I’m 60 years old in really good crossfit shape. Last gun I owned was a patagonia Tom Curren 7’2" that I used in hurricane surf. Maybe 3/4 times a year. Board always felt too big for me and the beachbreaks I surf. Just found a used epoxy 6’10" Island Style semi gun at a good price. 18 1/2 X 2 1/4. I do crossfit and live 1 block from a break. My go to is a Mark Richards 6’2" single fin (also a bit big) and doesn’t pump on shit surf. Although it flies on well formed hollow surf.My other board is a McCoy 7’2", way too big but how often can you find a McCoy? Anyway was going to look for a thruster I can pump in slop but this gun came up. What do you say? Get the gun or wait for a 6’ wide thruster?
How much do you weigh? Those dims sound good for a 145 - 160 lbs surfer semi gun. Here in Puerto Rico a 6’10" would get used a lot in the winter time. A 6’8" - 7’0" is also called a Hawaiian shortboard, great for overhead to double overhead, good to have in any serious quiver. You are just a short flight away from PR, if you buy it get a plane ticket and come by from November to February… Also, you can get something bigger for Wilderness and Tres Palmas.
I suck in big waves. I use a gun to kill varmits. ( I puss out in big surf).......Ha, Ha....
...Heck, I don't even own a gun.....
Most people I talk to tell me that a surfboard "gun" starts at about 9 feet...
So....maybe the first thing is to define "Gun". OK.. a sleeker longer faster better paddling board?
.............One shaped by Keith Melville or ResinHead would be best..........
Like this...
http://www.quivermag.com/node/2085
Years back I had a 7’6 Brewer designed for Sunset Beach I had bought for big days here in New Jersey. Problem was the waves here just don’t get big enough to require such a board all that often. Even when the waves do get big you can probably get away with a regular board. I ended up trading the board after a poor season where it didn’t get ridden once. In all that board had only touched water 3 times in about 4 years. I wish I had held onto it as it was one of the prettiest boards I’ve ever seen.
I suppose if you were going to surf the points up in Rhode Island on a massive day a gun would be in order but beyond that, I don’t see the need.
Sounds to me like the original poster just needs a board with more foam in it. I’ve gone to thicker boards while keeping the same length I’ve ridden for 25 years and I am having so much more fun now, especially when its big.
i have never ridden a gun in new jersey. ever! step up yes but not a real gun.
[img_assist|nid=1055284|title=East Coast Gun|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=480|height=640]I like to do what I call an “East Coast Gun”… a cross between a stepup and a gun. It’s a bit more board than I need even on the biggest days, but the added length and stretched out rocker makes it more comfortable to paddle in the gnarly wind and current we tend to get when the surf reaches maximum size and power here in NJ. This on’e 7’0.[img_assist|nid=1055381|title=UV poly swirl|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=480|height=640]
If anything a board built for small Pipeline or Puerto Escondido might be helpful on the biggest days in places like Bayhead that feature dredging beachbreak tubes. Problem is that those days usually happen when the water is in the 30s or 40s so you would need a board that would accomodate surfing in a 5mm.
Bayhead at this size with water in the 30s is about as heavy as it gets here.
Jamie Moran
Sam Hammer
