I’ve had two emails in as many weeks asking for similar information about mid-legnth surfboards. The gist of them is both people have been discouraged from buying mid-legnths by experienced shop owners (who had the boards in their shops). Both times the customers were strongly told that they would be better off (given surfing experience measured in double decades) with either full on longboards or 6’6" to about 7’ boards. Reasoning I guess being that something in the 7’10" to 8’6" range is too long for shortboard performance and too short for longboard benefits. Neither person was over 6 feet or consider themselves out of shape. One mid-length was a thruster, the other a single fin. It isn’t a matter of peer pressure or shop harassment in either case - shop owners or managers could have had easy sales. We can’t beat the combined wisdom here. Opinions? Nels
I recently had herb shape a board for me and kinda gave him free rein on what he made–He made me an 8’6" guess ya could call it a mid-length long board but it catches waves so easy and is fast and responcive, turns easy any gives me another way to ride waves . I’m 58 and weigh 225 bout 6’2" and have been riding and having alot of fun on my regular board which is a 10’ modern longboard, but now with the new board is making me favor it and leave the other collecting dust.
…I’m into my third decade of this surfing thing, and I’ve progressed to where my most reliable board is a 7’10" x 22.75" (Archives #111)…I’m very comfortable with it on waves knee high to 2xOH…The buoyancy factor is so overlooked when it comes to board design, in my opinion…It’s kind of fun when the waves get big to watch most of the shortboard riders sit on the shoulder like the cliched “deer in the headlights” because they can’t paddle fast enough to get into the waves… …I’ll ride other boards when I want to play around, but I’m grabbing “ol’ faithful” when it’s time to get serious…but,I’ll give my 12’er a shot at some big ones when the time is right… Paul http://65.188.212.181/swaylocks/boards/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&Validated=Yes&Category=7%27%20-%207%27%2011%22&view_records=1&nh=16&mh=1
I’ve had two emails in as many weeks asking for similar information about > mid-legnth surfboards. The gist of them is both people have been > discouraged from buying mid-legnths by experienced shop owners (who had > the boards in their shops). Both times the customers were strongly told > that they would be better off (given surfing experience measured in double > decades) with either full on longboards or 6’6" to about 7’ boards. > Reasoning I guess being that something in the 7’10" to 8’6" > range is too long for shortboard performance and too short for longboard > benefits. Neither person was over 6 feet or consider themselves out of > shape. One mid-length was a thruster, the other a single fin. It isn’t a > matter of peer pressure or shop harassment in either case - shop owners or > managers could have had easy sales.>>> We can’t beat the combined wisdom here. Opinions?>>> Nels I think it all depends on the break you surf and the size of the waves you expect. My favorite (Calif. reef break) boards for anything but dinky surf are a 7’ 10" and an 8’0". Unless it’s small enough to really need a longboard…or way more than double overhead, where an 8’ 6" to 9’ 6" gun comes in handy. In the islands, less board length is OK as the waves have more power. Also true for the better beach breaks if the waves pitch fast… I think it’s the opposite of the reasoning you describe - midlength boards paddle nearly as well as longboards but turn MUCH better. They really feel like shortboards in terms of maneuverability.
I think it’s the opposite of the reasoning you describe - midlength boards > paddle nearly as well as longboards but turn MUCH better. They really feel > like shortboards in terms of maneuverability. This is my current take on the thing also - my personal board is a 7’10". But I heard (backchannel) this morning from a Swaylockian who says there is an Australian longboard magazine out with a mid-length disclaimer: calling them pretty much the way these shop owners were. Granted they won’t turn as sharp as a smaller board or float as well as a real longboard, but they seem like a valid if perhaps unrefined board size zone. Beyond the Hawaiian/reef power zones and also surfers who are investigating or enjoying certain specific designs, doesn’t this size range seem to make the most sense for long-haul surfers (not rank beginners)? Are the disclaimers just fashionable hot air burps?
As an older surfer I ride either a big fish ( 6’9" long for a fish but I loved the numbers!} or a 7’10’ single fin egg. I think to many surfers of average ability make the mistake of trying to ride what the pro’s are riding are end up with a board that does not work for them.
ride whatever is fun. no need to chop hop just to look trendy.
