I’m thinking about getting a custom board - I’m 6’4" and weigh around 230lbs, relatively new to shortboards and been surfing at OB for the last year or so, ride a 7’6" x 23" 3.25" thruster with a super wide tail and moderate rocker,. looking for a shortboard that I can take out at OB when its between 3 - 8 ft, maybe 10 ft max. I my current board has worked great for maybe 3-5ft at OB. and its pretty easy to catch waves anywhere but its too much work to duck dive going out at OB when its super chunky. Thinking about maybe something in the 6’8 to 7"2 range with moderate rocker, not as thick, and a squash tail? Any suggestions? Have been surfing for about 10 years, primarily on a 10ft long board though. Have been mulling over building a board but dont have the space/money/time right now, just want to surf as much as possible. Maybe next year.
Aaron, you’re a big dude, almost Grant Washburn size, who can usually be found on an 8’6 when OB is well overhead, and charges on it.
If your 7’6 worked great for you in HH and under waves, a smaller board is not going to work better in HH to DOH waves. Having surfed OB for decades, know the often relentless beatings handed when trying to clear the inside and get outside. Once outside, however, the battle is to chase down the shifting peaks and a board that doesn’t paddle well is just not going to get the job done.
The issue with your current board isn’t length, it’s width and how the volume may be distributed. Nothing harder to punch through with then a wider nose, and/or a full railed thick surfboard with the center thickness carried out well to the rails. And with that really wide tail, just that much more area for the whtiewater to grab.
Think you need a well porportioned fun gun. This one here is my go to from well overhead to DOH. 6’2 x 185 (and in my 60’s) , I can wrestle this through the inside well enough, and can really chase down the peaks once outside. 7’10 x 13 N x 21.25" x 13 3/4"T, 3" tapered to medium rails. Singel to double concave, realexed rocker which really helps the paddle power. Add another 1/4", foil to medium full rails, you’d be able to stick it under with your weight and leverage, have plenty of board to chase down those outside peaks…My son was surfing with the Gudakis brothers couple weeks ago at the Pacheco bar, waves were OH+ to DOH, they were on 8’0s, saying a bit over gunned they wished they had brought 7’2’s or 7’6’s…and those guys are pros.
At OB, it’s all about getting into position…and that takes a board with scoot. If you decide to have one custom built instead of building your own, give Ward Coffey in Santa Cruz a shout, he builds a lot of fun guns and similar for OB surfers, does a good of job of building in paddle power while ‘hiding’ the volume for the battle out…
Also, it depends which end of the beach you prefer.
Lots of guys surfing Kelly’s to the windmill only go out when it’s shorepound, and pass on the outer sand bars. 10’ is definetely outside bar stuff. For the guys who prefer shortboard surfing on the shorebreak, something at least 7’ x 22 with a narrow pointed nose to penetrate the offshores and start the ducking.
BUT, if you like outer bars along the middle and S end, but just need to punch through the killer closeout shorepound, maybe as suggested, a bigger board is more necessary, as you can always swim your board thru the shorepound, then paddle the green between sets with a big, fast paddling board that allows you a choice of outside waves and mobility as stated. You know the famous drift stories, where guys paddle out at Taraval and end up at SecondParkingLot when they finally make it outside.
Not that I"m a good example, but pioneering Sloat from around ‘66 thru ‘84, my most used size was around 7’9" for outer bar surfing, and shorebreak surfing usually around 6’2". And if your "10’" is anything close to mine, you would NEED an 8’ semi gun just to drop in at outer bars Taraval thru Sewer peaks.