Surfboard, custom shaped thrusters? Fish? Quad Fins or Five Fins?

Question

I recently looked online at the lost shark 5 fin. I'm sort of interested in the fact that you can switch the fins around from a thruster to a quad. Does this option really work or will the board mainly be useable only as one or the other. I'm also thinking about getting a fish or something smaller that I can play in the junk, but still handle something a couple feet over head. Any suggestions on board sizes and shape? I'm 5,9 and weight fluxes between 165 and 170. Intermediate level surfer. I've skate boardered and snowboarded as well my whole life. Been surfing for about 6 years. Before I moved to the west coast I had one summer where I got in the water about 4 times a week. Since then I try to get 2 weeks to a month at the beach and spend about 80% of the time surfing. My roommates have a longboard that I can borrow that they rarely use, so I'm not looking to get anything big right now. Starting my pacific quiver and very excited. Thanks everyone.

Answer 1

when i started building my (high performance board) quiver i looked for "condition specific" boards first. finding a good fish for junk is one thing, using that same fish on double overhead waves is another. for bigger waves you'll need a bigger fish--as your surfing level goes up, you'll see that bigger fishes really arent that fun in junk waves.

take my advice how you want, but (if you want a high performance quiver) a fish would be my 3rd or 4th board on the West Coast. i have 6 boards i REALLY use and only one is a fish.

Answer 2

Having a 5 fin board with removal fins will work with any fin setup you use. It  will provide you for many options. Check out maybe a 6'4 quad fish.

The Surfboard Man

http://www.thesurfboardman.com/

Answer 3

5 fin boards are popular with backyard shapers exactly for the reason you stated:  One board, multiple setups.  You actually see lots of those boards built with a finbox for the center fin, gives you even more options.