Fish Or Shortboard?

[isaluteyou]

Well i may just beable to scrape enough money together to get me a new board. I really want something that is going to give me some more maneveroubility and easier turns. Heres my vitalstatistix

Height = 6.1
weight = 140 (about 10 1/2 stone)
experience = 3 months riding a 7.4 thruster. I pop-up no probs and ride waves pretty good i have already experienced 8ft surf and coped great. I can preform sort of cutbacks and basic manevours.

Im pretty tall but a lightweight. Im looking for something that is going to help me improve but at the same time is not going to kill me to get going. I also want something i can duckdive with cause i hate turtling (gives me a headache if i do it too much )

Im not too fussed about make or model i just want some idea's on size, weight, and style. So that when i go board shopping i have an idea of what im looking for.

I wouldnt say im competative i just want to have fun while i improve my skills.

All advice will be welcome. Thanks

[rich r]

Drop down to a 6-6 if you want. You'll be able to duck dive it and it should feel similar to your current thruster.

You could try a bit shorter, like a 6-2 or 6-4.. depends on how much work you want to put into it.

The only thing about a fish is that it would be very different from what you rise - from length to the lack of a rocker - that you might have a bigger learning curve. But I hear they're fun as well.

[Driftingalong]

^^^ Sound advise ^^^

You might not want to get a fish until you've moved down to a shorter shortboard first.

[FishKid Wales]

^^^ Sound advise ^^^

You might not want to get a fish until you've moved down to a shorter shortboard first.

Why not???? I stepped down from a mini mal straight onto 'my precioussssssssss' and havent had any problems.............yet

[Beachbum]

If you want to push yourself you could try a 6'2" or 6'4" like Rich r said above but I'm not really sure.

[isaluteyou]

thanks for the advice yeah i have been thinking about a 6.6 fourunatly a buddy is going to lend me his 6.6 shortboard for a week so i can get a real good feel of it. I will then make my final choice afterwards. With any luck by next month i will have a new board

[GowerCharger]

umm, surely a fish is a shortboard
i would say go for a thruster, fish are fun but usually something you would have in addition to a thruster for mucking about on smaller days.

[Laguna]

Sounds to me like you should get a shortboard with a swallow tail. It will feel a lot looser and make you sit in the pocket more. Turning on the wave will be a lot easier and the swallow tail also holds in big surf.

[FishKid Wales]

Why not go for a hybrid (fishy shape with a little more rocker/slightly less volume and 3 fin setup). That way you get the best of both worlds!