Thruster v's 2+1 for medium size wave board

General Discussion
1

Hi - first post,

I am near 50 and 95kgs and been surfing my local beachies 2ft to 4 ft for 20 years. I have a 2 board quiver of a very floaty 6'10 Firewire Addvance for up to head high days and a 8ft mid length which I seem to use for really small ar slightly bigger days.

I have my first overseas surfing trip planned for the end of the year and not sure what to take. I will take the Addvance as I find it a comfortable board to surf but I know it will feel corky in really nice or larger waves. I have been toying with another 8fter with a rounded pintail but not sure if a thruster or 2+1 set up would be best. I have also experiement with more traditional "shortboards" but don't have the fitness/ability to get in early enough to make the takeoffs.

What are the differences between a thruster and a 2+1 set up for a mid length rounded pin board? What else should I be looking for in a board to take OS?

 

Thanks

2

Broad question with a lot left out - what kind of waves are you planning on surfing?  Hollow reefs, beachies, ledges…?

2+1 are lotta fun on forehand point surf, smooth and drivy, thruster much more versatile for all conditions.

Without having more info, would suggest going with an 8’ fun gun.  something like 13N x 21 x 14T x 3 with medium rails, smooth rocker (5.5N, 2.5T), double concaves in the rear.  That should handle HH to DOH easily.  If surfing more in the shoulder to head and a half range, increase the dimensions by half an inch.

Talk to a shaper about what you’re gonna surf, and what you like/don’t like about what you’ve been riding, and work with him to cook something up for your trip.

enjoy the trip.

3

Thanks.

Mainly surfing reef/point breaks but nothing too punchy and definately not over DOH as this would be out of my league. I have spoken to a couple of shapers but they seem to have either a longboard focus (and recommend an 8ft longboard shape) or are shortboard shapers that suggest a bigger size of their thruster designs. I am more draw to the longboard style with a slightly pulled in longboard nose. At least I know I wil be a be able to paddle it in. This style is a 2+1 and sounds like more suited to points

4

 

I say 2+1 personally, and I may not be 55, I am 42, weigh 210 pounds, and this board does everything I would want it to do and does it well from 2 ft to 8 ft… these are east coast usa linear feet, not Hawaiian yard stick and a half feet

I have recently been riding it with the center fin you see and this fin was designed by Bill Thrailkill for my Broomtail Fish he made me, its 8 inches high with a 5 inch base with a matte finish, cut on the Fins Unlimited giant mega million dollar cutting machine… ok so I am stoked a bit too much… but it makes this board go so fast it blows my mind, it holds fabulously and releases effortlessly

Showing this board to you in the photo becasue it has a ton of potential, it is shaped by Steve Forstall out of Melbourne FL made in eps/epoxy and is a version of the Cheyne Horan double ender, purchased thru http://revolutionsurfer.com/ (Noel will get it right for you if you wish to talk with him)

oh yeah, and don’t me started on my Thrailkill Broomtail Fish with two of these fins sitting side by side… fugeddaboudit…

Anyway, I am a bigger guy, surfing small waves on east coast FL, and you don’t need 8 feet of board is all I am saying and/or suggesting, in fact less is more imo, I can duck dive this double ender and move it around the lineup with ease… it is not small by what guys who weigh 165 pounds think… but I’m not 165…

tri-fins are great, but I really like 2+1’s 

just throwing some stuff out there for you.

me surfing this double ender in July 2012 at my local crowded parking lot pier spot during what we call around here for July a pretty fun little swell…it can be lake flat break out your water skis in July so this is fun  around these parts for July

you may also like the Steve Forstall Lazor Eggs as something to consider, much more refined/thinner rail found here: http://www.revolutionsurfer.com/66-lazor-egg/

like I said just throwing stuff out there that will work real well that does not have to be 8 feet long

Eidt: and no, I don’t work for Revolutionsurfer

5

My 8 footer - single fin all the way: