Hello fellow swaylockers. I’m 39 now and have been surfing my whole life. I’m finding that surfing in Oregon is becoming a paddlefest with a small amount of wave catching due to the currents.I’m looking into getting a longboard just for the paddle factor but I still want to drop in on some bombs and actually make them. I don’t really care about vertical surfing anymore but I do enjoy a nice cutback or rollercoaster. I’m looking at the Mctavish carver or CI waterhog. I’m thinking around an 8’ but I don’t know, I’ve always surfed shortboards. I made the mistake of getting a short fish but ,I’m still spending way too much time paddleing against the current while other guys are catching the sets.
Hey “ekim” - Classics; Waves/spots, your size/fitness??? I too surf in, as some one from So.Cal. put it, O-Ray-Gun. Factors such as “line up,” tide etc. Oregon is often fickle at best…
I just finished an 8’x20"x3"x11.5"tailx13.5"nose - paddles great, catches waves well, but, even with swimming and surfing a lot… I still don’t always win the battle of the “river running through it.”
Well honestly the bigger the better unless it gets really scary. I can surf up to solid 10 foot. I’m in horrable shape . My skill level is still there but my arms aren’t. I have a 7’ gun that would have worked alot better than my 6’ fish the other day. I was out at Pacific city on Sunday and the Lefts were about 6-8 foot solid but the current was so bad. What about that green tank that Joel Tudor rode at pipe. I’m olny thinking about paddle power , making the drop, and catching lots of waves.
I live in Humboldt, CA. So our conditions should be similar. I’m 37, 6’0 and 190 lbs. First off, there is no substitute for time in the water. Just keep at it and you strength and endurance will come. That said, I’m more of a long boarder. My shortest board is a 7’10 Taylor “fun gun” and I hate paddling it. I typically ride a 9’0 Harbour Wingpin (17-22-13.5) in larger winter surf. I have longer boards but they don’t fare too well in the big stuff. Summer will come and the currents will mellow at which point you’ll probably be loving that fish. Or another long board ; )
I live in Humboldt, CA. So our conditions should be similar. I’m 37, 6’0 and 190 lbs. First off, there is no substitute for time in the water. Just keep at it and you strength and endurance will come. That said, I’m more of a long boarder. My shortest board is a 7’10 Taylor “fun gun” and I hate paddling it. I typically ride a 9’0 Harbour Wingpin (17-22-13.5) in larger winter surf. I have longer boards but they don’t fare too well in the big stuff. Summer will come and the currents will mellow at which point you’ll probably be loving that fish. Or another long board ; )
Thanks . I agree , I hate paddling too and need something big.Where do you surf in Humbolt? I was thinking of comming down there to surf Patrics Pt. Hows it been breaking this winter.
How’s N.J. doin’ these days? Still crowded as ever with the HSU students? Do you know Matt Snowden? I think he still lives there. I know he charges some pretty big stuff.
Are you High? There’s no surf at the N. Jetty. Matter of fact, there’s no surf in Humboldt county at all. Never has been and never will be. Has to do with the uhhh… proximity of the continental shelf to the uhhh… longshore current and the deforestation causing sedimentation and… stuff. Its complicated. We do have hordes of students, big ass sharks and cold muddy water. But I’m sure you haven’t forgotten those. I know Matt by name only. He dose charge, though obviously not here. Take it easy. Eric
Oh, did I mention the Sunshine? We don’t have any of that either.
“Spud, you left Boont?” I’m not following ya. Boont?
20K cfs. Damn, thats really serious flow. “Life-changing. :)” Ya, like a little too close to the end of it. Your a stud (or you just float reeeeeeally well)! Ikes. Thats cool. My youngest is Ike (Isaac). Later. Eric
from my experiance, mid range boards are’nt good paddlers.
from one hand, they dont paddle as fast as 9’ footers and longer, and from the other hand
u cannot duck dive with them and pass the waves.
for these two reasons I wouldn’d choose a mid-range surfboard for paddling against currents or waves.
although you can’t duck dive with big longboards, they paddle so fast you just need to wait till there are a few calm sec’s with not waves and “ZBANG” you’re out there on the lineup.
We do have hordes of students, big ass sharks and cold muddy water. But I’m sure you haven’t forgotten those. I know Matt by name only. He dose charge, though obviously not here. Take it easy. Eric