I’m looking to order a new shortboard and am looking for some advice on dimensions. A bit about me: I’m 5’8’’ tall, 160 lbs, good shape. I’m a pretty average surfer / haven’t surfed for very long, but in the past year or so have become extremely dedicated, and try to surf ~ 4-5 times a week. This has led to some drastic improvements in my surfing, and I find myself drawn to shorter and shorter boards as my skill level has allowed. Currently I’m revamping my quiver and am hoping to order my first custom board (stoked!). I’m hoping all of you out there is Swaylocks land could help me on dimensions.
Currently I split my time between two boards: a 5’10’’ Hap Jacobs retro fish (twin keel fins), and a 6’5’’ Rusty thruster. The retro fish is tons of fun, I catch lots of waves on it, but it doesn’t always perform the way I’d like - tough to make late drops on, a little squirrelly in more powerful surf. My 6’5’’ is my main go to board, but I’m not as in love with it. It’s 6’5’’ x 19’’ x 2.3’’ with an 11’’ nose. The thruster performs better than my fish in bigger / more critical surf, but I often feel that its a little too long for me to really turn well. Also with all the rubber I wear around here its a bit hard to paddle, and when I’m sitting on it in the lineup I’m floating nipple deep freezing.
So this brings me to my new board. I’m thinking about trying to split the difference between my fish and my current thruster. Maybe something that’s like 6’2’’ x 19 1/2 x 2 1/2, with a slightly wider nose, say 12’‘. How does that sound? Too thick to be a decent performer? Last week I rode a progressive fish that was ~ 6’3’’ x 19 3/4 x 2 5/8 and I felt like it was a bit too thick and chunky to turn real well, but I caught tons of waves on it and it paddled well. Any suggestions?
What sort of construction/ materials for your new board?
Are you planning on pu/pe conventional materials or custom eps/epoxy or some other variation?
Have you selected a shaper to build the board?
I feel like the answers to these questions might make a pretty big difference in the input you get given the bouyancy may change with material changes.
I’m currently riding a 6’4’’ x 19.5 x 2.5 thruster after spending alot of time on 5’8’’ to 6’0’’ fishes and the transition has been very natural. It is constructed with a low density eps core, sandwich skins, and balsa rails, so I believe it would been more bouyant than a pu/pe equivalent. However, I’m a good bit larger than you at 6’ and 180lb. I would also consider myself quite an average surfer although I’ve been at it awhile (and in a dedicated fashion of course, hehe).
I know a guy, same size as you, surf less becuase NJ has been flat this year, same ability level. In a5/4 with boots mittens hood, surfs an aneoxic 6’0". in the summer with less rubber he rides a 5’10 chip. It is just a matter of how do you want to surf. I believe it was said by George Greenough “Do you want to surf or do you want to paddle. I recently dropped a lot of my whole retro fancy.(I am 5’8.5” 135lb) I find it easier to paddle into the same waves, and surf on my 5’10 thruster than my 6’2" original MR twin. it is the swim or glide dilema.
What sort of construction/ materials for your new board?
Are you planning on pu/pe conventional materials or custom eps/epoxy or some other variation?
Have you selected a shaper to build the board?
I feel like the answers to these questions might make a pretty big difference in the input you get given the bouyancy may change with material changes.
Right, I should have addressed this. Both boards I mentioned are traditional PU/PE. I’ve been thinking that my next board would be EPS. I haven’t yet chosen a shaper but I’m going to go with a local pro shaper rather than shape this stick on my own.
I’m currently riding a 6’4’’ x 19.5 x 2.5 thruster . . . It is constructed with a low density eps core, sandwich skins, and balsa rails, so I believe it would been more bouyant than a pu/pe equivalent. However, I’m a good bit larger than you at 6’ and 180lb. I would also consider myself quite an average surfer although I’ve been at it awhile (and in a dedicated fashion of course, hehe).
Not to hijack the thread, but do you have any more info on that board? Did you shape it yourself or have someone else do it?
I’m pretty much the same size as you (6’1" 175lbs) and I’m looking into pretty much the same exact board you have. I spoke to Tim Bessel about making me a custom, but they want $850 for it then I have to worry about shipping it from La Jolla to NY.
Hello there adk. I think sometimes we get too bogged down in numbers (dimensions) when we think about surfboards. In my opinion, the real benefit of a custom board is the opportunity to take advantage of a shaper’s experience. I would suggest you find a local shaper who is happy to work with you and then talk to him about what you want from your new board. He’ll want to see your current boards and know what you like and dislike about them. He’ll want to know where you surf, how you surf, how often you surf, and where you want your new board to take you. Armed with this information and a general idea of the sort of board you want (e.g. a shortboard versus a longboard) he can design something that he thinks will work for your specific needs. If you behave yourself and stay out of the way, he might even let you watch him shape it. He might also tell you that he’ll charge double if you want to hang around and bug him while he shapes it! In any case, if you take advantage of his experience and don’t get hung up on numbers, you might end up with a board that you really love even though it wasn’t exactly what you had in mind initially.
So this brings me to my new board. I’m thinking about trying to split the difference between my fish and my current thruster. Maybe something that’s like 6’2’’ x 19 1/2 x 2 1/2, with a slightly wider nose, say 12’‘. How does that sound? Too thick to be a decent performer? Last week I rode a progressive fish that was ~ 6’3’’ x 19 3/4 x 2 5/8 and I felt like it was a bit too thick and chunky to turn real well, but I caught tons of waves on it and it paddled well. Any suggestions?
At your size, I would recommend a 6’2" or 6’3" 19" wide at MOST and 2 3/8" thick. You should float with nipples 2 inches out of the water. If you are cold get better neoprene at Hotline. And of course get it through a shaper in town, Ward Coffey would be one who would do a nice job with it.
I’m 6’ 155lbs and in NorCal I used a 6’3" 18.75" 2 3/8" with a 13.75 inch tail and a nose 11-11.5", I could go as short as 6’1" for NorCal waves.
19.5" wide is really wide for your weight and the type of board you are already using.
Thanks Blakestah- so one question: what about nose width? Is 12’’ too wide? With what you are saying maybe I’ll go for a toned down version of what I was originally thinking about, say 6’3’’ x 19 1/4 x 2 3/8.