The transition from longboard to shortboard

[jackdriscoll]

Since the beginning of my surfing life I've been a longboarder. As most beginners do, I started on a 8ft foamie. Since then I've drastically gotten better and i own 3 logs, one noserider, and 2 performance longboards. But on the east coast when i gets big you wanna enjoy it. So I've recently thought of purchasing a shortboard. I've ridden a few before and had a blast. I'm crazy about the Bing Dharma and the Bing Puck.

If anyone has any board recommendations I would greatly appreciate it! thanks

[jeanp2020]

I'm still a beginner so don't listen to me to much but my surf teacher and friend rode a longboard for Manny years, than bought a second hand Fish and a hybrid shortboard. I think the fish is more for small rolling waves, so that would be good on summer days and weak swells, for big days the hybrid shortboard seems pretty good since it will give you peddle power due to its thickness and floats better wich reduces drag while still giving you maneuverability and stability. A smaller board does mean that you have to be closer to the peak so I don't think going to small will be good, buy a big shortboard that you can paddle and than duck dive.

[waikikikichan]

buy a big shortboard that you can paddle and than duck dive.

question 1: what size / length is a big short board ?
question 2: is it possible to duckdive a big shortboard ?

[jeanp2020]

buy a big shortboard that you can paddle and than duck dive.

question 1: what size / length is a big short board ?
question 2: is it possible to duckdive a big shortboard ?

I would think a board that is 60cm taller than him and has 1 liter for every 2 of his body weight so more a hybrid

[waikikikichan]

I would think a board that is 60cm taller than him and has 1 liter for every 2 of his body weight so more a hybrid

So if he was say 5'8" tall he you would recommend a board about 23.62 inches taller, so that's about a 7'8". So maybe not so much a "big shortboard" but a Hybrid or Funboard ? In that case, don't you think it'll be hard to duck dive a hybrid or funboard ? There's guys not able to their duck dive 6'0''s

[jeanp2020]

I would think a board that is 60cm taller than him and has 1 liter for every 2 of his body weight so more a hybrid

So if he was say 5'8" tall he you would recommend a board about 23.62 inches taller, so that's about a 7'8". So maybe not so much a "big shortboard" but a Hybrid or Funboard ? In that case, don't you think it'll be hard to duck dive a hybrid or funboard ? There's guys not able to their duck dive 6'0''s

Yes, I meant as Hybrid wich is what was in my latest post. Also, duckdiving is a skill but not necessarily needed, I have seen guys duckdiving to come up more exhausted then a turtle rolling longboarder (letting the wave pas over your board takes less energy since a wave has its energy compacted in its core wich in most cases losses its strength quickly turning to white water, when you duckdive a wave you are actually closer to the wave energy risking a higher chance of getting sucked over the falls or pounded in the sand, like at a very low tide). I studied Ocean knowledge for quiet some time, and if I look at it it would actually be more energy sufficient to turtle role and paddle the distance the wave put you back, than duckdive and being closer to an upwards energy source sucking you up over the falls sending you further away, wich doesn't happen when you can duckdive good tho.

And duckdiving is also muscle memory right? At first you micht duck 10cm and later 20cm or more, timing is key and it is possible to duckdive boards if your strong/and or have timing and technique (like saving your energy and not duck every wave that you couldve gone true with many other methods) the beach I surf at its messy choppy windy surf most of the time up to 5ft with onshore wind, and yet I see professional and advanced surfers duckdive maybe 3 out of 10 waves they encounter the rest they use other techniques like rolling, pushing or pounding true the wave. So you can duckdive, just not as much and it shouldn't be your only technique to reach the line up

[waikikikichan]

buy a big shortboard that you can paddle and than duck dive.

I meant as Hybrid wich is what was in my latest post. Also, duckdiving is a skill but not necessarily needed. I studied Ocean knowledge for quiet some time, and if I look at it it would actually be more energy sufficient to turtle role and paddle the distance the wave put you back, than duckdive and being closer to an upwards energy source sucking you up over the falls sending you further away, wich doesn't happen when you can duckdive good tho.

So just to clarify, you were recommending at first to buy a Big Shortboard and duck dive it, but now recommending getting a hybrid 60cm. over head and NOT duck diving but turtle rolling ? Which I would agree with for someone transitioning down from a longboard.