Ordered a new Shortboard

[KiddiePoolSurfn]

Hey guys! I recently came back to Surfing after a 15 year vacation! I've been riding an 8ft funshape (8x 22.5 x 2 5/8). I decided I wanted to hit up a shortboard and got some cash recently so decided I'll have the Local shaper do it. This guy has been shaping for 30+ years and surfing for 4 decades, so i trusted his judgement. The board is going to be a standard shortboard and the dimensions are: (6'4" x 22 1/2 x2 3/4) I'm 185-190 lbs and 5'6". I live in Eastern Florida. So The waves are usually mushy... between knee to shoulder height... Do you think this board will work for me??? seems a bit small for my weight. Thanks guys.

[surf patrol]

Hi KiddiePoolSurfn, welcome to Surfing Waves!

The new board is a big step down from the funshape, you'll really notice it in small mushy waves. What's your surfing standard? how's your fitness?

[KiddiePoolSurfn]

my fitness is actually very good. The reason I'm so heavy is I lift a ton of weights. In the gym 5-6 days a week and eat a clean diet. The reason I wanted a short board is the funshape can't get out of it's own way on bigger surf. I'm a complete noob. But the board is constantly pearling on bigger surf, and paddling out in big surf is an ordeal with the lack of duck diving lol.

[surf patrol]

As a complete noob, this board is not for you. I suggest staying with the funshape until your skills have improved. There are things that you can do to address the pearling, and to make it easier to get out get out to the lineup - work on your eskimo / turtle roll, this will make it easier to get out.

[jaffa1949]

my fitness is actually very good. The reason I'm so heavy is I lift a ton of weights. In the gym 5-6 days a week and eat a clean diet. The reason I wanted a short board is the funshape can't get out of it's own way on bigger surf. I'm a complete noob. But the board is constantly pearling on bigger surf, and paddling out in big surf is an ordeal with the lack of duck diving lol.

Mate So much of of your post shows so much wrong in your quest to start surfing again, I think you've given yourself a hell of a lot of misinformation as to how surfing works. I think to the shaper hasn't grasped or wasn't told the full details of what you had in mind , he probably only heard shorter board
You are a short muscular guy probably gym fit and to a great extent probably aerobically fit to. Surf and paddle fit nup!

So let's start with a few basics to think about, if you have good lean muscle bulk it is less floaty than any one who carries fat, good for health not for flotation. Your weight is at a level that would mostly require a longboard or a shorter board with a lot more volume in by cutting down in size and you will notice the thickness is about the same but the board is shorter, making your floating even less likely and of course coming back to this size probably means that you haven't got the position to paddle nailed.

So The waves are usually mushy... between knee to shoulder height..

The reason I wanted a short board is the funshape can't get out of it's own way on bigger surf. I'm a complete noob. But the board is constantly pearling on bigger surf, and paddling out in big surf is an ordeal with the lack of duck diving lol.

Thanks guys.

With your weight on the fun board you should be able with proper technique be able to duck dive with ease, as your own bodyweight is not buoyant might be slightly harder with an epoxy board but still doable.

Pearling too won't stop with a change of boards unless you have an immense nose rocker and then you will feel like you are pushing a snow plow.
Everything points IMO to the fact that you are expecting too much of yourself at this stage and here is the harsh bit you do not have the skills you believe you have, you cannot push at surfing like you can in a gym or for aerobic fitness you have to gather on build upon reinforced skills done as often as possible.

Finally mushy surf is extremely frustrating to learn in as it doesn't have an easily read pattern to start adjusting to and getting out under those conditions are trying for everyone.

My opinion, I'd look to something bigger either in volume and/ or length I'd get my skills up on that and then as I progressed I'd seek smaller but good volumed boards. I'd avoid that shaper he IMO is worth only one sale and you bought it!
Why he recommended that particular size and shape

Be realistic about your skills and your expectations and then there will be no giving up in frustration.

If you can build your body in a gym you know the dedication and how to improve yourself, if you teach gym? treat yourself as an honoured client and respect your learning process.

Good luck

[Toj]

I would listen to the advice that Jaffa and surf patrol have given. Master the board you have. if you struggle to get out, then just keep practicing tha. it may be boring, but it will eventaully twig. when not surfing go swimming and build up the stamina to paddle for vast lengths of time and train your lungs for greater capacity. There are far too many people that over estimate their ability. I have been toying with the idea of getting a shortboard for some time, and if i do go for one, then it will be a a retro fish, or the Rusty mod fish. something with plenty of float. but my intention is that when i go to the beach i will have the option of either my minimal or my fish. spoilt for choice. presonally i would not go for the board that you have mentioned until you can really surf your board without pearling. thats all positioning on the board rather than the board itself. Mushy waves are never great, but if its all you've got then make the most out of it. for me, as long as there is a wave and they are of good size, then im on it. i can never afford to be picky as its a minimum of 1hour drive to Bournemouth for an okish spot for surfing. or a 3hour drive to the west coast. but any wave that i catch is a good wave in my eyes.

[KiddiePoolSurfn]

Hey guys, thanks a lot for your input. I'm going to take your advice and just struggle through it. As a kid I was 100% on a shortboard for the 5-6 years that I surfed... this is my first 'longboard'... and not a huge fan of it lol. As far as duck diving with this thing, man it's so impossible lol. I can't sink it at all, short of me standing up on it with no wave. And yea I can turtle roll it, I just thought all my experience being on a shortboard for the years that I surfed, that getting back on one, might make the transition back to surfing a bit easier.