heavy surfer, short board

[luizesg]

Hi there!

I've been surfing for a long time but not to often. Since the begining I've add some extra pounds and now I am about 200 pounds. Lately, I was not to much pleased with my performance, since I spent mor time paddling then catching waves. So I decided to buy a fun board (7') and everything get better. My stamina and my skills increased and so was my pleasure.

The point is that apart what I told, I still like surfing in small boards better due their maneuverability and choose to give shortboards another shot and bought a 6'4'' 19 1/2 2 5/8.

This weekend was the firt time I gave it a try and for my expectation it was a total failure. I was always late during the drop, sank the border loosing much speed and fell many times.

I think those problems got to do with my weigth inasmuch I got a good performance with my funboard.

I know that many people would advise me to keep my funboard that it fits me better but I really want to ride shortboards.

Does anyone have been through this like me? I ask this because I don't see many 200 pound surfers to make a compare.

Ps: as you can notice, I am not an english speaker, so be patient with my grammar mistakes

thanks!

[Young blood]

Well my 6'2 is 2 1/4 inches thick keeps up my 200 pound friend...and jordy smith is 6'2 and 200+ pounds and he can ride a 5'5 preety sick haha...
It may be technique , you know.. how you ride the board against the wave...but just keep at it bro shortboarding is way more fun and im sure you can get used to it i really doubt weight should be so much of the problem

[isaluteyou]

its all about fine tuning a board to your specifications something a shaper would do no probs.

[luizesg]

I think you're right. It is probably due to my poor skills... It's just that I feel all right with my funboard. I got plenty of speed with it and I manage to control it ok and I thougth that I could transfer some of this "skills" when surfing shortboards but it was not that simple.

Now I'm trying to figure out wich approach is better: keep surfing funboard till I reach a higher level or insist in the shortboard and being patient every time I screw a good wave.

[drowningbitbybit]

Now I'm trying to figure out wich approach is better: keep surfing funboard till I reach a higher level or insist in the shortboard and being patient every time I screw a good wave.

Both. You have a quiver (a really small one).

Use the funboard on smaller or fatter waves, and save the shortboard for the bigger/steeper/more powerful days. That way you'll be catching waves whatever the conditions (well, almost)

[dicky b]

Another options you may want to look into is a bigger retro fish shape or a thicker wider short board ( I am sure you don't want to buy another board right now though). I am about your size and I surf a short board about the same size as yours when there are waves waist high or bigger, in crappy waves I love the feel and float a larger retro shape provides ( 6' - 6' 2" Length, 21 or wider and up to 3 inches thick) Foam is your friend!
Just my two cents but as drowningbitbybit said use the funboard for the crappy days and when there are some waves bring both your boards and alternate with the short board.

[luizesg]

Another options you may want to look into is a bigger retro fish shape or a thicker wider short board ( I am sure you don't want to buy another board right now though). I am about your size and I surf a short board about the same size as yours when there are waves waist high or bigger, in crappy waves I love the feel and float a larger retro shape provides ( 6' - 6' 2" Length, 21 or wider and up to 3 inches thick) Foam is your friend!
Just my two cents but as drowningbitbybit said use the funboard for the crappy days and when there are some waves bring both your boards and alternate with the short board.

I think all you guys said makes sense. I'm gonna keep my fun and use it in weaker days and use my short in waist + waves.

I once thought to get a fish, but I got the mini instead thinking that the funboard would fulfill my needs on small waves while all good days would be spared for my short.

70% of the time I surf in mushy conditions and depite being easier to drop/stand up, it is hard to sustain velocity. Beyond that I have to work all day and surf is a weekend/hollidays activity. I know that shortboarding demands hours of constant pratice but I have three mouths to feed (four if you take my pit bull in consideration) ...

[drowningbitbybit]

I once thought to get a fish, but I got the mini instead thinking that the funboard would fulfill my needs on small waves while all good days would be spared for my short.

Just my own opinion here, rather than an incontrovertible law of surfing, but I dont think retro fishes work for big guys (or at least, are not nice to surf). The big volume thing only works when the board is short - really short. If you're 200lbs, then you'd be looking at a 6ft+ fish which feels like surfing an inflatable airbed.

So I reckon you made the right choice with the funboard


A good alternative now might be something like a hybrid fish (ie fat shortboard) or fatboy flier type board.
That is, a board thats quite shortboardy but has a little extra volume and tail area to help you catch the waves.

[IB_Surfer]

I once thought to get a fish, but I got the mini instead thinking that the funboard would fulfill my needs on small waves while all good days would be spared for my short.

I love my fishes, I just sold one so I can get another. It's not my go-to board, but it is my go-to-when-not-sure board, when I'm not sure what conditions I will find and want one that can handle a range of waves. I've had mine in knee high to overhead. When the waves are really good I do wish I had my thruster instead, but mainly cause I like it better, but I still have a blast on my fish.

I'm 200lbs and have a 6'10" I use as my longboard and a 6'1" I just ordered to replace the 6'3" I had.

Lastly, if you know a mushy big wave then the fish is the call, here is my 6'10" at a baja point break that was breaking about 7' but super mushy and slow: