Surfing Waves

I'm getting back into surfing after getting a titanium hip replacement from skateboarding. I don't pop up as quick with the new hip & want to catch waves earlier to allow extra pop up time. My thought is a board with less rocker or "flat rocker" would help me paddle more efficient, faster, & glide to catch waves sooner.
What is a good flat rocker board? Are there any shapers/builders that have a flat rocker model? Dont really want to spend the bucks to have one made just now. This board may only be used for rehab, as I get my legs back under me. I'm 6-1" , 230 lbs. hopefully the girth will shrink in time, but for now I am what I am.
Any ideas?

Hi Tin man, bummer about the Operation but great you are getting back, not sure about all the rehabilitation needs but a larger thicker board will give you the flotation, you possibly are right about the rocker for your needs but a little nose rocker shouldn't cause you much loss in paddling power and give a little help against nose dives during a slightly less sprightly pop up look for a long length of flat planing area and a little more width and thickness as this will give you a little more stability. Your physio may also be helpful in suggesting alternate get ups and dare I say it it might be appropriate to suggest some other options like a knee boards or even an SUP. I have a friend who has been revitalised by riding a kneeboard after a hip op like yours, he says he's surfing deeper than he was before on a short board.
But on that talk to the surgeon re the stresses and strains on the joint for what ever you choose.
Hope something helps here!

Thanks,
Yes the kneeboard is an option & I have one. I actually kneeboarded back in the day. That's part of my problem with the pop ups. I'm tuned to going to my knees & that's not a problem, except for when I want to stand up. I'm far enough along post surgery that I'm skateboarding again, but that needs to stop. That's why surfing (stand up) is going to replace my skating for the most part. The SUP is another good option. I've SUP'd a couple times already & really enjoy it, but I dont want it to be because I cant surf conventionally. The hip is fine as far as structural support & mobility. Heck, it's the best part of my body now.
I'll keep my eyes peeled for a larger, flatter bottom board, that still has some nose rocker. Thanks for the advice!

TI hip wrote: Dont really want to spend the bucks to have one made just now.

Depends on what you mean by spending bucks. In San Diego, most custom boards with gloss and paint start at least at around $750, or more if it's a reputable shaper that is known for their craft.

However, what most don't know is that making a non-glossy plain white board is at least $200 or more cheaper. Call some of the local shapers, you'd be surprised, plus you pay half now and half a month (or longer) when it's ready it's like financing it.

I rather you buy one board, the right board, with the help of a professional shaper, than you go through a couple of used boards trying the find the right one for you.

No wonder you're a teacher. you know EVERYTHING!
Good point though. We've got plenty of good shapers down here. Joe Blair seems to have taking a liking to us bigger guys too!

TI hip wrote:No wonder you're a teacher. you know EVERYTHING!
Good point though. We've got plenty of good shapers down here. Joe Blair seems to have taking a liking to us bigger guys too!

Let us know how you go

Getting surfboard advice from a 'professional shaper' is like getting legal advice from a parrot.

Before you buy a custom board go swim allot - I mean allot. Swim in a pool for an hour a day at least - every day. It might be boring but swim and swim and swim.
Then swim a 20m length (or equivalent) in 30s and keep swimming a length in 30s each minute for a an hour, then two then three hours. Then go get a board and paddle the hell outta it (trust me, I know). You will be telling the shaper what you want !

Roy Stewart wrote:Getting surfboard advice from a 'professional shaper' is like getting legal advice from a parrot.

LOL, aren't you a shaper LOL

Having visuals of a Monty Python type skit built on this.
Red wetsuits , bus to beach , bearded me on neo wooden surfcraft
Parrot lawyers, , astonished shortboarders,
all blacks hitting each other with handbags,
suited men jumping into billabongs
people walking around saying Olo, olo, olo olo
subliminally saying buy, buy, buy, buy.

Thank for your sharing information.

^ Troll - Go get him Jaffa!

naona wrote:Thank for your sharing information.

A polite one who is saying absolutely nothing at all. I think they sit on their thumbs in their cubes and hope they get a topic they can advertroll on

There is also Astroturfing where a whole lot of one posters come on an support an initial advertrolling about a topic to make it look better, this is often around resorts and surf camps etc. It is a technique frequently being used to promote political agendas or to kill an unfavourable point of view of a business.

I would love to see the advertroll believe in their business enough to take out paid advertising on the forum and supporting it!

Genuine information about new ideas I like and surfboard design and other debates that are valuable to help our posters.

Oh and opinions are important too, sometimes they can even be valuable as a heads up to stuff.
Having said all that I have been aware of Naona since the 27th
I get the feeling that mimi might be of the same ilk!