Duotone Pro Fish

[pgzers]

Thanks @dan

I am not really looking for a light wind board. I have a pro wam (5'10") already, and I am interested in a board I can use in choppy water and on/sideon shore wave conditions.

Right now I'm between pro fish and pro whip. Kinda confused

Any recommendation will be appreciated.

[Dan-at-Duotone]

I would lean towards the Fish, but then again I'm pretty enamored with that board right now. In my opinion the Fish will cut a tighter radius turn while the whip will be a little more WAM-like in that it will draw it's turns out a little wider-radiused with the advantage that it will be a little more stable at speed. Again, just in my personal opinion, the Whip will have more overlap with the WAM... The WAM will still be better than the Whip in bigger cleaner waves, but the Whip can also handle those conditions, while the more crappy/small the conditions get, the Whip will generally handle them OK, better than the WAM, but the Fish will really start to shine in those conditions.
So considering that you're making this board part of a quiver with a WAM, I'd recommend going with the Fish.

But again, I always recommend demoing if you can, and if anyone else has any thoughts feel free to jump in. Surfboard reviews can be very subjective...

[pgzers]

Thanks again Dan!
Let's go for the fish then

[lucas33]

Tried Pro fish yesterday but didn’t like it. Maybe it was about condition.
18–22 knots, neo 2020 8m.
Waves half to head high.

It was great for upwind and light conditions as I was in a small kite for the wind.
But... for actually surfing, it didn’t stick to the side wall of the wave and I felt loose of control when it accelerated.

Same day tried Pro Voke 5’1’’ 2020, made for air freestyle but sticked to the wave, turned excellent pivotal and was controlled when accelerated. I was surprised! I preferred the pro Voke for surfing rather than Fish.

[Matteo V]

Tried Pro fish yesterday but didn’t like it. Maybe it was about condition.
18–22 knots, neo 2020 8m.
Waves half to head high.

It was great for upwind and light conditions as I was in a small kite for the wind.
But... for actually surfing, it didn’t stick to the side wall of the wave and I felt loose of control when it accelerated.

Same day tried Pro Voke 5’1’’ 2020, made for air freestyle but sticked to the wave, turned excellent pivotal and was controlled when accelerated. I was surprised! I preferred the pro Voke for surfing rather than Fish.

Fish ride different. With the cutout, and the parallel rails, you have length but no planing force at the center of the tail. It took me a long time to adapt to a fish in bigger surf, but you can do it. I recommend not treating the center of the board as the center. Treat it like the the center is at the fish tail point (furthest back) where the board ends and more towards the rail. Again, forget the center of the board and ride more toward the rail.

But even though I ride a fish tail now, my favorite board of all time was 2011-2012 North "Whip".

[PullStrings]

But even though I ride a fish tail now, my favorite board of all time was 2011-2012 North "Whip".

You're making a lot of sense!!
I still ride my Whip 5 '5" 2011
My wife still ride her Whip 5' 4" 2012
Diamond tail Quads

[Alysum]

Love my pro whip csc 5'2 2019 but it bounces a lot in chop... I'm 80kg. What's the rocker of the pro fish like and would the surf nose help reduce the chop slamming? I only kite in small waves and flat waters.

[elguapo]

as a long term fish (surfboard) enthusiast.. is good to see the fish design get a bit re-discovered.
but we can still tighten things up a bit more.

as a fwiw, the fish is *not* simply a mushy or small wave board..
https://surfsimply.com/surfboards/the-f ... wave-sled/


imo, you want quad fins on a small fish like that.


the tri- fin/thruster design like that gives mucho drag..too much.
while not really benefiting from the fish board design at all imo

..wih a quad (and fins close together) the board should be much faster/looser...but still being maneuverable and easily controlled.

purpose for riding a fish over a thruster for example is you do not have to pump generally out the gate...
..with a kite that is not a problem.. so without proper fin placement whats the point besides making it look like a fishboard?

imo (again), a board is just a board.. fin placement is half the performance on a surfboard (imo)

[eddiemorgs]

Just saw this so though it might be useful to others to post , expecially as I have the 5'5 ... most seem to go for the smaller one

I have spent a fair bit of time on the 5'5 now over the last few months and I can understand where both Lucas and Metteo are coming from.
This is my journey so far with this board .... which I love

85 kgs , experienced surf kiter , not a slasher but I do ok . Live in tropics , skinny air , chop to sometimes big wind swell but have also spent a few weeks in southern Oz in bigger ocean swells on this board .
Normally I ride a nugget or North wam 2016 5'10.
Nugget is great but limiting in control and the wam needed solid wind , so I was excited to see the fish concept from Duotone

After much deliberation I settled on the 5'5 due to our light winds here but I was quite concerned about if it was going to be too big .
My first couple of rides I thought WTF is this thing !
It rode like nothing I had ever ridden before ... and I thought my suspicions about size were somewhat well founded and i felt a bit dispondent . I felt much like Lucas

Then my Balinese mate Bobby (Ketut) was very excited to have a ride when he saw it ... a very experienced and top level surfer and he loved it immediately ... said it went upwind well , engaged with the wave well and didnt think it was too big ( hes about 85 kgs ) ...which made me think i must be missing something so approached it differently

Since then I have spent a lot of time on it , from 15-30 kts , overhead waves to small chop .
And as Matteo has said , the fish rides very differently .
Completely different foot position, the centre is not the centre , its much further back .
The 5'5 feels big at the front and long but it doesnt act like when you get to know it . There is a feeling of riding on a well designed balanced platform which will do what you ask of it when you ask it . If its a new move for me , it does it and I am stoked .
Perhaps swing weight may restrict it a little but I didnt ever feel it I should change down to WAM . I am having too much fun on it !
Bottom turns and gybes can be long and engaged( so good ) , it handles off the lip well , doesnt get overpowered on the drop , powers upwind , it smooths out chop pretty well but I wouldnt say exceptional .

I love this board , it is a bit quirky and you do need to get to know it but it has opened up a whole lot of possibilities for me when i struggled a little with the Nugget and the Wam .

I should add that I think Sky Solbach has nailed this design for me ... he is making a huge impact on the wave board world through this and also the construction .. so thanks Sky and the Duotone team .

Cheers

[cabman35]

Trying to choose between the whip or the fish or small to medium waves found in the gulf of Texas (South Padre). Waves are not very clean, conditions are choppy, sloppy disorganized. Im also fairly new to strapless and really enjoying the surf, would I be better to start this journey on the fish or the whip ? We also have allot of current so power in the kite can be issue till up to speed and grabbing a good edge. Just looking for fun, easy and forgiving ride as I'm in the 60 year old bracket.
Thanks for any tips and advice in board choice - I also see some 2019 whips available for a few hundred less.