I'm about intermediate level (or a bit lower mostly!) and normally surf a longboard in 3/4ft waves. I was wondering about a performance longboard to help me into the bigger waves...or are performance longboards really for experts or those with really honed skills? I'm mid 40s so like the float and easier paddling and wave catching of longboards. I wouldn't want one of the wafer thin board, just one with more rocker etc. Thanks for any advice.
for bigger waves, get a Griffin 5-fin rocket 7-5" or so…paddles and catches like a longboard, but is much more manageable.
high perf longboards aren’t necessarily for bigger waves so much as to facilitate a really ugly form of longboard surfing.
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high perf longboards aren't necessarily for bigger waves so much as to facilitate a really ugly form of longboard surfing.
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Very well said.
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high perf longboards aren't necessarily for bigger waves so much as to facilitate a really ugly form of longboard surfing.
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That's the quote of the day for sure.
I went through a very brief "performance longboard" phase on my way down from a log to a fish and then shortboards. I found it more user friendly than the log because of the additional rocker. That said, the log will do just fine in bigger surf with the flatter rocker, because you take off so early and generally stay out of the pocket, despite your best efforts to the contrary. For what you said you're looking for, something like a rockered 9'0" with a 2+1 fin setup, maybe 2 7/8 thick, or so, can be fun on bigger days.
“…high perf longboards aren’t necessarily for bigger waves so much as to
facilitate a really ugly form of longboard surfing.”
I know exactly what type of surfing you’re talking about and I agree that it’s ugly. However, I still think that statement is something of an over simplification. I have a “traditional”, single-fin longboard 50/50 rails, flat rocker full template), another single that has a bit more rocker and compromise rails. Those are my small wave (up to head-high) boards.
I also have two “performance” longboards (much more rocker, thinner, racier outlines, harder down rails, 2+1 fins, lighter glass schedule). I don’t use the performance boards to butt-wag, do laybacks, try to get air, or generally thrash around like a meth tweeker having an epyleptic fit, but they DO work better than my more traditional boards once the surf gets over 8’. They handle late take-offs and large, hollow waves much better, and come off the top much smoother in big waves. Because they are thinner and have less volume, they tend to bounce around and get airborn less than a thicker board in large surf. It’s nice to have sidebites and thinner, harder rails when the juice starts pumping. Of course, the reduced paddling flotation is the trade off.
As far as riding head-high+ waves is concerned I think it takes a lot more skill to ride the flatter singlefins in those conditons that a rockered hp-longboard. However, after a certain point everyone ends up going with more rocker and less width at both ends. It’s either that or going with a shorter speed egg or fun gun.
Get a nice speed egg for bigger days. I would get something in the 7.5 to 8 range and a bonzer!
I like single fin longboards
Ive had 2+1's HP LB's, me no like
me like thick boards, single flex fin, wide nose, round pin tail 60/40 rails semi hard in the tail
work good in small waves and stable in big stuff (overhead)
anything bigger than 2 ft OHead pull in the nose
lots of ways to go.
surfers and waves may vary
“I think it takes a lot more skill to ride the flatter singlefins in
those conditons that a rockered hp-longboard”
Maybe so. That all cames down to a matter of what you, personally, consider to be fun. Would you also dig trying to ride a 9’ thruster gun in 2’ mush? If you enjoy the challenge of “making a board work” in waves for which its design parameters are not optimal…go for it. When I do that it mostly makes me think of the beatings the early big-wave pioneers (late 50s/early 60s) used to take because of the primitiveness of their equipment. But just because I don’t get a kick out of going retro on big waves doesn’t take anything away from someone else who does. S’all good…
that ugly surfing comment is a CLASSIC.I’ll send it to few of my buddies who are pro or semi pro longboarders,to remind them to keep it stylish!A couple weeks ago,it was very good size,solid 10 ft(Hawaiian),with occ.bigger sets.Lots of broken boards.Everybody was on guns,except me,I don’t have one,so I was on a 7.4 Bonzer(barely enough board,had to go for the smaller ones).My (waaay younger) buddy was on a 9.0 hp longboard.He outsurfed everybody,OUTSTYLED everybody,caught the biggest bombs,big barrels,if I can get my hands on some pics or video that were shot that day, I’ll post it here.I realized I should have paddled out on my longboard instead.So anyways,IMO, much rocker in a longboard sucks,makes the board slow,defeats the purpose of it being a longboard.Where I surf,you hardly see longboards with lots of rocker,always pretty straight,99% of the longboards here are custom built.To answer your question,Flexor,if the waves you surf are 3-4 ft(faces?) well even backs,no need for a hp longboard,a classic shape,single fin,cross step to the nose,it’s all about style:)
A hp longboard is not really for bigger waves but are for performing high performance manuvers. Some of them are good in bigger surf and some aren't. If you want fast turns and a light board then they are great, but in bigger surf I have a tendency to snap them in half. A bigger shortboard is really better for bigger waves than a smaller longboard. By the way HP longboarding is not ugly just different.
