2+1’s (ridden several) have nice flowing drive, lack the punch of a thruster off the bottom and top. Nice for long point breaks, think thruster or quad better all-around ride for all conditions.
If the bonzer egg surfed you well, why not get something similar in size/volume…?
Rusty is a master shaper who has spent a lot of time on his design blogs, which are super informative - check out the Big Cat on his web site, which looks like it would be a hella fun ride in a 6’10 or so…
Huck,… I’ve gone with a 7’6" m13, foam shape from Merrick—a tad thicker than the SurfTech --it’s the travel board for CR also, does me right from 2’ to overhead. At 58 and 180lbs, it meets my needs for those point waves in Ventura/SB,…no airs, no hops, just s-turns and drive with the fin set-up…brings back the 70’s for me. Aloha, Randy
great thread, I know he’s been mentioned here on the thread several times, but I really think people of any age and ability should give Greg Griffin’s boards a serious look, they have an uncanny ability to paddle “much longer” than their actual size, and large/wide tails with his 5 fin set up is solid as a rock. I may not be north of 50, but that doesn’t matter, his boards do as he describes…great paddlers, catch waves easy, and you can throw them around to the best of your own personal ability to do so, duck dive 'em… lift and release, his boards release even better than they paddle.
Lots of great boards, lots of great shapers, just throwing it out here again.
First time long time. Wanted to resurrect this thread for older guy/light guy using big boy shortboard. I am 51, 5’10 160. Have only been surfing for 3 years but live in Puerto Rico and surf whenever there is surf, which until this season was a lot. Long time kiter, windsurfer. Probably on the low end of intermediate. I am building my second board and plan to use this board in solid head to maybe head and a half at a suck up reef point near my house.
We sit near a boil where the wave jacks up. Pretty critical take off. If you are 5 feet too close to the boil you get thrown on your head. 5 feet too far away you cant get in. Shifty with cross chop. Sectionee once up and going. Tricky little spot. Paddle out is not easy so a good duck diver is important. I have a 7’2x21 that rides ok but is hard to get out on. It also feels big on the drop.
I also have been riding a 6’2x21x2.75 EPS Stretch QuadFish. This was my first “short board”. I have a lot of fun on this board up to about shoulder high. In surf bigger than that the wide tail and flat bottom are too much. It feels bloaty too. 21 wide seems to be my magic number for width as I still need the added stability when first getting to my feet.
I have tried a 6’8x19.75x2.63 with a gunny nose and I did not like it at all. Too unstable for me. So I am leaning towards shorter and wider.
What I am leaning towards is something like the Lost mini driver. PU 6’3x20.75x2.5. Somewhat relaxed rocker 2.25/4.75. Single to double with slight V out the back. Round pin. The Lost version of this board it 2.75 thick.
Originally I drew up the board at 2.75 thick with minimal concave. At my weight and this volume, I did not think I needed the extra lift. Now I am rethinking and have downsized volume by reducing it to 2.5 thick with a bit more bottom contour. 1/4 single into 3/16 double. Easier to duck, but still plenty of float (around 36l on AKU). I figured the width at my weight would be sufficient. What say you guys? Am I on the right track? Again 51, 5’10 160lb int.
Huck - I talked to a few shapers and personally tested everything from knee boards to guns! One of the BIGGEST lessons I learned was riding a-- 5’4" x 22" wide kneeboard! Yes, that’s right a --knee board. Now listen, if you go wider --you can go thinner (prob mathamatical fact). Also, if we go too long turning
Goes out the window. Later on when I design my version for ‘older guy board’ I’ll take sum more width for buoyancy, I am now allowed to go thinner. I will probably go flatter bottom for optimum paddling… this is for a very short board 5’4" up to May be 5’11" or so…5’11" up if we go narrower - we can go thicker. These conclusions I got are from “TESTING” these board’s-hands on. It’s not “kook talk”, brand names, and or, whatever looks or sounds cool etc…that’s kook talk. Lol
" just have to be a bit clever about it, make the design and foam work in our favour…doesnt always mean longer…"
I totally agree with that. Why do we think we have to ride funboard length boards to catch waves? I need all the help I can get, and find it right here:
6-0, 21.5, 2.6. Easy wave catcher, flies, turns, what else do I need, and I’m north of 60.
I think a wide fish type board - with or without a fish tail could easily be
A candidate for 50+ surfers. These fish board’s float like crazy! It’s the width - not so much the thickness that makes these great floatie paddlers. Mini-simmons are probably even wider + more floatie! Add more volume, and man a healthy 80 yr could ride it! Lol. To top it off, make one six two +, and 22" wide + and a rhinoceros could float on it!:/?#lol
Ron - someone posted on here somewhere of fish boards shaped with different tail shapes! I’d like to build a rounded pin tail -elongated to 6’10", and do a single fin man!!? Could you imagine the drive + skatey feel in junk waves! Hell, why not even do a multitude of fin combo!?
Proof in the pudding, this little guy catches a ton of waves. Even for an old guy 57x21.75x2.63 is not too small. First build fresh out of the salt water. Per my question above, I am going with the thinner and more bottom contour option. Thanks for your input.
LBatBeach, for a wave like Shacks you could use something like a 6’6" at around the size of wave you want to surf, go for a width you are comfortable with 20 1/2 - 21 sounds right for a 6’6" - 6’10" but make sure to pull the tail to something close to 14" maybe with a bump in the outline. Nose around 13" and ask Greg (I am asuming you are having it cut at MHL) to help you out with the proper rocker for hollow reef, he built me a great 6’10" for Gas when I was very heavy (225) about 3 yrs ago, board was 6’10" x 21" with a 14" tail and went great in the hollow stuff. I am 5’10" also and about 25 lbs heavier than you now. 2 1/2" should float you good just don’t do the rails too thick for fast hollow waves.
Thanks TonyLion. You were correct on all the particulars! Good on you guessing the spot! I already got a blank for the 6’3. I like it a bit shorter for the steep drop. Thanks for your input. Larry
for a reef break I used a “grouper” sized six four x 21" wide twin fin fish board that worked sick on a similar wave you described! My fins were double foiled med rake standard twins set 6" up from tips…try around a 15" nose x 14" tail and a 8" tail block…depth of fish cutout I think four or five inches?? I think the slightly wider nose then tail may have angled the board nicely on the heavily jacking reef break…but this board should be no more than two and a half thick with a down rail and somewhat of an edge…this board was SICK! You can do whatever fin set up you want. But try a twin on a reef break in the two to three foot day and your in for a rewarding revelation! Sick, Sick,SICK FUN!!!
back in like 2000 i sent a template to rabbit over at buford in oz.
the template sat around for awhile…then josh hosskins(i know i butchered his name) took it and did as i said(fin set-up,etc.).
shortly after that he emailed me… thanking me for the magic template…he had a cnc machine cutting only that template 24/7 for over a year.(wish i could have got a cut of that prize).
the board i am in reference to is in the pic below…the splittail w/ the air/art…i call that template my “predator series”.
