fish or mini-Simmons?

njsurfer42

Michael Peterson status
Mar 16, 2006
2,877
167
63
shrouded in a 5/4
so i just turned 40. between being married w/ children & working in EMS during a pandemic, i haven't exactly been scoring a lot of water time over the last year. i gave in & got myself a 6'8" almond pleasant pheasant as a nod to my severely restricted water time & that has proven to be super fun 1 board quiver since september, not that i've surfed much since the fall.
that said, i'm looking to treat myself to either a high-end fish or mini-Simmons as a 40th b-day present to myself & can't settle on which. so i'm looking to tap into the erBB brain trust. as an east coast dd, which would do me better? keep in mind that i don't surf a ton anymore & am not throwing myself over DOH ledges in a blizzard. current front-runners in my mind are mitzven's hynd fish & the bing puck.
 

taking one in

Nep status
Jun 16, 2008
610
99
28
Larry Mayo Tug (either Remix or Squared) -- the shorter one (he makes a stretched version too). It's a simmons design.
I've had my Tug Remix quad (eps/epoxy) for 5 years; several different fish variants have been in and out of my quiver during that time.
 
May 14, 2011
87
22
8
Can't go wrong with the mitsven hynd fish - especially as a versatile NJ option. Have a few boards from him to surf the same waves and I keep going back.
 

sushipop

Michael Peterson status
Feb 7, 2008
3,319
5,794
113
The Dagobah System
I‘ve ridden a couple quad fish, keel fish, Larry Mabile Ghostbuster, Roberts Dream Machine and few others. My absolute favorite board tho is the Hank Warner Power Hull that I currently have. It’s an absolute kick in the pants, easy to surf and very nimble for that kind of board. This isn’t mine, but just found this on the interwebs:
1614558946162.jpeg
 
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kane

Michael Peterson status
Sep 30, 2003
3,032
198
63
.
I bought a mini simmons off Craigslist and have a blast on it. Catches tons of waves but harder to go top to bottom on steeper waves. Excels on weak mush waves with an open face. Fish don't grovel well imo. If you don't have a groveller get one as they're tons of fun.
 

kpd73

Nep status
Apr 5, 2014
688
769
93
I have a 5'6 Austin Mini simmons that I can and have run as a twin or quad.
It has literally replaced my JC quad fish, and I haven't looked back.
Glassed heavy, foiled rails, slight step deck, deep single out the back.
Shreddy ass Austinmini2.jpgAustinmini.jpgRocket ship.

We share the Atlantic in common, I'm up in RI. Surf it from points to beach, mushy to firing, thigh to sky high.
I'm out with the longboards no problem and with the quad set up- FCS Compressors - the drive down the line and section beating is criminal. 1599425716494.jpgIMG_2020-09-06_16-50-38.jpeg
 

toddo

Nep status
Jul 24, 2010
711
222
43
A mini simmons, or modern derivative of, is going to give you more fun in the lower end of conditions. A fishier shape is going to be more versatile in better conditions, but I would guess the almond has you covered for good conditions already.
 
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000

Duke status
Feb 20, 2003
26,018
7,171
113
i feel like the huge missing triangle of foam taken from a fishes tail is lost drive and planing area
i prefer a mini simms
 
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doc_flavonoid

Billy Hamilton status
Dec 27, 2019
1,740
3,198
113
i have a bing cypress, its a squash tail fish masquerading as a shortboard.

and i have a mabile white pony, its a swallow tail mini sim pretending its a fish

but really i prefer my cc keel fish. its a fish and it doesnt need to try to be anything other than what it is. doesnt have the bottom end of the other two but ultimately more versatile
 

tedshred5

Michael Peterson status
Aug 5, 2015
2,720
6,380
113
i have a bing cypress, its a squash tail fish masquerading as a shortboard.

and i have a mabile white pony, its a swallow tail mini sim pretending its a fish

but really i prefer my cc keel fish. its a fish and it doesnt need to try to be anything other than what it is. doesnt have the bottom end of the other two but ultimately more versatile
how dyou like the cypress? I have one on the way
 

taking one in

Nep status
Jun 16, 2008
610
99
28
View attachment 105829

View attachment 105830

Like my Modern Fish this Hovercraft design is aimed at making a higher performance wide tail design "Simms" market board
The Felix tail allows you to press the rear corners in going off the top and bottom with the flat between creating a smooth transition from one to the other
I know you like to discuss what is possible. Is it possible to get one of these in one of Drew Bagget's techy builds?