surfed the shit out of this on Oahu when it was a big swell the week I got married Tom
http://www.mauisurfphotography.com/ Could not find yet pics of that day,but check these out,on 1-6-10,pge 12,blue and yellow hp longboard, Patrick Fukuda,smaller day.On 1-9-10,pge 4,# 61,Alika Moepono,backside,makes a 9.0 look like a 8.0.Enjoy.
gonna have to say your wrong about hp longboard info… i used to be one of those " single fins man, its got soul man, heavy boards brah… style". that all changed when u get in big hollow waves… its works ok for 99% mainland days. sometimes u see guys like hatzikian riding logs in big hollow stuff… but he aint doing much besides just riding. granted i give him credit, it is hard and takes a lot of skill, but if he was riding a real hp longboard he would be in way deeper, get way more critical on the wave. i surf outer reefs here on maui with my hp longboard and big honolua, even some secret spots similar to pipe and backdoor. a hp longboard will allow u to backdoor the pit with a manueverability inside the barrell unmatched by a non “hp” board. stick to ur ideologies if u want, but fact is fact. if im surfing spitting double overhead tubes on a longboard it better be hp or im gonna eat the reef. u can still hangfive backdoor the tube with style, but with way more responsiveness and control. most of the these spots no one ever longboards… ever. except these two other guys on the island, and guaranteed they are on a high performance ride. ive stood tall in a barrell on a single fin log, put in my time on the tankers,and they goes straight just fine, u just have way less options. sean ordonez makes the best hp longboard ive ever ridden in hawaii, surfs outer reefs like a gun, but can trim a tube at small honolua like a breeze… i have ridden harbours, takayamas, merricks, ole’s, pattersons, charlie smiths, timpone’s, kazuma’s, HIC, T&C mostly all 9’0’s and on big days 6ft+ hawaiian scale and the only ones that came close was takayama, patterson and the T&C by Tanaka… say what u want the proof is in the pudding… theres nobody ripping big waves on longboards out here unless they are high performance shapes
Hi gents....really interestiing discussion going on there...quite a few different views too! Being realistic, I'm never going to get anywhere near the level of surfing you guys are at. I'll be intermediate at best as I've taken this up too late in life. I suppose it's that I'm finding it a bit of a handful to get the log outback and don't have the confidence of taking it into bigger stuff...that's where I was wondering about the HP boards...hopefully make it easier for me on bigger waves with more rocker etc. I like the idea of bigger eggs etc but might miss the length of a longboard for paddle power and later take offs if needed.
One guy mentioned a bigger boys shortboard.....seen big boy shortboards that have plenty float and length so might be an option to try? See bottom of this page http://www.blackandwhitesurfcoltd.co.uk/shortboards.php the mammoth. What do you reckon. I'm around 90kgs plus with a thick wettie.
Thanks again all
Check out the McTavish Fireball, available from loose-fit in Braunton. It’s a hp longboard with a traditional twist (a compromise if you like) Noserides great and handles big stuff. Loads of foam packed in for it’s size. Me and a lot of my friends have one in their quiver.
For me a longboard with a gunny outline is much more versatile. I’m not nose-riding it and the rocker in the nose lets me drop down the face rather than relying on the angled take off.
No idea how to make this tiny picture any larger.
[img_assist|nid=1049633|title=Longboard gun|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=67]
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surfed the shit out of this on Oahu when it was a big swell the week I got married Tom
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Is that about normal for a HP longboard...that's some nose rocker.
I like EPS/Epoxy HP longboards. But I broke my last two, and only have my classic log now. I don’t think there is anything inherently “ugly” about HP longboard riding… it’s all in the surfing. Personally, I like the smoothness of turns and the glidey noseriding better on the log. But in small, beachbreak surf, it’s really nice to be able to whip a hard turn on a lighter board with more rocker. On a heavier board, the same turn would have bogged so much that you could miss the next section… at least for me. Lighter boards accelerate faster, too. So in smaller, punchier surf, I think they work great. For me, logs are better on those weak, crumbly waves, or high tide conditions… or on perfect peelers in the waist high range. Anything much bigger than that and I’m not interested in taking out a longboard. I also like the way a log trims through the whitewater better. I took out my 9’3 log last week on a day that was head high or so and barreling, and wished I had my shortboard. But I had fun doing layback tuberides and plowing through the whitewater… I couldn’t have done that on an HPLB… too much bounce.