Searching for the right board size...

[grateful]

Hi All,

This is my first post... (I keep seeing references to here on hisurfadvisory so I thought I'd check it out and say hey).
I'm pretty new to Hawai'i. This is my first winter here. Last Sunday, I headed out at Himalayas with my 6' 8'' (my biggest board). There were some really nice waves rolling through, though I was having a little bit of a hard time with positioning. With that, it didn't take long for me to get caught inside and pounded pretty good (over and over). Well, after a while I came up from one wave and realized I'd be swimming back with half my board (though I appreciated someone getting the other half for me).
So, now I need to replace my 6'8" but I am wondering if I shouldn't go bigger? I was wondering if I could get some feedback on this. I liked the 6'8" for menuverability but am wondering if I am undergunned and shouldn't go bigger. In the parking lot I was talking with a friend who offered to sell me an 8'0" he doesn't ride anymore, but I'm wondering if that would be too much board...? As far as my size, I'm light (145 lbs.) and around 5' 11''. As far as waves, I think around 10' (slight pluses, MAYBE) is about the max I'm be planning to ride. I'm looking for a board to ride around 6'-8'+. I'm not planning on riding Pipe...
Anyway, I'd appreciate any feedback.
Mahalo,
Mario

[grateful]

OK, maybe a better question would be: what are some of your favorite board lengths (SB?) for 6'-8'+ waves...?

[Bud]

howzit grateful & welcome...

I'm not one for a big quiver, nothing against but never in my life had a large cache of boards around. I've always been one to ride my one fave shortboard in as big or as small as I can go with it. Mostly depends on the spot and conditons. Certain spots under the right conditions I love taking my 6'1" in 6-8' Hawaiian. Deep water spots like Himmas where, unless it's really cranking, you usually have to chase the waves around, it's always nice to have a little more float under you, but once you get up and going a small board can handle pretty easy, especially if it;s glassy.

I ride my 6'1" 90% of the time and my 7'0" when it's starts getting juicy and I need the extra paddling power, big sections and drawn out lines.

My brother Rich is reallly loving his new 6'9" in-betweener round pin, and he's ripping on it .

sorry kinda rambling on. I weigh 144 at 5'8"

[ol]

I use a 6'3 JC as my standard board, a 6'10 tokoro which is pretty fat and paddles really well, and an 8' for bigger stuff. don't use the 8-oh much since it's punnishing to duck dive, but it is really fun to be able to paddle into bigger waves, like Himmas. so it's a toss up.
an example of the downside to such a big board is when i surfed it at haleiwa two saturdays ago (thought the surf was going to be bigger) got caught inside by a solid set and hyper-extended my elbow keeping hold of that thing. ended up only keeping hold of it with one arm and the tendons in my arm still aren't right. needed my 6'10.
I think a 6'8 to 7' works really well in waves up to 6'-8'. although bare in mind i don't have buds surfing talent -i cannot ride a 6'1 in triple OH waves
olly

[surfer9joe]

OK, maybe a better question would be: what are some of your favorite board lengths (SB?) for 6'-8'+ waves...?

Last week I had a great session on my thin and narrow 7'6" at 6 - 8 himis, had no problem at all getting into the wave in time.. Felt like the perfect board for that size to me. If you haven't been surfing big waves that long I would reccomend at least a 7'2" , but even that might leave you feeling undergunned and out of position on the 8 foot plus sets.

I'm 5'10" 145 lbs.

[HMARK]

Howzit Gr8ful, welcome to the zoo. The boys here are kind enuf to put up with retarded old futs like me so -- views for your future --

When you get reallllly old like me (46) and still feel (12) ... Get prepared by relagating yerself to longer stix, it really isnt all that bad, sure the girls will call you Uncle, and dogs run for cover when you bust out the LB, but at least you are still surfing.

Whateva you do, stay in shape, so you can still throw the board around on the potato chips ( if ya like ) 9'0" isnt the end of the world, altho it may seem like it to all those young pups who put up with the wave hogs - (soorrry, I got no control over others stupid ignorance)...

