Surfing Waves

i understand the difference between the two as far as looks go. but whats the difference performance wise. why do some people use fish and others use thrusters?

lets hear it

well most people who surf a fish will also surf a thruster.

Thrusters have more hold in steeper waves and a bit more drive. the rocker also allows for steeper hollower waves to be taken. the three fin set up is harder to turn than a twin finned fish. also on a thruster the outer fins are angled towards the nose and canted out causing a little more drag but reducing speed.

fish are very short and wide and thick with a twin set up. the width and thickness increases volume making them easy to paddle into waves. also the lack of rocker eases paddling but makes it very difficult to take a steep drop. they are faster than a thruster because the twin fins should be set forwards making less drag. and the lack of middle fin and very wide tail make them very loose.

in short thrusters for big steep waves, fish for smaller fatter waves. both are a lot of fun. fish are particularly good for making the most of less than ideal conditions hence are becoming very popular in the uk.

i think all thats right.

right on thanks bud!

I'm completely bias as I hate fish, but they are rubbish and thrusters rock!

Seriously tho, I found my fish wouldn't bottom turn nicely, and therefor couldn't hit the lip properly, it was jittery, no easier to catch waves than my thruster and no better in rubbish waves than my thruster. The only thing it could do was wiggle about half way up the face going near the top sometimes to make a pathetic amount of spray. It sucked cock.

surferdude_scarborough wrote:well most people who surf a fish will also surf a thruster.

Thrusters have more hold in steeper waves and a bit more drive. the rocker also allows for steeper hollower waves to be taken. the three fin set up is harder to turn than a twin finned fish. also on a thruster the outer fins are angled towards the nose and canted out causing a little more drag but reducing speed.

fish are very short and wide and thick with a twin set up. the width and thickness increases volume making them easy to paddle into waves. also the lack of rocker eases paddling but makes it very difficult to take a steep drop. they are faster than a thruster because the twin fins should be set forwards making less drag. and the lack of middle fin and very wide tail make them very loose.

in short thrusters for big steep waves, fish for smaller fatter waves. both are a lot of fun. fish are particularly good for making the most of less than ideal conditions hence are becoming very popular in the uk.

i think all thats right.

that's a retro fish, modern fish are all either thruster or quadfins

modern fish tend to be fat shortboards with a standard width tail but a swallow tail. a retro fish is what a fish should be. nothing wrong with quads on that shape. thats just a contempory slant on the old design. a fat thruster with a swallow tail isnt really a fish.

Broosta wrote: It sucked cock.

You got a seriously confused fish there

A true retro fish really doesn't bottom turn. I have heard that a quad fin setup with a retro design allows you to actually get a bottom turn off. But you kinda angle your drop and then just figure 8 surf. Don't get me wrong the right person can do anything. Rob Machado rides a fish beautifully, along with Dan Malloy, Donovan Frankenreiter, and the list goes on. Check some of their stuff out then compare it to Slater or Fanning or someone.

Also, the flat bottom on a traditional fish allows the board to start planning sooner. A twin fish is going to feel very skatey and you need to make your turns with a lot of arc and your transitions very smooth so as to not have your back trying to meet your front. But you need to realize that if it isn't feeling right then you should try a different some different fins or you may need more or less cant. With a quad you are going to have a ride that is more or less right in between the feel of a twinzer and a thruster. A quad will typically have good hold but also a lot of drive. I am able to surf my quad fish, more or less, in the same manner I surf my thruster shorty. Don't be afraid to experiment with your fin setup as with a little time and effort you could find that magic board setup you were looking for.

i think, and as i dont no much about fish it is a thought, but if your a power surfer surfing fish may be harder, where as if you strugle with power you will learn to surf with the help of the wave then you will find surfing a fish a lot easier