Getting a "Shorter" Board

[teenageape]

So I'm relatively new to surfing. I've been surfing since October on a 7 foot funboard (7x21x2.8 ). It's pretty fun, I can ride it with ease no problem.

I'm looking to purchase a shorter board though. I'm not sure if I should get an actual shortboard. I have a shortboard (6"0'x18.35x2.25) that's sorta just around my house that I tried today and there's definitely not enough volume for me. Getting out to the lineup is annoying. I could catch the wave and I really like how the board accelerates well as opposed to my funboard where I have to paddle extensively before a wave comes. I didn't have much problem balancing on the board, sitting on it, and popping up. My main problem was mainly paddling speed and I'm pretty sore now. However, I'm not entirely sure how well to assess that session because that shortboard is really beat up and has considerable water damage not to mention I'm used to my funboard.

I surf in spots where the waves aren't that steep and more mushy like La Jolla Shores, sometimes Scripps and sometimes PB if anyone is familiar. I'm looking for a board that's good in 3-4ft (and possibly up to 6ft) waves on days where there's a minor swell. I'm 5'5", 135 pounds and 19 years old.

I want to progress and do more tricks like better cutbacks, bottom turns and top turns. Can't really do big bottoms turns on my funboard, the rails always dig in. I also want to be able to duckdive. Duckdiving on my shortboard was so easy, something I can't do on my funboard. After riding my shortboard my funboard felt like a raft, in a bad way. I definitely want something smaller, quicker, and slicker. I figure I could use my funboard in 1-3ft waves and use a shorterboard for anything bigger. Some boards I had in mind

A twin fish, no rocker, wide and thick (Would it hold up in 5ft surf?)
A hybrid fish/shortboard
A channel islands board like the motorboat or a dumpster diver
A quad shortboard. I don't know much about these.

Any help is appreciated. I'm getting a lotta money in a month so I can buy a new board .

[dball]

Hey. Shoot one of the shapers on this website an email or give them a call. If you go onto a profile page you can see their models in detail.
They can help you out.
http://www.surfcandies.com
Good Luck!

[surf doc]

If you are at the point where you are moving up and down the face of the wave, picking up speed and consistently hitting bottom turns then I think it's reasonable to move to a more challenging shape. Just realize there will be a period of time where you'll feel like you've lost paddle speed and stability no matter what shape you go with. It takes some getting used to but once you've adjusted then you won't think twice about your paddling ability.

If you are able to get your hands on a few boards and try them out, that would be the best approach. Borrow from friends or rent/demo from shops and see what works. I have a quad rocket that's sort of a hybrid fish/shortboard (although much more shortboard than fish), I think it would satisfy your criteria. Check out 'lost' surfboards, the rocket. Good luck.

[Coolryanrocks]

If ur in the San Diego area rent a 6'6 at a local board rental shop. If u like it get a USED board at clairmont surf shop or rusty. Good luck

[IB_Surfer]

I'm going to give you advice based on my own experience.

If you want to progress as a surfer and go down in size I would recommend you do it a little at a time. From a 7ft board I would go down to 6'8 or 6'6 shortboard, surf that for a few months to get used to the change from a funboard to a thruster, then later go down to a smaller size. For your weight, height and age a 6'0 will be perfect, but not at your ability.

I went from 8ft, to 7'4 to 7'0 to 6'6 while I was learning, over the course of about 3 year.

I know it's more expensive this way, but for sure you will be surfing more than struggling...

[Wilson1971]

I went from an 8" Bourton big bat down to a 6"2' Channel island biscuit. It paddles well and catches waves easily. Lots of volume. A great fun first short board.