Hey guys this is my first post on the forum so go easy on me xD
I’ve been surfing for about 2 months on a 7’6" NSP funboard and can pop up very easily and properly (not the knee up way the proper pop up), I can bottom turn and atleast 60% of the time find my self a line across the wave. I can pop up on head high waves quite well on good days at my local beach break. I’ve bought my first board and it should be here in about a week and a bit it’s a Fish 6’8", 20.5, 2 5/8 . Just wondering is that to big for a fish even though its no help now but I would just like to know. The board is also made in XTR epoxy technology which i think means it should be smaller then normal so that makes me further skeptical.
You’re a beginning surfer. If you actually ordered a 6-8 version of the board you linked to that board will definitely float you and get you into waves. It’s not too big for where you’re at in your progression. It’s bigger than what some of your mates are surfing but all that means is that you’re going to be getting more waves than them and your progression will move that much more quickly than theirs’.
With that said, you will have to work a little harder to get those waves than you had to on the 7-6. Your paddling will have to be that much more efficient, your timing will have to improve, and your judgement and positioning will have to be that much better in order to maintain your wave count.
If you’re 16 and surfing on a regular basis then your skills and conditioning will probably surpass the limitations of that board in a few months. At that point you’ll probably want to move down to a smaller board. But for now it’s probably a pretty good choice for you. If you ordered the board custom then I think whomever steered you toward it is doing right by you. That’s probably a pretty good relationship to maintain.
One thing about the board - I’ve never met Marty but I have shaped several boards in the XTR foam and had them glassed in the XTR factory here in Oceanside so I know the characteristics of that construction quite well. Marty will probably give you some instructions on the handling and care of the board - you need to take those instructions very seriously. You cannot allow that board to get any hotter than it takes to melt the wax on your deck, otherwise the underlying foam is subject to degassing that will cause a delamination. And when I say delam, I mean it. Those delams are not limited to the deck; I’ve seen them occur on the bottom, on the rails and even at the tip of the nose. A delam on that type of foam won’t kill the board because the foam won’t take on a lot of water, but the fix probably will require a new lamination over the damaged area, which is a real nuisance. I never had a problem with delams on my personal boards because I always took care of my boards per Javier’s instructions, but most everyone I shaped for eventually had problems because they weren’t as diligent at keeping the boards out of the heat as I was. The teenagers in my life were especially casual about it - they apparently thought I was exaggerating.
It’s not a big deal and I’m not trying to scare you. I’m just trying to make sure you understand that although the foam looks pretty similar to conventional surfboard foam it is different and you do have to handle it a little bit differently. On the plus side I always liked the way they surf and they do maintain their “pop” a fair bit longer than most conventional construction.
So keep the board in a white or reflective bag, keep the bag out of the sun and don’t leave it in a hot car. That way the board will last you for a long time and get you into a lot of waves.
Thanks for that fantastic reply daddy. Also thinking about my next board probs like u said in about 3-6 months being a quad xtr version of the pod from al merrick. Iv heard great things about al merrick surfboards. They say 6-8 inches shorter of ur shortboard height so what would u say would be optimal length to get the best performance while keeping a good wave count. I was thinking of a 5’10" since it’s a very typical fish design whereas my 6’8" on order is more of a hybrid in terms of dimensions. Also been told a fish is a great board to have as a transition board to a true shortboard and also just general great fun board for smaller waves. So what do u think about that?
I think the Pod is probably the most versatile shape that Channel Islands makes. That type of board would probably not be a bad choice for a daily driver.
IMO, the McFly-type shape with a moderate rocker is also a very versatile board for novice and lower-intermediate skill surfers who are surfing softball waves. They’re relatively easy to paddle and they plane well. I’ve made a number of boards with similar templates and I find them very easy to surf. Lotsa fun over a wide range of conditions. In the right length the board will do a lot more than what most surfers in those skill levels will be able to pull off. Unless you’re surfing in fast barreling waves on a regular basis It’ll be a while before those widths start getting in your way. I know I can’t outsurf such a board - in the appropriate length - and I’ve been surfing for a long time. Personally, I like them with a rounded tail, but any of the other tail shapes work well too.
At your height/weight and coming down from a 6-8 version of that board you might be pushing it a little by going as short as 5-10. Add a couple inches and that should probably work for you. Getting that layout in a quad could be a really good thing for you, too. Between the Pod and the McFly-type shape I think the McFly would actually be the choice I would make for myself. Actually, I have made that choice in the past.
Now as for the wordplay, please allow me to add a comment before you get jumped on by the fish police. I live in the San Diego area which many purists consider to be the hometown of the fish. There are a lot of people, including a few on this forum, who will be quick to tell you that the term “fish” refers to a pretty specific layout that includes boards under 5-10 in length, usually with the wide point forward of center and a 5"-7" deep buttcrack and a tip-tip measurement of 11"-12" on the fish tail. Originally with twin keels, but variations with quad and twinzer fin setups are “allowed” under the fish moniker. We don’t refer to boards as fishes simply because they’re wider than 19" or have a nose rocker of less than 5". Not that any of this is a big deal, but I just want you to be aware of that up front so that if/when one of the purists start giving you a hard time about semantics you’ll know what they’re talking about.
