Next board based on your "style" or challange your abilities?

General Discussion
1

Ever since I have started surfing again (I went to college out of state) I gave up on riding the 5’7" boards I did when I was a kid. My attitude was that it you weren’t catching waves you weren’t having fun. I started surfing again with some buddies that were longboarders. I had a “fun board” that didn’t get used, and tried this at the typical longboard spots, but quickly learned that it wasn’t all that “fun” on a 7’6" X 2 1/2" board where everyone that you are surfing with/against have a minimum of 9’ and some as long as 12’. I gave up on that and got a 9’ and had fun for a while. Since then I have been getting smaller and surfing different spots. I have mostly been surfing fish, since my style, skill and age, I am not really a vertical surfer anymore. Fish really seemed to suit my style, then I started hitting the lips with the fish and having fun, and wondering “what if”. I then got a 6’10" big guy tri and was having a lot of fun with it (had it for about 3-4 months). I got a quad fish 6’ 2 weeks ago and have NO problem getting up on it (paddling out seems to take a little more toll on me though).

I am having a 6’4" GH quad fish glassed right now that i can’t wait gets done and will probably be one of my most used boards. But since riding my 6’ quad fish, I started wondering what a shorter thruster would feel like for me. My buddy has a huge quiver and on Sat I took his 6’4" X 19 X 2 3/8" (feels thinner) out. The waves at trestles were not big (biggest were about shoulder high), but very good shape. The first 1/2 dozen waves or so, I was a little shaky when getting up, or I would pop right up and the wave would pass me right by (felt really stupid). I thought to myself “I will NEVER ride a thruster this short” again.

As the session went on, I started getting up and having more fun. Then 1.5 hours into it I had my best off the lip I have probably had since I was 18 (almost 20 years ago). I was having so much fun on this little board. Of course now I want one that size, but it got me thinking or wondering if I were to just stay on a longboard or a fish, would I progress as well and be as good of a well rounded surfer?

I am not saying I will run out and sell on my fish (2 with one on the way) or my 9’, but I have 2 thrusters (6’10" and 6’7") and I NOW will probably pick up a 6’4" and call it good and my quiver complete.

I guess all boards have a purpose and really I can’t see myself selling any of them because they are so different (I would consider selling the 6’7" thruster and replace it with the 6’4" but I had the 6’7" thruster custom built and it really is a pretty nice board to have around).

Thoughts??

2

Here’s a few thoughts/observations of mine along these lines Rod.

I had a few years off not being able to surf while in the North of Thailand and so had to re-adjust when I got back to Australia.

Since being back I’ve tried all sorts of boards. Surftechs of a couple of different types in thruster configuration, 9 and 10’ longboards, shorter and longer fish, thicker big boy poly thrusters and single fins as well as a 7’ mini-mal.

Iv’e ridden them in all sorts of conditions and wave types.

I do love my local points and I love speed on a wave face.

I’m 44 years old and weigh about 82 kgs. Surfing for 27 years.

For me I love a board that paddles well and catches waves easily. great to have the manouvreability though. I must say though that longboards bore me so I prefer shorter boards.

Lately I’ve had a ball riding a 5’10" epoxy traditional full nosed fish with a centre fin box and fcs side fins. Great joy from the acceleration from the pumps and full flight cutbacks. Not much fun on heaving beach breaks for me but fantastic on points. I leave my 6’4" single fin for the points as well.

I tried riding another surfers 6’2" epoxy fish with identical dimensions to my fish except for the extra six inches and was dissapointed how slow and stiff it felt.

The owner of the other fish could not believe how much faster and looser my 5’10" felt. So I’m not keen to go too long in my fish.

The drawback in using my fish more was in its reticence to snap off the top of waves (very slow to come off the top with its full rails) and its failure to inspire confidence when taking off on steep beachbreak waves.

These two common fish issues have been completely resolved by trying a Van Straalen rocket fish.

A more pulled in nose and thinner, more modern rails rounds out the fish equation.

I still have a 6’8" X 20 & 1/2 X 2 & 3/4 thruster which now feels like a stiff barge and is put away for god know’s when.

Around here though it is rare to see anyone surfing a fish well. I really don’t have any desire to bother trying to ride a 6’4" thruster because it’s so much harder to catch waves, and the waves passing by as you pop up is definitely an issue.

I know I surf better, catch more waves and have a blast on my rocket fish and just do things differently than others riding their thrusters.

3

How 'bout this…

surf the wave not the board.

