexlite, awesome board in good conditions ie. when its relatively smooth, I've only just got in the water, there's not many people about, the waves are less than 2 mts, the waters warm & I can catch 3 waves & paddle back out without requiring oxygen.When I buy a mal I know I'm Fkcd

[Beanpole]

I reckon learning to surf a mal properly is one of most fun things in surfing.
I get a bit sick of dragging one around everywhere though.

[ric_vidal]

I reckon learning to surf a mal properly is one of most fun things in surfing.
I get a bit sick of dragging one around everywhere though.

Very true BP, nice to have a foot, or 2, in both camps though.

Figure as the body gets older there will be plenty of time on longer equipment. Let the conditions and the body dictate so it is nice to have choices.

[pridmore]

Well my new boards 7'11" so I'm against these bastards

My point is that unless your red hot its an advantage to get into a lot of waves earlier and draw a clean line as opposed to last minute take off, straight to the bottom, straight to the lip in time to see the wave disappearing down the beach. People talk about longer boards being restrictive but short boards can restrict your surfing just as much. Learners don't learn to connect their turns and end up being way more unco than they need to be.

fair point- I try to go for the happy medium, long enough to get into em early and draw nice lines but short enough to go up and down when you want to.....

[mad]

Beanpole wrote

Well my new boards 7'11" so I'm against these bastards

My point is that unless your red hot its an advantage to get into a lot of waves earlier and draw a clean line as opposed to last minute take off, straight to the bottom, straight to the lip in time to see the wave disappearing down the beach. People talk about longer boards being restrictive but short boards can restrict your surfing just as much. Learners don't learn to connect their turns and end up being way more unco than they need to be.

BP, I'm guessing you're from the Goldy. You should catch up with Wayne Deane and what he does with longer short boards. I've had a few and have been stoked in all of 'em. From what you're writing I reckon you blokes would be on the same wavelength. He's closed his shaping bay at Sth Tweed, but I think he's still shaping from home.