Hi Everyone, so I’ve been searching through all the forums for “stingers” and I haven’t really found the exact information I needed so I just decided to create a new post.
I’m 6 foot 1 and weight about 235lbs. I’ve been riding a Ben Aipa 10’2 board big boy stinger for the past 6-8 months almost 3-4 times a week. I’ve gotten decent on it, I can easily catch waves (I live in San Diego so not the biggest waves) since the board is so big and thick and pop-up quickly. I have little big of trouble always turning and zipping through the actual wave but I have a success rate of like 50% (half the time I catch the actual wave, the other half i just go straight).
I’ve been wanting a shorter board just because my current board is a pain to carry and I want something a bit more responsive.
So after searching through a lot of the posts in this board I found advice on not learning on a fish as it’s a more advance board. I know this board isn’t a fish but it does have those wings and a swallow tail and I’m wondering if this would not be a good first shortboard.
The reason I chose this one is because of the thickness since I’m a pretty big guy and I wanted something I can paddle easily and catch waves.
Do you guys think that the swallow tail stinger would not be a good first shortboard since it would be too squirrely?
If so, what other good shortboard are there for a big guy? Are the McCoy nugget’s dimensions a better choice? Or do you think the Big Boy Stinger would be fine since the wings aren’t as dramatic as I’ve seen other boards to be.
I say borrow or rent something smaller than what you’re used to. Going from a 10-2 to a 7-4 is a huge change. For example, I’m 6’2", 215 and have been surfing for…4 minus 7, carry the 3…uhhh…27 years. I normally ride a 10-0, 3-1/4 or a 9-0, 2-5/8. Making that change is very noticeable. A few weeks ago I rode my buddies 7-2 typical performance thruster and it was an eye opener. It was fun, but a whole other ballgame compared to longboards.
It helped that I grew up on shortboards. It’s a much easier transition from shortboard to longboard than it is the other way. Before you lay down several hundred bucks on a board like that, I suggest you beg, borrow or rent something smaller so you can get a feel for what smaller boards are like. There is a difference and you might want the get more of a transitional board.
If you really want to drop down to a shortboard shape, my recommendation would be the 8’4" stinger. Going down from a 10’2" to a 7’4" may be too drastic a change, especially if you have’nt had any experience riding shorter boards (I’m assuming that you have’nt). Another option would be the 9’2" longboard stinger, which will have less impact on paddling and catching waves, but will be easier to turn and manuver. You might also want to consider riding your present board a little more and see if it just needs a bit more getting used to. The 10’2" may seem like a lot of board to handle, but for your height/weight it is within the dimensions for someone of your size. I’ve seen Ben Aipa put that same model in places on a wave I did’nt think a 10 foot board could go. It seems Aipa tends to shape his models for bigger guys like himself, which is an advantage for you. Just remember, the shorter you go, the bigger the impact on wave catching/paddling will be.
Good answers!!! Moving down from a longboard to a shorter board will be a shock…although the 7 4 dims you suggest will be good for you - if you can get in a lot!
I’m still waiting for the “I’m 235 lb and I ride a 6 4 x 18” x 2" shortboard and I rip" BS answer…
You seem to getting a lot of time in the water. Good for you. No matter how much time you have in the water if you keep making the same mistakes over .and over again Now before you go to a new board, maybe a lesson or two would be in order. A Good coach could identify some areas you need to work on. When you are actually surfing the wave at least 80 % of the time or more you can start using different boards to see if something else would suit you better.
9 times out of 10 it's the Indian and not the arrow.
I had one of those for years - great shape. I actually copied all the dimentions at 3 " increments including rocker and made a really cool board “loosely” based on it. Once I made my version, I sold the Aipa…
I had it setup as the 2 +1 with a s 6" swoop fin set pretty far back in the fin box. It was my travel board because it worked in most conditions and the airlines wern’t able to damage it. Anyway, I am 5’10" and 215 and it floated me out of the water, paddled pretty well and surfed well. Did NOT duckdive worth a damn, but hey, that’s what turtling is for…
