I just finished my first board not to long ago. I’m 44 been surfing a lot of years finely got around to doing it. I was so worried when it took it out the first time. What if it does this? Or doesn’t do that.
When I caught my first wave and it road really good. WHAT A COOL RUSH THAT WAS. I want to do it again.
So now I want to shape a total small wave board. The more I read here the more options I find and the more I then have to read and then I get more confused than I was when I started.
I am 6’2 200lb.I like a bigger short board for paddle and I can throw them around pretty easy.
I am going with a Bennett 6’9 HTM blank . I will keep there rocker for the most part. I would like to bring the foil a bit in front of center and stay with a thruster fin set up for this board. Close to 3” thick.
My short boards are 20’’ and 21’’ wide so I think I want to go like 23” wide witch brings me to my Question.
With these dimensions so far and the fact I ride mostly beach breaks in the Ventura area.
How wide can I go with the thruster set up in the tail with out going with wings.
Then what would be a good front width for max paddle and wave catching to go with the tail?
Im also 200lb and am in the process of making a 7’0 x 21 x 14.5 tail and 12.5 nose x around 3 in thick. I usually ride a 7’5 x 22 x 15 x 14 nose x 3in thick and i am finding its too much board for more hollow/crtical take offs as it has a moderate rocker. Depending on how you want to surf and how hollow your beach breaks are, i would suggest going a little longer and narrow as i reckon 23 may be a little wide - but thats just me mate. I dont see a problem with a widish tail around 14 - 14.5 rounded pin - give you plenty of area and wave catching but bite in hollow situations. It is also important to consider rocker and im doing around 5- 5.5 nose and 2.5 tail on mine. I reckon that will give me the ability to make steeper take offs but still good paddling (i hope)
Cool, thanks man. I will be riding it on small days or mushy days ect. I guess my Question is With a twin fin fish or quad a board of this size could easily have a 15 ,16” tail. But with a thruster this would be to wide?
Oh -now i understand what you are getting at dude. Have you thought about an egg type board - they ride good in mushy waves and you can have the thruster set up too and they are pretty versatile so you can surf them in more hollow larger waves too. Also, how’s about a more hybrid thruster with a fuller nose to go with the full tail. Guess what im saying is that if you dont need a lot of rocker and more paddling power and glide for mushy small waves i would definately look at a wider nose and tail than a trad thruster. I think that 22 wide is plenty and maybe 15 tail and 14 or so nose with wide point at mid or slightly fwd of mid. I would go 7’0 for paddling and glide but thats my style. It all depends on how you surf. On small mushy days i take my 10ft log out! good luck matey.