I want to buy a new longboard that will be designed specifically for the small summer surf that we get in So. Cal. My primary goal is to easily get in on small, softer waves and just have fun. I have a performance board that rocks in larger waves, but it gets sluggish in the small stuff (tri-fin, lots of rocker). I’m really looking for feedback in two areas:
Optimum size, shape and dimensions
Who would be best to build such a board (or would a stock board do?)
This would be a longboard (of course) and I’m thinking it would be between 10’ and 10’6", about 3 1/2" thick and I assume a single fin would be best for less drag. Beyond that, I don’t know enough about rocker, concave and other nuances to know what dimensions would be best.
I’m 6’1", 210 lbs., in good shape and an intermediate level surfer (for lack of a better term).
I live in San Diego, but would gladly travel as far north as Santa Barbara for the right shaper/board. Any thoughts on who would be best for such a board? Should I just get a custom board or are there some stock boards that would work?
Hey Bob… I have spent many a summer in SD and understand your desire for a big board. My first question is what do you want the board to do? Noseride, turn well or just cruise? I am 6’ 200 and own boards from 10’ 4" on down… i find that in beach break type surf (like PB) i would rather not ride a board over 9’ 6". (mabe 9’6" single with a 19" nose, pretty flat with a bit of kick in the tail) My prefrence with this type of board is to have pleanty of float, be a great nose rider and still allow you to turn out of the way of the ever present “buoy”. And when the big souths come in and the reefs start to work a bit the board will work great.
On the other hand if you want to just cruise get a 10’+ but borrow one and ride it out there first. Either way get a box cause fins are fun to play with.
i wold go to South Coast in OB. They have a ton of boards and if you cant find one off the rack that you like they will be able to help you get in contact with a shaper.
I’m 6’2" 195lbs and was looking for similar things. http://www.BruceJones.com/ in Sunset Beach CA has demo boards. I took out a 10’x24"x3.5" with full rails. A big change from my 9’0"x23"x3.25" with average/thin rails. The board paddled great and had easy/early wave entry. Maybe it just needed more getting used to but I decided I wanted more performace from my primary board. It did show me that I will want something similar in my quiver later, and I’ll try building one someday, but that is not top on my list right now.
So I did not buy the board but I found demo-ing it and talking with Bruce Jones (face to face) a valuable experiance.
Your just asking for every surfer here to try to sell you on their board.
I shape boards for myself generally, but can recomend Brian McInnerny. He is in Carlsbad and he is a good guy, good shaper, and good surfer. Go to any spot in Carlsbad or Oceanside and look for the best surfer out there, there is a good chance they are riding one of his. You can just come up and talk to him if you want and see what you think. Let me know if you want his number. sectordesigns@sbcglobal.net
Man, Im gonna get it for this…but Harbour 19, and the new rapier look like great summer longboards. Gene Cooper makes some aesome boards too. Gregg Hunt…list goes on and on…
If trimming high and forward, and moving fast are priorities over noseriding, then you might want to consider a 10’ roundtail, 23 1/2 - 24" wide, 3 3/4" thick, with 16 3/4"-17" nose and 14"-15" tail. Get the shaper to put approx. 3/4" of hull in the bottom. Wide point ahead of center, 5" of nose rocker, 3 1/2" of tail rocker. Single fin. A very universal and versatile design.
Two of the best longboard shapers in the world are up the road from you a piece. If you want to go for a drive and look at their work and talk shapes you would be well advised. Hap Jacobs or Lance Carson are both at the top of the longboard food chain. A hand shaped board from either of these guys will be exactly what you want.
I have boards shaped by both of them. You won’t go wrong if you choose one of them. There are some fine longboard shapers here in Santa Cruz. But that’s, no doubt, too far to travel.
