Need help with board choice

[pcm0725]

I need some help selecting a shorter board. I am stuck between a used 6’8 Al Merrick flyer, a new 6’6 Anacapa Tri Fish, or a new 6’8 Anacapa Glider. They are all the same price and from what I understand all shaped by Al Merrick. I weigh 180 pounds and my height is 5’11.

[drowningbitbybit]

all shaped by Al Merrick.

"All vaguely glanced at on a computer screen by Al Merrick."

[IB_Surfer]

Go ahead, go for the imported name branded shortboard, either one will do.

I'd rather get a Sharpeye, Plus1 or Kane Garden since I'm in San Diego. There aren't any good shapers in your area?

[sebastiansurfer]

pcm it says your from saint augustine so i know there are plenty of shapers and local shops to get a board

it doesnt have to be a merrick=]
mine is basically a flyerII but only cost me 225 used instead of 450+
if you are only picking one of the 3
the glider does have plenty of foam in it so it should work my friend

[pcm0725]

Thanks for all the advice. Yea I live in St. Augustine, Fl but I just moved here and don’t know of any shapers. I was just going to go to a local surf shop and pick up one of the boards. I am going to talk to the people that work there, but I just wanted to get some background info first because after all the people who work at the shop are salesman and I didn’t want to get pushed in to buying the wrong one. I guess I am just looking for which would be the best all round board, because my parents live in North Carolina so when I go home I can surf as well. The only reason I wanted merrick was because I have never heard a bad word about that brand of boards.

[sweatthesalt]

well dude those are all pretty big boards. Do you plan on mostly surfing double overhead waves? cuz if your mainly surfing waist to head high waves i would def. recommend somehting smaller. I am 180 pounds, excluding my wetsuit and booties, and i ride a 6'2'' standard shorty. I woudl recommend a shorty anywhere from 6'2'' to 6'4'' shorty, with 18.5 to 19.5. width, and 2 3/8 or more thickness. That would float well enough, and since its shorter lessen the chance of pearling, and also in smaller waves be way more manuverable.

and to add, i wouldnt buy a merrick man, those things, even though excellent boards, cost like 700 dollars, and they are glassed very light so they tend to break easier than other surfboards. Just buy a used board in good condition for 200 or 300 bucks, i bet you wont notice the difference, and it has a decent chance of being glassed stronger

[IB_Surfer]

well dude those are all pretty big boards. Do you plan on mostly surfing double overhead waves? cuz if your mainly surfing waist to head high waves i would def. recommend somehting smaller. I am 180 pounds, excluding my wetsuit and booties, and i ride a 6'2'' standard shorty.

I'm 200lbs and could not ride a 6'4" x 18 1/2 x 2 1/4 Solomon S-core comfotably, I could on shoulder high + waves but just sunk too much in smaller surf. I do have a 6'3 x 19 3/4 x 2 1/2 handshaped eps epoxy that I ride but my go-to board is a 6'5" carbon epoxy, I'm 45 so need a littlbe bigger board to get into waves to paddlewar with you youngsters.

If you are already a good surfer you might want to go smaller, but as a transition board or for begginer/intermediate level surfer a 6'6" will do fine.

[IB_Surfer]

but, if you really want a Global Surf Industries pop out here is the best deal for them:

http://www.islesurfboards.com/anacapaby ... -fish.aspx

[jon.biarritz]

I'm 45 so need a littlbe bigger board to get into waves to paddlewar with you youngsters.

Hey math, there might be growing debate about that concept. Someone on this forum put up a shaper's forum link where more and more people were saying that mid-sized boards can even be harder to paddle than shortboards and longboards, bringing their users to a premature "surfing death". Have you ever noticed groms on potato chips paddling circles in the lineup around guys on hybrids? Just a thought. Anyway, I'm not a youngster either

[isaluteyou]

I'm 45 so need a littlbe bigger board to get into waves to paddlewar with you youngsters.

Hey math, there might be growing debate about that concept. Someone on this forum put up a shaper's forum link where more and more people were saying that mid-sized boards can even be harder to paddle than shortboards and longboards, bringing their users to a premature "surfing death". Have you ever noticed groms on potato chips paddling circles in the lineup around guys on hybrids? Just a thought. Anyway, I'm not a youngster either

you cant compare a 14 year old grom that weighs 120lb to a 45 year old who weighs 200lbs Its all about the right board for the right person and the right conditions

[jon.biarritz]

OK I dug up the link, check this out, it was posted by oldwashaway a month ago here under the topic about easy-to-paddle boards. It's worth reading:

"OK, I did some searching on Swaylock's on this paddling speed subject as it relates to shortboards. I found an absolutely fascinating discussion here:
http://www.swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.c ... t=18905839
Surfers were discussing why some shortboards are faster paddling than others."

[IB_Surfer]

I just read the info, it's about a guy riding funboards going down to a 6'8" and Ben Aaipa riding a 6'4". I ride a 6'3" and a 6'5" and I'm recommending a 6'6" to a begginer, I think I'm speaking the same language, I never recommend getting funboards.

As to groms, I eat them for breakfast, I catch almost every wave I go after and don't get skunked when surfing.

I used to surf 6'1 shortboards, still can, but I know my limitations, I rather go stlightly bigger and improve my wave count than try to hang on to my youth.

That said, PCM075: let us know how it went.