Two 6'1 fish boards, wildly different rides: what actually matters
Updated 2026-09-19
Two fish boards can share a length and still surf nothing alike. As at August 2025, I own an SJS Fish and a Feb's Fish, both 6'1, and one is a genuine pleasure while the other is going up for sale. Length, width and thickness on a spec sheet do not tell you which one you are getting.
The two boards on paper
The SJS Fish is 6'1 by 21 3/4 by 2 7/8, built in PU, and would be lucky to break 40 litres of volume, since the shaper does not publish it. The Feb's Fish, a Channel Islands model in EPS or Spine-Tek construction, is also 6'1 but narrower at 21 1/2 and thinner at 2 3/4, yet carries 44 litres, roughly 10 percent more volume than the SJS despite smaller outer dimensions.
Rocker: more bend, harder to paddle, easier to turn
The SJS carries noticeably more rocker through both the nose and the tail, which makes it harder to paddle but sharper to turn. The Feb's Fish has plenty of nose rocker, enough to lift over whitewash on the paddle in, but less rocker through the tail, which keeps that section of the board fast and easier to paddle around even though the board is not as wide or thick.
Rails: the difference you feel most
This is where the two boards separate the most. The SJS has razor sharp, thin rails, especially through the tail, giving it a lively, almost ricochet feel on a wave. The Feb's Fish carries much thicker rails all the way along, with a noticeably wider, more voluminous tail, which is why it paddles and floats better despite the lower on-paper dimensions.
Fin placement and bottom shape
Fin box placement measured from the tail is about 9 1/4 inches on the SJS and about 8 3/4 inches on the Feb's Fish, a half inch difference that matters. The Feb's Fish, with its fins set slightly further back, suits a keel-style fin for stability; the SJS, with fins further forward, suits an upright fin for performance but with less inherent drive, which is part of why it can feel squirrely and erratic underfoot. Both bottoms run flat into a double concave and out to vee near the tail; the SJS also carries small channels for extra bite with upright fins.
How each one actually surfs
At close to 100 kilograms, I am at a real disadvantage on the lower-volume, more performance-oriented SJS: as the waves get any size, catching them becomes a struggle, and the ride itself feels sharp rather than smooth. The Feb's Fish, ridden with Mikey February keels, settles down instantly, holds a wider wave range because I can catch waves even as conditions pick up, and simply covers more ground for the same paddling effort. I would choose the Feb's Fish over the SJS in every situation I actually surf, short of losing 10 to 12 kilograms and surfing at a higher level than I currently do.
What this means for resale
Channel Islands as a brand carries a premium at resale precisely because it is well known and, in my experience, consistently well made; I have never had a bad one, across a CI Mid, a CI Mid Twin and two CI twins. That means I will recover more money selling the SJS, ironically the board I am keeping less of, than I would ever get for the Feb's Fish if I sold it, because the SJS is a lesser known name in the secondhand market.
Other fish worth a mention
An Album Sunstone, six foot long with setback keels and about 42 1/2 litres, carries more volume than the wider, thicker SJS purely through better rocker and foil, and is a genuine keeper. A budget-priced Elemnt Twin Fish at 6'4 by 21 7/8 by 2 7/8, 42.38 litres in EPS, with the stringer sitting below the rail line, surfs small to medium waves like a pricier board. A 6'5 SMTH Fish, ridden 50 to 60 times, remains a board I would never sell, and it is the more performance-capable fish of everything in this piece.
Questions people ask
Why do two boards with the same length surf so differently?
Rocker, rail thickness and fin box placement matter more than length, width and thickness alone. A board with less rocker and thicker rails will paddle and float better even at a lower on-paper volume, exactly what happened between these two 6'1 fish.
Does more volume always mean easier paddling?
Volume helps, but where that volume sits matters just as much. The Feb's Fish carries more volume than the SJS mainly through thicker rails and a wider tail, not extra length or width.
How much does fin box placement change how a fish surfs?
A half inch further back, as on the Feb's Fish compared with the SJS, is enough to shift which fin type suits the board, from an upright for performance to a keel for stability.
Does a well-known brand really resell for more?
In my experience, yes. A recognized name like Channel Islands consistently sells faster and for more than a lesser known local brand of the same quality, which is worth weighing before you buy either.
How do I avoid buying the wrong-sized fish board?
Do not size purely on length, width and thickness. Ask about rocker, rail thickness and where the fin boxes sit relative to the tail before you buy, especially if you are a heavier or intermediate surfer.
For the wider decision between fish and other mid-length shapes, see fish or mid-length and are fish surfboards hard to ride. Fin choice on a fish like these is covered in how to choose fins for your twin fin surfboard. The SJS and other boards mentioned here sit across my current quiver and boards I have sold.