As a larger person I have to ride larger boards(fact). I’m 95kg. why do the average punter feel they have to ride mini mals, mals &8 footers ( big mini mals). when a bigger style shorty would suffice. The mcoy style caters for them, an average big guy try does much the same . Is the media /public to blame, alqueda, Beats me , I blame Howard [thats for the Aussies].
I’m with you john on this …I hassle these four guys , my age , who INSIST on riding mini mals , and mals , in winter , when they could easily be riding something smaller and more manouevrable . They don’t even weigh what you do .
…By the way , how tall are you ?
ben
"freedom of choice …is what you want …
freedom of choice …is what you got …
use your freedom of choice ,
freedom of choice …"
[devo]
5’10 or 178cm.
you’re exactly the same size as my mate Kim , who rides a 7’ x 20 x 2 1/2" thruster …and RIPS !! [He’s just turned 38 …if it’s not a rude question …how old are you , John ?]
cheers !
ben
- I ride 70x20 x2&3/4
“my mate’s fitter than YOU are …nyaaa nyaa nyaaa …”
[joking mate !]
ben
…mind you , as a courier , he DOES run everywhere all day, he coaches lacrosse 3 nights a week , and plays on the weekend …
For a 1/4 inch I’m happy. and my rugby days are over.
pandanus …
im 37 this year …
192 cm x 100 kg or 6’-4" x 220 lb …
my shorties range from 6’-4" to 6’-9"
i have 3 fun short boards im currently surfing …
6’-4" x 23 …
6’-6" x 22…
6’-9" x 20 1/2
big guy ,big board , but it doesnt need to be a big pig …
heres my shorties im currently surfing …
the thickest one is 2 1/2 , the thinest one is 1 7/8 …
just coz you are big , it doesnt mean you need a boat …
have the area suit your body weight for the speed of the waves you are surfing …
regards
BERT
this thread could get hotter than Epoxy vs. Poly.
So many longboarders just go without even thinking. Paddle back out and go again. Blow a set wave and take the next one. Get pissed when you drop in behind them, after they have taken off in front other surfers on previous waves. “Short Boarders” are no angels. However, longboard wave hogs get everyone in the lineup feeling tense.
Rider of a 6’2" fish and 6’6" thruster.
Any riders of extra length equipment care to jump in…
Bill of Rights and Lefts
- Pick the right spots for your ability and attitude.
- Don’t drop in on or snake your fellow surfer.
- When paddling out, stay out of the way of riders on waves.
- Learn to take turns.
- Respect the vibe in the line-up.
- Always aid another surfer in trouble.
- When traveling, respect the local surfers.
- Don’t use your surfing advantages to abuse your fellow surfers.
- Be responsible for your equipment and respectful of others’.
- Relax, have fun, and enjoy your surfing and that of your fellow surfer.
pandanus
Why longboards? Just cos I love em. Love the glide. Love walking the plank. Love big soul turns. Also, my local break doesn’t get much in the way of swell - west side of the mid-coast fleurieu peninsula, SA (Gulf st Vincent). Tiny surf a longboards just go togethor somehow 
But I also like fishes and eggs… Dunno why I never got “modern”, guess I’m just a retro kind of guy
surf4fins
Wave hogs bug us all. On a LB I take waves form further out than everyone else, but I take great care not to take more than my fair share of waves.
Just my 2c!
-doug
hi Bert !
how wide are the tails on those two boards on the left ? […they almost look kneeboard width ]
Maybe it’s the angle of the photo , or the lens you used , but they remind me of the early eighters super wide tailed early thrusters …
cheers mate !
ben
roughly 17 , 16 and 14 1/2 …
they do have an early eighties plan shape …
i was passed down some templates from greg laurenson …
i kept them but never used them until the last few years .
a customer was raving about a board he got in 1980 from greg , he decribed the board and asked if i could build something similar …
i went and fossicked through the templates and found the city beach flyer …
for these i kept my standard tail curve on the wide ones , but gregs templates blended real nice through the front half …
tail rockers are very 80s as well …
so its a blend of 80s tail rocker , 90s nose rocker , 80s plan shape and modern low rails and current volumes based on construction …
yea longboards are cool to …
we are all surfers …
just another board in the quiver …
regards
BERT
hi Bert !
one day I hope to see your shortboards here …
in the 20 years I’ve been in Scarborough , I have only ever seen your mals, and only at Ross’s shop . I figured you were an old guy who only made mals [that’s “longboards” , to you americalis!] …You DO make "pro tour " type / dimension thrusters , I take it ?
Now, if Slater and Curren will ride your shortboards [?modern “hi performance thrusters”?!] … then that may all be set to change , hopefully ?
I bumped into a bloke down the beach last week who had one of your mals . So I bailed him up, and we had a chat . He said he’d had it for 6 years , [snapped it in the middle once] , and said he was “very pleased with how it went” . [I think he said he surfs ‘Girries’ occassionally ?] …sorry, I cleverly forgot to ask his name ?!
the board had screw on fins …“the originals” , he said .
…ring any bells ?
cheers !
ben
p.s. - what sort of dimensions would you make for a really good surfer , a guy 5’9 and 190lbs [90kgs?] , who rides up to double overhead waves , Bert ?
a simaler thread popped up on another forum,
Most people who rode logs said after head high they jump on mini mals.
When its pumping and head high-a tad overhead I’m on shorter boards but when its really big and starting to be ‘wooo’ I ride a mal, (single fin, heavy glassed 9’1"). I love the extra pushing in power and long rail line.
its all fun! thanks for posting here bert, Being a fan of 80s boards i’m stoked to see those modern adaptions!
I’ve with yah. Longboards in bigger surf is soo much fun!
Also in bigger, but powerless surf you need something a little different from the regular thruster. Surfed a spot yesterday with some big sets but very mushy. Was going to take the longboard untill the leash snapped when paddling out so went and picked the fish instead. Great fun. My friend was on a longboard and loved it as well.
It’s all good!
regards,
Håvard
I’m with ya. But I ride 10’+ single fins most all the time, until its overhead + & lined up. Then I get out my shortboard - a 9’10" 2+1 Jim Phillips XTR !
Hey folks:
This thread is of interest to me because, as a much bigger surfer (6’7"x265lbs) I’m always on the look out for something that will work for me. Most “off the rack” big guy tri’s are made for guys who weigh 40 lbs less than I do (or 65 lbs if I’m in my full winter kit). Is there a way for me to increase volume without compromising performance? I’m a competent surfer of about 15 yrs. My primary ride is a 9’0" G&S Retro Redfin.
I am about to shape my first board. I have a Clark 8’7" R. I was thinking about a shape in the range of this: 8’Lx22.75Wx3T with a 14"nose and a 15" tail. Any thoughts on these dims?
Cheers.
9 x 13.5 x 21.5 x 14 x 3
This is a big guy tri, for a big guy.
thanks…
while i really like resinhead’s board pic i think that shape is a bit elongated if you want to rail surf tight in the pocket in average waves…if it were me, for better pocket performance, i would shorten it by a foot and widen it by an inch…you can easily get a view of if by importing the photo into just about any software (ms word as one example) and adjust the length a width accordingly…you can get a good initial view of the planshape with very little effort…