A wooden fish

That's a nice build. Once you start laying the strips on it all makes sense. I would suggest drilling some holes in the ribs and spine so you don't create sealed bulkheads, it's good to have the hollow chambers connected with air holes so you can let it vent properly. Plus if you make holes in the ribs and spine your also removing material which is weight reduction. The strength won't be compromised by holes.

 

Getting ready to lay the bottom on. Then the shaping starts. Puff puff listen to jimi Hendrix and away I go with a belt sander.

I put some 4 ounce glass on the underside of the bottom panel to give a little extra meat. The kid who's getting this board thinks he will launch airs .... Hmmmm

 

Fin placement template + plan shape template

Running 0 degrees toe for the back twins and a 5 degree toe in for the forward. I figured a true old school fish planshape would like free running twins. But the quad option is there too. What do you avid short boarders think of this ?

 

Cant angles anyone ?

 

So basically what I've done is built a close tolerance blank much like a foam blank but it's hollow wood instead, it has just enough wood in the rails to then be sculpted to its final shape with hand sanding and using a belt sander.

So yes the shape you see on the board with the fins is the plan shape. Once that's cut I shape the rail profiles And rocker is already laminated in. 3 inches in the nose with 1.5 in the tail. Rocker apex is fairly far forward id say so the tail is flattish

 

Thanks for the insight regarding fish fin placements. The can't looks more extreme in the pic because the plugs are just resting in the template holes and not set. I'm stoked about this board, although I don't ride short boards I would like to build a good one. The guy who's getting this thing has some high expectations as for short board performance. I can't wait to see how it plays out

 

Please post up pics of your fish and the fin arrangement

 

Why shatty fcs plugs ?? I use them all the time for fin replacement jobs when my buddies bring me their broken foam. It's usually the fcs plug that's broken out of the foam so maybe they are crap. But this wooden fish will have the plugs set into solid wood.. Much better than the plug placement in foam, strength wise..

 

So the old school fish (green board) just has free running twins right? Ie no toe in for the true twin set up. However your quad has toe in for all the fins right ?

 

I'd say the set up with my parallel profile fish as of now almost perfectly resembles your quad set up, except the two twins in the back are not toed in at all. I'll let the rider of this board do what he wants for fins, that's part of the experiment too I guess. A prototype fish to lead into more for sure.