Have learned a lot from Swaylocks and would like to make my first post.
I started surfing this fall in NH on a 7’6" funshape – I’m 165 lbs and experienced snowboarder/carveboarder. It’s been a blast I’m at the stage where popping up and trimming is a big accomplishment.
Now that I’m used to the kind of waves around here, it seems like a longboard is really the way to go. I’ll catch more waves than the funboard; and neither can duck dive easily anyway – so will be equally difficult in big shorebreak. Plus, at 40, I don’t see myself going in the shortboard direction.
Question for you experienced surfers: What are the pros and cons of longboard vs funboard? What qualities should I look for in an east-coast longboard if I go this route?
Maybe I should just stop thinking so much and surf more!
If popping up and trimming are what you are into, that's exactly what a longboard is about. But, the difference between a 7'6" Fun board and a 9' plus long board is the effort involved in turning the longer board. If you're at all iffy on controlling your fun board around other people, you probably should not get a long board yet. Get more comfortable at controlled manuevering first. Then give yourself lots of room when you make the initial transition to a long board.
Thanks. My funboard has a fair amount of rocker throughout and I think that makes it a little harder to catch waves than I had thought. But probably my main hurdle now is lack of experience, so I should just keep at it. During the winter it’s not so crowded!
Funshapes do everything ok but nothing super well. At your size & age, you’d do well to go out & demo 2 boards. Find a 9’6" 2+1 longboard with a smaller square tail and also a 7’0-7’2" squashtail thruster with a thick domed deck and the widepoint a few inches behind center.
The longboard won’t be any harder to get out through the breaking waves than your funboard. It should actually duckdive just as well, or you can turtle, or even just slide off the side and wrap your arm around the nose to pull it under without letting go. And then it gets up to paddling speed so much faster than a funshape that whatever ground you lose to breaking waves, you more than make up for in between - a longboard will cover in 6 strokes what a funshape takes 10 or more to cross.
But you also might find you like the bigger ‘shortboard’. You swim it more than paddle it, you can take your drops from more different parts of the wave, and you might like the ‘power steering’ of not having to fight blocky rails and all that length.
Both of those boards should be common enough that you can find one to beg, borrow, or steal. Don’t write off the shorts until you’ve tried one. (And this comes from a guy who longboards 95% of the time ). Have fun!
Here’s a simple approach…do you prefer riding near the front or at the back? 9ft LongBs allow for noseriding and take longer to turn off the back. Three fin long funBs dont feel right to me.
There are so many designs to choose from…Im 40, when I make the jump to longer boards it will be a scaled down, superlight 8ft longB with a 2+1 fin setup. I can ride it with all the fins or as a single.
Basically get a board that matches best with the most common conditions and your current/future ability. Some waves are better for longBs and some for shorties. Like Benny said try some different boards but realize that it takes some time to get used to a new board.
i think trying several boards is you best bet. like everyone else has said theres a lot of suddle differences between any board that you might try. I really dont like the 2 +1 set up on longboards. many do though, you really have to ask your self a lot of questions. do i want to ride my longboard or do i want to surf it.
also you might want to sonsider trying something in the mini log egg retro shape. you could get something in that 7’6 range but have a lot less rocker. It sounds like the board you have now is a real long short board.
go to the shops around you they will have the best answers for you. as i have no clue about the waves up there
). Have fun!