Das Me ---5'11" - 180# ---Makani 9'0". Makani 9'4" JRush 9'0" J Rush 8' 6" Schraper 9'0", Greek Maui Model 9'2", Hobie (death ship) 9 something or other, Andrus 5'11" ( seriously was my sons at 10 y/o ) , T&C stinger 6'0" from the trash heap - , Aipa 8'0" stinger from God knows where - showed up on my lawn. Other floatsam & jetsam that I sure you will accumulate in the coming years as well...

Good stoke to you...

[Puerto_Rico_Surfer]

So Mark I guess riding a Long Board makes me an old fut also, LOL? Well all I got to say is I dare any of the pups out there to grab a log and work your way out in DOH surf without getting washed back to the beach and then pull into a wave and making it. I'm not talking about a nice sloping easy drop long walled wave with a mushy lip either, no.....no, no, no.. you must take a steep drop fast wave with barreling sections over a nice sharp shallow reef, then we'll talk. (wait that sounds like pipe, lol) Riding a long board aint no easy deal when your out in DOH conditions, pulling the initial bottom turn to set your line isnt the easy thing in the world when you got 9'0 of LB underneath your feet.

Oh I'm 6'0 185 lbs.

PS. My shortboards are 6'6 (which hasnt seen the water in about 3 1/2 years since I got into longboarding) and my 7'2 which I only take out when conditions start becoming too sketchy and big for the LB.

[grateful]

Some good feedback so far...

Puerto, though I am pretty stuck on SBing, I have been quite amazed to see how some LB's can handle all that board on some crazy drops and bowls!

...But, yeah, good stuff. Tnks.

[Kelly7873]

This is from someone who thinks a 3'6" is the perfect size for all conditions. You should keep in mind when getting board advice from Bud is that Bud has the ability to very successfully ride boards that are significantly shorter then what most other surfers are using. I believe most surfers would be riding boards around 7'6" in DOH to TOH surf. Many would say they would like to be using a smaller board but they need the extra length to battle the current or the crowd. There are also a large number of surfers who use Waimea guns (9'+) in all conditions. When I was out at Himi's on Sunday almost all the set waves went to 3 surfers, two on Waimea sized guns and one on a long board. As for getting caught inside at Himalayas I always tell people that there are two type of people who surf there. Ones who sit in the peak and catch the set waves but also get caught occasionally and those who try to avoid getting caught by sitting off to the side, they only catch the scraps and they still get caught. Getting caught inside at Himalayas is almost a giving, Surfer Joe logged that day that he didn't get caught no doubt because that's unusual.

[Puerto_Rico_Surfer]

You know reading Kellys post conjures up vivid thoughts. I know this is off the subject of board size. But I dont think there is a worse feeling than the sinking feeling you get in the pit of your stomach, when you surfing at a spot to the max of your ability (in terms of surf size) when you turn to paddle for a wave but miss it.... Turn around and realize you just made a really BIG mistake, and you see the horizon lifting with everyone paddling like crazy yelling the word "outside!!!"at the top of their lungs. Everyone already has a good 50ft on you and you know they are barely gonna make over the top, but for you mother ocean is about to get up close and intimate unleashing her fury on your little raggedy ass.

[neosponge]

Finally feel like I have a full quiver.



As Kelly mentioned, bodyboard can handle (and perform very well I might add) in virtually all sizes and most conditions. But I've been trying to be more versatile, first with the 9'0" tanker, then the 6'5" shortboard. Recently got the 7'6" "fun gun" that will be my bigger wave board. It actually feels a tad to "volumey", but I have to give it more time. The minitank is actually my daughter's board, but you know daddy will want to try the 6'6" low rocker Town board. And the Surfster, well, only for play.

Best advice is to keep trying different boards and find out what works for you. Everybody's different.

[HMARK]

You know reading Kellys post conjures up vivid thoughts. I know this is off the subject of board size. But I dont think there is a worse feeling than the sinking feeling you get in the pit of your stomach, when you surfing at a spot to the max of your ability (in terms of surf size) when you turn to paddle for a wave but miss it.... Turn around and realize you just made a really BIG mistake, and you see the horizon lifting with everyone paddling like crazy yelling the word "outside!!!"at the top of their lungs. Everyone already has a good 50ft on you and you know they are barely gonna make over the top, but for you mother ocean is about to get up close and intimate unleashing her fury on your little raggedy ass.

Every day! Wish the rain would stop. Nice quiver neo!..