Mikey February Twin Keel Fish

Duffy LaCoronilla

Duke status
Apr 27, 2016
43,282
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I guess I felt it was glassed lighter than I realized/expected particularly at the price point. Lots of pressure dings, whereas my Campbell bros (the only other comparable board I have) holds up much better.
Yeah, my fish definitely has pressures on the deck. The OR is solid but maybe a little too solid. I dropped it from a relatively low height - gripping the rail with my hand, not under the arm and it slipped out - and the rail got a crack. No give. Just crack. Kinda brittle but pretty strong/heavy.

The fish glass feels just right but it still PU/PE so no getting around that. Yeah, the price. Ouch. Didn’t even give me a reach around.

What size is yours?
 
M

manbearpig

Guest
Yeah, my fish definitely has pressures on the deck. The OR is solid but maybe a little too solid. I dropped it from a relatively low height - gripping the rail with my hand, not under the arm and it slipped out - and the rail got a crack. No give. Just crack. Kinda brittle but pretty strong/heavy.

The fish glass feels just right but it still PU/PE so no getting around that. Yeah, the price. Ouch. Didn’t even give me a reach around.

What size is yours?
5’4 stock boar.
 
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Duffy LaCoronilla

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Apr 27, 2016
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5’4 stock boar.
Not your size - or your coast - but if you keep your eye out I do see a lot of these come up for sale…

I’d buy the 5’8 if I didn’t already have one with glass-ons…



Here’s a 5’4 - glass-on…

 
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trifish

Billy Hamilton status
Sep 23, 2009
1,577
4,387
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Shred City
Speaking of fishes, who makes your favorite and why? I rode an old mabile twin keel a lonnng time ago and hated it. Didnt jive with it at all. However, I had a long love affair with one if his twinzer fish. Thats the board that got me into twinzers. I will say, it was a bitch to surf backside though. Probably the archer...

Looking at getting a trad SD fish al la christenson, mitsven, michael miller etc... to try again, but part of me thinks I should go with something more "modern".
Worth checking out Ryan Sakal. He does a really nice SD fish also. Probably my fav out of the ones I've tried/had. Lots of drive, projection, and glide. Set a hard bottom turn and that one covers some serious ground and climbs up to the lip with ease. Little vee in the nose to a deep single through the back. Hanel made me a great one also years ago that I used regularly and on some heavy days were I should of been on a much bigger board. Lots of paddling, but some epic memorable rides from that one also.
 
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facebite

OTF status
Aug 29, 2014
151
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So sick.

 
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stringcheese

Miki Dora status
Jun 21, 2017
5,179
5,776
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My favorite keel fish was a 5’5 oak foils with lokbox rainbow fins. Not a very deep swallow tail. Had so much fun on that one
 

jtourito

Nep status
Jul 29, 2024
894
821
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Land Of Adult Learners
So sick.

Is he surfin' for CI now :shrug:
 

Duffy LaCoronilla

Duke status
Apr 27, 2016
43,282
35,821
113
Speaking of fishes, who makes your favorite and why? I rode an old mabile twin keel a lonnng time ago and hated it. Didnt jive with it at all. However, I had a long love affair with one if his twinzer fish. Thats the board that got me into twinzers. I will say, it was a bitch to surf backside though. Probably the archer...

Looking at getting a trad SD fish al la christenson, mitsven, michael miller etc... to try again, but part of me thinks I should go with something more "modern".
If by “modern“ you mean traditional outline with modern rails/bottom then Christenson is what I would call modern. It’s just disguised as retro with the glassed on wood keels.

Here’s what I’ve ridden…(all with single foiled fins except where noted)…
All boards were 5’8.

Steve Brom: TKF with glass-on 60/40 foils, no toe. Flat bottom, thick rails - not my favorite.

Steve Brom: TKF glass-on with toe. Flat to vee, pinched rails slightly. Very good board.

CI Even Keel: TKF lock box keels. Worst one I had. Slip slidy out of control, directionless.

CI Skinny fish: quad with AM1 sides in all four boxes. Surfed 3 of these things to death. Probably the best fish for die hard HPSB riders. Crazy speed, drive, hold. Single/double/vee. Super user friendly.

CI Skinny fish: TKF with TA Hobie toe side and AMK heel side. WAS my all time favorite. Faster than quad version with better performance/turns. Also rode it with Futures ENs which was super fun in peaky beach break.

CI Fish (their latest version): TKF. piece of sh!t. Fins too far forward (thanks Dane).

CC Fish: TKF glass on. All time best. Deep single concave which I believe makes it magic. Single concave boards are “sticky” and can be hard to initiate turns, but once on rail they turn sharply. On a HPSB they pivot. In combination with fish outline and big keel and “pontoon” design I mentioned earlier this sticky/pivot thing is calmed down a bit. So what you get is single concave/twin keel/fish down the line speed with the ability to turn on a dime. I’m a big dude and wouldn’t be described as a finesse surfer but this board never slides out nor does it “high side” as some single concave boards do.
 

cjs2002

Nep status
Jan 24, 2008
932
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DK’s twin keel is like nothing else I’ve tried. And I’ve tried a lot. His rails, fin template and bottom contours make the board super fast and super user friendly. Plus he has one of the best glass shops going right now. Highly recommend.
 

silentbutdeadly

Duke status
Sep 26, 2005
35,611
27,452
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Tower 13
DK’s twin keel is like nothing else I’ve tried. And I’ve tried a lot. His rails, fin template and bottom contours make the board super fast and super user friendly. Plus he has one of the best glass shops going right now. Highly recommend.
Since you don't have room for it I can store it in my garage for awhile if you want
 
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kool-aid

Michael Peterson status
Aug 28, 2003
3,235
3,068
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San Francisco
I've been watching some of his videos riding the CI twin keel and wondering if it's new.

I don't think it is, or at least it looks pretty damn close to the twin keel that they already make, and I don't think his surfing on it has been that phenomenal. It's much better on the twin pin.

I know it's not apples to apples, but if you put him on a Wills Fish, I think it would be pretty mind-blowing.
 
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oeste858

Phil Edwards status
Sep 11, 2017
7,679
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San Diego, CA
I've been watching some of his videos riding the CI twin keel and wondering if it's new.

I don't think it is, or at least it looks pretty damn close to the twin keel that they already make, and I don't think his surfing on it has been that phenomenal. It's much better on the twin pin.

I know it's not apples to apples, but if you put him on a Wills Fish, I think it would be pretty mind-blowing.
It seems like they are developing a Mikey TKF. Think that’s what we’re seeing
 

Duffy LaCoronilla

Duke status
Apr 27, 2016
43,282
35,821
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I've been watching some of his videos riding the CI twin keel and wondering if it's new.

I don't think it is, or at least it looks pretty damn close to the twin keel that they already make, and I don't think his surfing on it has been that phenomenal. It's much better on the twin pin.

I know it's not apples to apples, but if you put him on a Wills Fish, I think it would be pretty mind-blowing.
A few tweaks to the POS fish which is the last iteration, with the fins moved back to a proper position. Probably some new fins too.