Checked threads can someone clarify?

General Discussion
1

Thanks for taking a look.

I am getting more confused the more I research.

I am new to surfing with many many years of skating and snowboarding. I have been riding funboards for just a short while, from the first day I could paddle pretty decent, sit on it, stand up and caught a few waves. This style is not what I want. I would like to have a more skatey feeling. For this reason I have been leaning towards a Fish style shape with quads. I live in South Carolina. (small waves and/or mushy)

I am 5’10" 160lbs in good shape.

Reading forums, talking to local shops and a shaper with mixed results.

Remember when responding…location…my size…and experience level.

I was told by two different shops that a board in that style somewhere between a 6’6"-6’8", 20 or so wide and min 2.5 thick leaning more towards 3.0. The reason where that it will feel more skatey, have good balance and plenty of volume to make it easier to paddle. Example…Kane Garden 6’6" quad

The shaper said that those sizes are way too big. It will ride like a tank. Said I should be looking for something in the 5’10" range max 6’0", 20 wide and 2.5 to 2 3/4 thick.

Very confused do not want to waste money on first purchase.(have use of funboard no need to buy one)

Have been told to rent…problem no quad fish rental around here…or anything close to one!!!

For reference love the look of Mandala’s Quad, Larry Mabile quad…you get the idea…must be the double wing.

Should I go right in the middle of those length’s something like a 6’2"-6’4" with same width and thickness.

Hope ya’ll out there can help.

Oh yeah this is the best Forum I have read…99% of people on here have such vast knowledge…tis why I joined…sorry about the long post.

2

hmmmm!!!???

sales man at retail outlet

Vs

experienced shaper

I pick …Experienced shaper

salesmen suck!

3

Shaper or local shop…I understand what you are saying.

Would the in between size be OK…kinda skatey with some float and ease of paddling???

Any response with more detail would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

4

.“must be the double wing”

Of all the things you have to consider the last thing I would worry about is " double wings" as a must have.

I did a thread called “What should I be riding” a while back and got so many different responses that I took an average and made a board. While I liked the board IT IS TOO SMALL{ don’t mean short just “small” }FOR WHAT I LIKE. You did not say what size you have been riding? Take what you have as a starting point, borrow some boards, see if the shop or the shaper has some demos to try. If I have someone TRULY interested in a board I will let them use one of my personals if that is what it takes to get em on the right board FOR THEM. Just don’t jump from one extreme to the other. Most important is to get the “size” right first than worry about fins etc. You can always add “plugs” for different fin set ups on one board. That way you do not have to buy a new board just to try a different set up.

5

I have been riding funboards 7’10 and 7’6. The double wing is not important just said I liked it. Trying more boards would be great. I don’t want to ask shaper to try boards unless I know I am going to buy one of his. This why I am trying to find out what size would be good.

I am trying to figure out if I should buy a used board in good shape or a shaped board? Cost would be around the same if the used board was a known shapers name not big company.

Example:

Used Larry Mabile, great condition with solid color sanded gloss finish 6’4" x 20 x 2 3/4 …$450 and surf right away

or

New locally shaped board, no color sanded gloss finish starting at…$350+ and wait 6 to 8 weeks.

I have no interest in buying crappy board for less money.

6

Lets see…You can get a NEW board shaped for you by a “qualified”, i hope , local shaper that you can develop a relationship with that may last a long time and help further you surfing abilities for $100 less than a used board…?

7

What should you be riding? A few things to think about.

Wings - Adding a wing or bump reduces the rail length. A six foot board with a wing at 12" from the tail will have the rail length of a five foot board, with the float of a six footer. This is most imortant on your bottom turn. as you carve over your board and fins start releasing, it is the rail that is holding your line. A five foot rail will have the tighter turning radius than a six foot rail. The down side of the wing is when you are on a steep face (in the tube) it is really the rail that keeps you from side slipping to the bottom.

Width - A wider tail will float better than a thin one. That is what most people mean when they talk about a skatey feeling; a board that rides fairly level, with more tail lift. This is great if you are riding a mushy wave, and your biggest concern is keeping up speed through slow sections. This skatey feeling is bad if you are pulling into a tube, where the wave face is steep. That extra tail lift will not let you fully engage the board into the wave face, and you will slip to the bottom. Also a wider tail is more likely to nose dive. If you take off late, and are free falling to the bottom, that wide tail will flip ypu forward right onto your face!

Rocker - More nose rocker will keep you out of trouble on a steeper wave, but will paddle and ride slower.

Fins - Quads tend to trap the water pressure between the pairs. The trailing fin of a tri has no partner to work with, so the water can escape. The Quad will have more tail lift than a similar board with equal tail width. The Quad will also release the water out the back, giving more forward speed. The down-side of the quad is that it is harder to late take-off because of the nose-dive effect. The quad is also harder to turn vertical in the pocket, because you can’t stomp down on the tail and have the nose shoot up to the sky.

Glassing - Since this is a beginner board, weight shouldn’t be an issue. Make it last longer, and use 6 oz. S cloth. It will cost about $50.00 more for the board, but will last twice as long as 4 oz cloth. At $500.00 fo a board, $50.00 to make it last longer is a bargain

A beginner would want something stable that will be fun on a mellow wave, and not take too much effort to turn. It seems like a lifetime ago, but I used to have a blast on mushy waves on the old school Mark Richards style twin fin. For length, try about six inches longer than you are tall. For width, around 19 3/4 inches would work for your weight. For rocker, 4 1/2 inches nose, 2 1/2" tail.

After you get used to riding it, or you ding it to death (beginners are so hard on their boards!) then start moving into something a little more high performance.

8

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080111174008AA0P0BR

Since its your money, I advise in between.