ride whatever is fun. no need to chop hop just to look trendy. Most of the boards I have been making lately, are these mid length boards. This is for the guy who wants the float of a long board and the performance of a short board, 7’10" to 8’6". Short longboards and mostly funboards,not just for old guys who want alittle more performance than their traditional longboard,but young guys who love the way they ride…I have put alot of beginners on this type of board so when they get better they can go either way. Surfing style to a longboard or stick with this style or drop to a shorter board, this gives them the best of all worlds in my book. but that is just my opinion… Mark
Hi there. I think the real crux of things here is that the best of both worlds are not incorporated into the mid-length boards produced today. Here’s what I’m trying out… I’m just about finished glassing a board that is kind of at the heart of this discussion. Now keep in mind that I’m 5’10", 190lbs, and because I surf the Great Lakes, tend to ride not-so-steep wind swell. This new board is basically a 24" wide, 3" thick, longboard shape that has been pulled back to 7’6". By pulling the shape back a foot and a half from the original 9’0", the tail and nose widen, which is what I was aiming for. By keeping the right amount of rocker and foil, along with this new outline, my hope is that I can move the board around like my shortboards, but still have the floatation and noseriding abilities that I love about my longboards. I thought this was all just my theory on things, but I’ve recently seen just this design being put forth by Pure Fun Surfboards(seen in board section of Longboard magazine a few issues back) and a Kevin Connolly(I think) shape called the “Magic Carpet”(also in a recent back issue of Longboard). Both of these boards look pretty much like what I’m doing, so I guess I was on the right track. Maybe it all comes down to some refining of the mid-length/hybrid shapes that are being made. Let me know what you guys think. Dee
P.S. I’ve got fairly broad shoulders, so I can still paddle such a wide board…this may be a problem for those with narrower shoulders. Just an afterthought!
exactly~~~~~~~~~~~
sounds like the perfect board for your location. good luck with it.
Nels and company: I’ve got to admit that I’m guilty of ignoring something of mid-length for a long time. To blame is a bad experience I had with a 7’8" that was too thin, over-rockered and just too stiff. In all fairness to the shaper the fins were glassed in and I never moved them. I just got a bad taste in my mouth after that fun shape some 10+ years ago and gave up trying to ride them. I eased down from a 9’0" to an 8’6" for a while and once I got the fins dialed in, that was O.K. At 5’8" and 155 lbs. I don’t have any problem stepping down to a 5’10"- 6’0" Fish from a longboard. That mid-length thing just never clicked for me…until I made this last 7’4" single fin. I just can’t leave this thing behind, if I’m going surfing it’s going out for at least one session. It’s got less rocker, more foam and a full outline as compared to the average fun shape on the rack. Can’t put my finger on it yet, but these mid-length shapes have a place in my quiver. I could easily see how they could be used as a bridge to help in transitions from long to short or short to long. By the same token, lately it’s all I’ve been riding and it could be a decent all arounder given the right shape for your daily conditions. Tom S.>>> I’ve had two emails in as many weeks asking for similar information about > mid-legnth surfboards. The gist of them is both people have been > discouraged from buying mid-legnths by experienced shop owners (who had > the boards in their shops). Both times the customers were strongly told > that they would be better off (given surfing experience measured in double > decades) with either full on longboards or 6’6" to about 7’ boards. > Reasoning I guess being that something in the 7’10" to 8’6" > range is too long for shortboard performance and too short for longboard > benefits. Neither person was over 6 feet or consider themselves out of > shape. One mid-length was a thruster, the other a single fin. It isn’t a > matter of peer pressure or shop harassment in either case - shop owners or > managers could have had easy sales.>>> We can’t beat the combined wisdom here. Opinions?>>> Nels
not everyone///////////////////
Blame it on me…I’m guilty! Whenever I hit a word I’m not sure about I seem to try to spell it many different ways, and unfortunately I put the wrong way on my topic header (didn’t proofread - I’m a lazy sack of garbage). Who would’a thought so many surfers CAN spell… 
I’ve had two emails in as many weeks asking for similar information about > mid-legnth surfboards. The gist of them is both people have been > discouraged from buying mid-legnths by experienced shop owners (who had > the boards in their shops). Both times the customers were strongly told > that they would be better off (given surfing experience measured in double > decades) with either full on longboards or 6’6" to about 7’ boards. > Reasoning I guess being that something in the 7’10" to 8’6" > range is too long for shortboard performance and too short for longboard > benefits. Neither person was over 6 feet or consider themselves out of > shape. One mid-length was a thruster, the other a single fin. It isn’t a > matter of peer pressure or shop harassment in either case - shop owners or > managers could have had easy sales.>>> We can’t beat the combined wisdom here. Opinions? my best, all-around-if I could only have one-board? a7’8" single fin v-bottom. > Nels
what about tail shape for that matt???
By keeping the right amount of > rocker and foil, along with this new outline, my hope is that I can move > the board around like my shortboards, but still have the floatation and > noseriding abilities that I love about my longboards.>>> I thought this was all just my theory on things, but I’ve recently seen > just this design being put forth by Pure Fun Surfboards(seen in board > section of Longboard magazine a few issues back) and a Kevin Connolly(I > think) shape called the “Magic Carpet”(also in a recent back > issue of Longboard). Both of these boards look pretty much like what I’m > doing, so I guess I was on the right track. Isn’t this quite close to the Cooperfish Comet too? Looked like it could noseride too from the pictures on the website. regards, Håvard