4

every dimension is an eclipse.

it gets dark

and then the light

slowly starts to

illuminate a dark corner

of understanding.

closed circut t.v.

you get to watch

grandma do laundry

the front gate

the entry door

the hallway

then when you attatch your concious to

a new scope/dimesion

you can watch the bus stop

and change up enough

you can see through the hubbel  

telescopeitoriumasarus.

or the mattensiai UDTus

style mavens basing dimension

on peer pressure groups

are in a wonderful growth stage

like nebulas going nova

riding outside the norm

can produce explosive personal growth.

whadda loife

having fun in the

wave line

and becoming greater

praises to you all for trying diffrent stuff

surf forever the waves never stop

changing,why become staticelectricity?

aloha from waipouli

…ambrose…

5

WOW, that was profound. I have heard of barefoot water skiing, but surfing???

Quote:

How 'bout this…

surf the wave not the board.

6

I was trying not to froth about my Van Straalen because it is a case of being able to surf the wave, in whatever shape or form it takes (in my locale) and not be restricted by shortcoming in the surfboard’s design/shape/construction.

I’m down to a one board quiver.

I don’t want to ride anything else. I’m simply in awe of the design elememts in my Van Straalen which allow me to ride waves and keep my surf stoke at grommet level.

Seeing as this is a design forum and we are discussing design it seems pointless to advise others to “surf the wave not the board” don’t you think?

7

Actually I thought the same thing this weekend…

Only being able to have just one board might be a blessing.

Pulling up with 5 choices ruins the fun.

I challenged myself to ride this beast and take the hecklings from the boys this weekend just to see how it handled with some size… Fast but not alot of fun…

Where as I would’ve had more fun on something like this

It did prove to me that you can surf about anything and make it work if you are forced to…

But I do like the the outline of the carbonfiber Van Straalen fishes with that pulled in nose though…



8

It’s certainly good to be able to take just one board and not have others being cooked in your car or waiting for some one to come and steal while you go surfing.

If you have a substantial quiver it can have you thinking, “gee, I wish I was surfing my…, instead of the board I’m on” which is no fun.

To have just one board and not be bothered by the knowledge that a different type of board would perform better in the waves we are surfing is something enjoyed by beginners. If we can keep on tapping into that simple stoke then we can keep on surfing no matter what the outside distractions throw at us.

And that is one crazy looking beast. For want of a more technical exclamation.

9

it’s interesting that you posted this thread now , Rod ,

as i am just about to plug my [until now] single fin 5’7 “stubbie” …

…and i was questioning myself as to if , at 46 years old and , seemingly, getting less flexible daily , if i will get much use out of it and / or do further damage to my body .

i’m thinking i will compromise by riding this when the waves are a bit more pushy and a bit hollow , as i found in the past , paddling this when the waves were fat …BACK PAIN , very quickly!!

i also have a 5’7 x 18" single fin pintail , which i have decided to thruster plug …and give to a mate’s 8 yo son , as i found THIS one not floaty enough for me . [the nose and tail were too narrow for my height and weight , i think…]

there seems to be , in my case , anyway , a fine line between a short board [“?to challenge my abilities”?] and / or damaging my lower back / neck / shoulders / spine .

i suppose each has personto decide for themselves as they get older.

but i think 6-6’4 is probably my preferred length , and a little wider [19"] and thicker [? 2 3/8" ?] seems good , for me , anyway .

well , i hope these thoughts / experiences are helpful ??

cheers mate !

ben

10

I’m actually avoiding thrusters because they (generalisation) kill my lower back. I found after some surfs my back was super stiff the next morning. Trying to torque them around in turns was the problem. Always been an advocate of power surfing but now find that the easier turning ability of my various fish and even my 6’4" single fin have given me no back trouble.

11

hiya cuttley !

…i guess that’s where the extra thickness , length and width work better for me , in thrusters .

being a predominantly single fin rider for a large part of my surfing life , i tend to avoid trying to pump a thruster rail to rail , and find that the extra volume allows me to trim and glide more single fin style . [i guess slightly less nose flip helps me too ]

mind you , when the waves are gutless , i WILL break out the 7’ single fin , or a mal , or the 3" thick 6’1 x 20 70s twin fin swallowtail / “fish”

cheers

ben

12

Next board based on my style.

The good thing about having a big quiver is having boards that you can ride to improve/change your abilities if you wish.

I’ve got the boards to do that. Its at this point in my surfing were i base boards on my style.

13

Next board based on your “style” or challange your abilities ?

Welcome to Swaylocks. The “next” board will always be on my mind…

Lots of surfboards laying around at my place. (about 15) I see it as a three board quiver. Everything else needs to be sold or has some sort of “collector” value. Yeah right “collector” vaule…Collector doesen’t want to get rid of his old boards…

Back to the three board quiver. One log ,one go to board ,one experimental board…simple. I actually live by this. The key is having a go to board that will work no matter what…

Have fun

Ray