A Stock 7'6 Quad Fish Step-Up, Measured and Surfed

Updated 2026-09-19

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A stock board bought off the rack is worth checking against its own spec sheet before it ever touches water. This 7'6 quad fish from SJS Custom, hand-shaped on the Gold Coast, matched its listed 20 5/8 x 2 3/4 dimensions to the fraction of an inch, and surfed like a refined step-up rather than a chunky midlength. As at November 2023, here is what the measurements and the first surf actually showed.

Checking the shape before paddling out

A straight edge across the bottom showed a full-length double concave, starting early under the front foot and running all the way through the back foot to the fins, before finishing in an accentuated vee out the tail. The stringer sat below the rail line through most of that run, which is closer to a double concave nested inside a very mild single than a standard double. That combination is unusual on a board this length: it promises quick acceleration, easier paddling from the concave running so far forward, and enough pivot from rail to rail to still turn like a shorter board.

The measurements against the spec

Calipers on the stringer line confirmed the thickness at exactly 2 3/4 inches, and the widest point, sitting slightly forward of center, measured 20 5/8 inches as listed. The nose came in at 13 3/8 inches (measured 12 inches back from the tip) and 18 1/4 inches at 24 inches back, both on the narrow side for a 7'6, which is what makes this a refined board rather than a wide, chunky midlength. The tail measured 15 1/8 and 16 5/8 inches at the same points, pulled in enough to confirm this as more of a step-up than an all-purpose fish. Everything checked out against what the listing claimed.

Rails, deck and glass

The rails are beveled and noticeably skinnier than expected for the board's width, and the deck is flat across the middle before dropping away sharply toward the edges, which gives the rail a knifey, almost fin-like bite in the wave face. A volan patch adds extra fiberglass at the nose and again at the tail, with a slightly heavier lay-up under the front foot and across the tail deck than through the rest of the board. The result is light without feeling fragile: a subtle flip in the nose for paddling into waves, low tail rocker, and a low-volume feel for a board this long.

Setting it up

Futures fin boxes took a set of NVS Apex Series G10 fins, a Peregrine L on the front and an 80/20 JL L Trailer on the back. Wax went on with a plan to leave the nose bare, since the intention was to ride from the middle of the board, and a 7-foot leg rope finished the setup.

How it surfed

In knee to chest-high, clean point break conditions, the low volume was obvious straight away, floating at elbow height while sitting, which put the estimated volume close to 43 1/2 liters, low for a 7'6. What that low volume did not cost the board was paddle power: the long 7'6 waterline, combined with a lifted nose that stayed clear of the water while the rest of the board sat flat, meant every wave paddled for on the day was caught, from small ones through to the biggest sets. Once up, the tapered rails bit into the wave face cleanly, making it easy to climb back up the face after dropping in.

Riding further back on the board, looking for more drive off the tail, did not suit it in the smaller conditions of the day; it wanted the rider a little further forward, which is the step-up character showing through. That same forward position, right up near the nose in the flatter sections of the wave, worked better than expected: the double concave running so far up the board kept lift under the nose and prevented any nosediving. The NVS fins held their own too, with no looseness through turns at 91 kilograms and plenty of drive off the bottom.

Straight away, there was no noticeable indentation from the lighter glass job, which is not always the case with a light lay-up straight out of the factory. Compared to a typical 7'6 to 7'10 midlength, usually thicker, wider and heavier under the arm, this board felt sporty and light to carry, more like a tuned performance shortboard stretched out than a cruiser.

What the board went on to do

The board's own log backs up that first impression. It reached a top speed of 23.7 km/h, and its longest recorded wave ran 174 meters at a favorite point break. It sold in December 2025 for 550 AUD, having been bought new for 850 AUD as a stock model, with a replacement cost by then of around 1,350 AUD.

Questions people ask

Is a stock surfboard as accurate to spec as a custom order?

This one was. Every dimension checked with calipers and a straight edge, width, thickness, nose and tail measurements, matched the listed spec exactly.

What makes a 7'6 fish a step-up rather than an all-rounder?

Narrow nose and tail measurements relative to the width, low volume for the length, and rails that reward a forward stance push this kind of board toward better, more open waves rather than everyday small surf.

Does a full-length double concave actually help paddling?

On this board, yes. The concave running from close to the nose all the way to the fins kept the nose lifted while paddling and stopped it pushing water, which made every wave on the day easy to catch despite the low volume.

Do lightly glassed boards dent faster?

Not necessarily in the first surf. This board, glassed with a volan patch at the nose and tail rather than a heavy overall lay-up, showed no extra denting after its first outing.

How much does a used performance fish like this hold its value?

This one dropped from an 850 AUD stock price to a 550 AUD sale roughly two years later, in line with what a lightly ridden secondhand board in this category tends to fetch.

For more on refined shortboard-length fish and step-ups, see which quad surfboard is best and this performance fish is not for beginners. A second board from the same Gold Coast shaper, tested for first impressions, is covered in a custom twin pin's first ride. For the wider decision on ordering stock versus custom, see custom or stock surfboard. This board's full spec and log sit on its own board page, alongside the rest of the sold list.