There’s a thread on here called you are what you are or something to that effect and it got me thinking today about where I am in my surfing or lack there of. So here is where I’m coming from, I’m been trying to go shorter with my boards the last 1.5 yrs and haven’t improved one bit. I thought I was doing well with a 8’6 quad that I caught a lot of waves with got to my feet most of the time and was able to go down the line a bit. Now I have couple different boards 8ft and under that are just not going the way I thought they would. So I feel I have wasted the last 1.5 years trying to go shorter because that’s what the goal is right? Well maybe not it’s to have fun and it hasn’t been fun most of the time. I know a lot of you have been surfing for a lot longer than me but are you happy where you are at? Some have gone from longboards to shortboards and back again. Others have just longboarded or shortboarded or ride everthing. I really think I need to go back to what I had in the beginning which is that 8’6 quad that made it fun for me. I lurked on here for awhile before I joined and I see all these boards that I mind surf and some that I had made that were way above my skill level. What is my skill level right now I’m not sure but I think I should go back in time so to speak. So here are two questions, are you happy where surfing is no matter how long you have been doing it, and do you think a 8’6x23"x3.5 to 3.75 would be good for me? My dimensions are 5’8 and 260. Thanks for your help.
Sorry to be straight forwad and I don’t mean to be rude but 5’8" and 260 is the problem and not the length of your board. I am 5’8" surfed most of my life accept short hiatus (8years) where I packed 80 extra pounds which I worked hard for a year to get rid of and go down to 160. I feel great surf great for my age (41) and I am riding boards of all shapes and sizes w/ my smallest being 5’6" and biggest 9’ nose rider. Take care of your self and surfing will take care of you.
Paul if you just want to have fun stay with your dimentions and enjoy yourself. Don’t worry about what others may think. Just have some fun. To be hard on yourself is not the ideal of having fun. Surf for yourself not others. Forget the EGO Maniacs. There are so many in surfing. Who cares. Have fun. Focus on Core Training and Modify your Diet if you want to go to the next level. However if you don’t want to work on you physcial conditioning that’s OK too. Have your 8’6 x 23" x 3.75" made and enjoy you life without conforming to the status quo!
There's a thread on here called you are what you are or something to that effect and it got me thinking today about where I am in my surfing or lack there of. So here is where I'm coming from, I'm been trying to go shorter with my boards the last 1.5 yrs and haven't improved one bit. I thought I was doing well with a 8'6 quad that I caught a lot of waves with got to my feet most of the time and was able to go down the line a bit. Now I have couple different boards 8ft and under that are just not going the way I thought they would. So I feel I have wasted the last 1.5 years trying to go shorter because that's what the goal is right? Well maybe not it's to have fun and it hasn't been fun most of the time. I know a lot of you have been surfing for a lot longer than me but are you happy where you are at? Some have gone from longboards to shortboards and back again. Others have just longboarded or shortboarded or ride everthing. I really think I need to go back to what I had in the beginning which is that 8'6 quad that made it fun for me. I lurked on here for awhile before I joined and I see all these boards that I mind surf and some that I had made that were way above my skill level. What is my skill level right now I'm not sure but I think I should go back in time so to speak. So here are two questions, are you happy where surfing is no matter how long you have been doing it, and do you think a 8'6x23"x3.5 to 3.75 would be good for me? My dimensions are 5'8 and 260. Thanks for your help.
Paul
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Paul if you just want to have fun stay with your dimentions and enjoy yourself. Don't worry about what others may think. Just have some fun. To be hard on yourself is not the ideal of having fun. Surf for yourself not others. Forget the EGO Maniacs. There are so many in surfing. Who cares. Have fun. Focus on Core Training and Modify your Diet if you want to go to the next level. However if you don't want to work on you physcial conditioning that's OK too. Have your 8'6 x 23" x 3.75" made and enjoy you life without conforming to the status quo!
I found my surfing became most comfortable when i got onto a board that was 23inches wide and 3inch thick, i dont have to worry about the board and it became more about the wave and then moved onto how i could improve on that wave. my board is 6.0 so if your going an 8ft plus board thats 23 wide i think that’d be perfect for going back to just having fun, which is what its really all about.
I just turned 42 and am in my 30th year of surfing. I am not happy at all with where my surfing is. I am surfing as good as 20 years ago thanks to advances in the sport and equipment but the big problem is paddling. 30 years of wear and tear from surfing and my neck, back and now my right shoulder are all having problems. Will likely need rotator cuff surgery sometime soon. Getting out, duck-diving and paddling back out are all a problem. Surfing is a cake walk though.
The Storms are brewing in the atlantic and i am about to be happy when they arrive to jersey. as for my skill i am always looking to improve; as with everything i do.
I’m 62 and just glad I can still surf at all anymore.
Have neither the reflexes nor the athleticism I once did, but am otherwise in pretty decent shape and still having as much fun as ever. Still ride overhead waves when I get the chance.
Surfing is the one thread of continuity which has run through my entire life’s history. Feel like a kid again whenever I go in the water: it’s what keeps my batteries charged and keeps me from getting depressed about being on the (hopefully) long downslope toward the big dirt nap.
My two modes of existance are pretty much “surfing” and “waiting to surf some more” (though there are other things that I like to do “while I’m waiting”). Not exactly a philosophy that’s likely to bring fame and fortune. None the less, I’m content.
Nope, not happy about my surfing at all. Too inconsistent. I think consistency is of most importance if you want to perform (relativly) well.
I keep popping up all wrong, my foot placement is awfull, mostly too wide and too far forward with the back foot. Once in a while I'll hit the sweet spot, then it comes together.
Other annoying thing is forgeting to use my back foot once up and running.
Been cursed with inconsistancy all my 26 years...when used to play basketball in school, some days could sink 3's ALL day...other days i wished I'd never picked up that f**cking ball (would have avoided a few broken fingers if nothing else).
I would love to have a chat with a sport psychologist.
Stick with what works for you, don’t worry about anybody else. If you want to challenge yourself a little more, you can still go to a shorter board and have the same float.
Holy crap Mako, this is exacly whats going on with me, same age and state too, ha!. My right shoulder, neck and back a so effed up, going to the doc/chiro on Wed.
pls take this as offered with the best of intentions - your personal height to weight ratio is a hell of a lot more important then your board length to width/thickness ratio.
If you worked on losing some significant weight, you’ll be investing in a longer and healthier life. And your surfing would improve, and you’ll be able to ride a greater range of surfboards…
I look at the folks I’ve been surfing for decades with, and the ones who kept their weight down, probably within 10# of their early 20’s, are for the most part still charging…the ones who packed on 30# - 50# over the years…not so much.
I agree with the losing weight part. I had lost about 30lb last year but gained about half of that back. I need to get back to what I was doing before going out atleast five days a week eating better but I need to add working out to supplement the surfing. Thanks for the words of encourgement. I do have a design question though. What board should I get that would fit the style of surfing I would like to do. I want to go down the line with speed and move up and down the face of the wave and have it work in waves up to about chest high? Something very simple with no crazy bottom contours and user friendly. Thanks again
i am a garage hack, and have little experience, but If I were to make you a board, it would be 8’4 to 8’6, x 23 x 3.125 egg, fairly deep single to double, with 5 fin boxes. (thruster or quad) 60/40 rails, tapering to hard in the last 2 feet. I would carve a little concave in the deck for padling comfort… I have a gut too
By your comment about “getting to your feet most of the time and going down the line a bit”, I think you are still learning to surf. If I were your surf coach, I would put you on a 10’6" single fin for 6 months. I think you would be surprised about how much progress you would make. There will be plenty of time to “go shorter” in the future.
