1, How do I shut off the default Islands on the portal page?

2. How do I create Custom Islands To show up in the middle of the portal page?

Thank You

1. Cp>Portal Layout
Select Hide on the drop down next to the island you want to turn off

2. This will work in forums but not on the portal page
CP>Forum Settings
Select edit for the forum you wish. Select the custom inserts tab.
Use the Custom Island Insert field and select the Island.
You will need to build a custom Island first to be able to select one.

It will hide the island all together, I just want it off the portal page and on the forum page.

I will try the other thank you for the help

Yes that's the way it works.
I would like to see a new feature that would allow us to assign Islands specific to the portal page and or specific forums. Now that we have unlimited islands. Of course that will complicate the control panel even more.
You could try some custom header/footer inserts. You build a html table place the forum in the table and then add islands using the external option.