Buying an "off the shelf" board this week

[Guest]

I've been browsing this site for a few weeks now, and I know the advice is "talk with a shaper and they'll be able to get you what you need....." but due to recent events, I have NO surfboard, and havent been in the water in about 7 days, and it's killing me.

I'm 6"2, 185lbs, and would like to go with a shortboard, (coming from an 8' funboard)

The vibe I get from alot of people in my area (Del Mar, CA) is the CI Flyer II, but also to look into a Hybrid fish, like the Rusty Piranah, and again, I have NO idea what rule of thumb I should use for the length of these boards - and the shorter the better, I have a very, very small car

So what are the comparisons? Would it be 100x easier to catch waves in the Rusty board, but only be limitied to smaller waves, and when it's bigger (5ft+ ) what would be the major downsides to having a fish as my ONLY board?

I apologize for so many questions, I've been to about 5 boardshops in my area and noone has been very knowledgable, and it seems this is the only large surfing forum on the net. Thanks guys!

[drowningbitbybit]

A hybrid fish makes it a lot easier to catch waves than a shortboard. And they've got more volume for big fellas like yourself

The only downside is that they dont work in big waves (they start to skate all over the place, and wont hold the face) and also they wont be as good in poor quality surf as a funboard.

So it depends on what the waves are like where you surf and whether you're a big wave hero or a small wave ripper

Personally, I LOVE my fish

[deathfrog]

the rusty boards are superlight and really get delam problems fast, the flyer II is really only for stuff above head high, the regular flyer is good all around, I have a seven foot funboard that I can use in anything from knee high to overhead, but it does start getting squirlley then, but bigger fins would help with that. Bonzers are the way to go for versatality, I have a neighbor who was sponsored by plastic fantastic and he surfed a bonzer they made him for like ten years, in anything from 14 foot swell to three foot chop (really performs much better in the 14 foot though) and it was only a 6'2. Being in del mar it shouldn't be all that hard to find one, the fives really perform more like thrusters and the threes are more like singlefins.

Hope this helps, but I wouldn't really go for the rusty if you like durability and longetivity, the flyer will be a little more durable, a bonzer dependingi on who mjakes it will probally last a while, and then you could also look into a performance longboard, but nevermind space is an issue.

[Brent]

My call is about a 7' full volumed fish shaped thruster, perhaps with a square tail. Say 6'10" to 7' long, 20" wide with a nice full 14.5" nose & tail. this board should be about 2 5/8" thick.

Just get a good locally made custom.

[mylow]

well, my board is 6'8 long, 18" wide and 1.6" thick. it works in anything from 1ft-8ft. you would need something thicker, more buoyancy, i'm about 50-60 pounds lighter than you and when i'm sitting on my board, the water comes up to the bottom of the breastbone (just below my boobs (i'm a chick)).

[Driftingalong]

well, my board is 6'8 long, 18" wide and 1.6" thick. it works in anything from 1ft-8ft. you would need something thicker, more buoyancy, i'm about 50-60 pounds lighter than you and when i'm sitting on my board, the water comes up to the bottom of the breastbone (just below my boobs (i'm a chick)).

No offense, but the original post is a year old...I think they've probably gotten the board by now.

[mylow]

well, my board is 6'8 long, 18" wide and 1.6" thick. it works in anything from 1ft-8ft. you would need something thicker, more buoyancy, i'm about 50-60 pounds lighter than you and when i'm sitting on my board, the water comes up to the bottom of the breastbone (just below my boobs (i'm a chick)).

No offense, but the original post is a year old...I think they've probably gotten the board by now.

ohhh welll sooorrryyy!!!

[drowningbitbybit]

No offense, but the original post is a year old...I think they've probably gotten the board by now.

Glad you pointed that out as I was wondering whether I was going mad, not being able to remember replying to this thread... Oh, that was me A YEAR ago