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How do you size your fish?
- Thread starter jwd
- Start date
@johnson7 2nd this.. keel feels so free and smooth and fast. I love quads, but keel is next level. i'm officially addicted to keels.
You’re using keels in the el tomo? which ones??
You guys are making want to order, so to go into this "keel thing" with the proper mindset I want too...look at this board as more of a daily driver, and more of a HP alternative shape, to go as fast as possible, and be free to style out? Oh and it will automatically make me surf like Rasta? I could totally get on board with that.
My most recent one I landed at 5'6" x 21.32 x 2.4 - 33.5L. Feels good for me @ 5'9"/180. I prefer it over my previous 5'8" of the same board @ the same volume. They both are fun and catch waves pretty much the same. The 5'8" one might feel a hair faster down the line, but the 5'6" one I dont need to move my feet around as drastically and it feels more playful overall on the face. Twin Keels are great. It always feels like i'm draggin an anchor when I switch back to my thrusters.
I say "keel" because the El Tomo is set up as a Keel (zero degree tow) but the fins i am using are the Album Fascination Twin fins that are flat foiled (not 50/50 like a traditional keel fin).
The board feels unreal! So smooth and fast, but has drive and can turn so sharp. It feels amazing just to stand up. Also, with the 5'7 it has a longer rail so it feels like its throwing water everywhere. ha.
https://www.surfnvs.com/products/album-fascination-twin-apex
Oh. So, not actually keel fins that you like. Ok... LOL.
Does this one surf differently to the 2 previous El Tomo you had?? Or maybe just feels magic because you know it was Dan’s personal, eh?
Does this one surf differently to the 2 previous El Tomo you had?? Or maybe just feels magic because you know it was Dan’s personal, eh?
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It has more foiled rails than the one @jkb had, and its 2-3 inches longer than both of the other ones. The fins are set different too. Its also epoxy not xtr, and much lighter. Dans personal might have something to do with it... but i think its the added length, the foiled rails and the fin placement.Oh. So, not actually keel fins that you like. Ok... LOL.
Does this one surf differently to the 2 previous El Tomo you had?? Or maybe just feels magic because you know it was Dan’s personal, eh?
I think a little extra length on a High Performance Twin Fin ("HPTF") really makes a difference. People on this forum have said that twins are not just for small mushy waves and i agree. This twin feels amazing in everything and i bet it will go insane in some bigger surf. I feel like i've discover some secret that no one knows about! ha. Twins/Keels are a ton of fun. Especially when they have a High Performance Short Board outline.
I have two 5’8 CC fishes and they could not be more different. The first is
5’8 x 21 x 2 9/16 with glass on swept back marine ply fins. This board is phenomenal. It’s fun and fast in waist to chest steep waves but really comes alive in HH+ reef or points. It’s so solid in the water and reliable. My favourite board of all time! I took it to the Bahamas and left it to use while there, which is often in normal times.
On return to Oz I bought a 5’8 x 21 1/4 x 2 1/2 with Futures boxes off the rack. Surfing this board feels like surfing on a bar of soap. It is very light, much more than the first one and is so sensitive that it constantly needs to be nursed in anything over chest high with a little punch. I hate it, cannot gel with it at all despite trying with 4 different sets of fins. It’s in perfect nick and will be sold very soon.
How can two almost identical shapes from the same house be so very different?
5’8 x 21 x 2 9/16 with glass on swept back marine ply fins. This board is phenomenal. It’s fun and fast in waist to chest steep waves but really comes alive in HH+ reef or points. It’s so solid in the water and reliable. My favourite board of all time! I took it to the Bahamas and left it to use while there, which is often in normal times.
On return to Oz I bought a 5’8 x 21 1/4 x 2 1/2 with Futures boxes off the rack. Surfing this board feels like surfing on a bar of soap. It is very light, much more than the first one and is so sensitive that it constantly needs to be nursed in anything over chest high with a little punch. I hate it, cannot gel with it at all despite trying with 4 different sets of fins. It’s in perfect nick and will be sold very soon.
How can two almost identical shapes from the same house be so very different?
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I've never tried any glass on fins due to the fact I'm pretty sure I would damage them quickly on all the reefs I surf, but I know a lot of guys that swear by them. Maybe its more to do with the fin choice, fin position, and being glass on than the board if they look the same side by side.
I’ve had a very similar experience. My 1st 2 ccs I pushed back on getting glass ons because i wanted to be able to have options with my futures fins. Go more upright for performance etc. Then on my 3rd, I did the glass on and it is amazing the difference. Something I could never predict nor even fully understand.
6'2" 175 and for traditional twin fish (Steve Brom) 5'8-5'10. Could probably go down to 5'6" and make it work with some practice but the 5'8" is pretty fucking skatey.