Surfing Waves

Hi, I'm new to the forum, have a question for all you more experienced surfers.

I've been riding a 9ft longboard a bit more than a year now in mostly 3-6 foot surf, am consistently up on waves, on the face and turning, albeit slowly. A few spots out here in San Francisco can get pretty big and steep especially in the winter, and on big days, the board is pretty rocker-less, leading to pearling if I don't get up almost immediately or have a pretty good angle on takeoff. It also feels like a bus trying to turn.

I'm interested in adding a second board especially for the bigger days to help progress on turning and also to pull off steeper and later takeoffs. A bit wary though of struggling on too short a board in my preciously-little free time, but at the same time want something that will feel substantially different than what I already have.

I'm 6 ft, 185 lbs (83kg), 33 years old, and a strong paddler (at least for the first hour).

Question: I've been looking at boards as wide-ranging as a 7s 7'3' Superfish XL (fish-shape, almost 3 inches thick) vs. something more longboard shaped just shorter with more rocker, like a minimal vs. funboard. Would appreciate your suggestions and experience in transitioning down. Recommendations on suggestiongs for specs would be great.

Thanks!

Hey SF DR. I used to live in the bay area for oh say 30 years so I know all the breaks up in and around that whole area from Montery to Bodega Bay. If your on a long flat (true type single fin) long board for sure you can catch every wave period don't be fooled a log can surf all conditions and yes yes yes if your in the sweet spot for your paddle/pop up and your nose is pearling it means one thing you should have been standing allready or better be in the proccess of it!! HA HA had that same prob for awhile till I figured it out. As for board step down or up (however you want to look at it as being) A minimal is a good match to what your on now and to where your surfing (both these board type can surf anywhere) .
If you look for a minimal look in the range of 8'4"+/- x2 3/4" thick and around 20" to 22" wide or so. 3 fin thruster set up with Future fin boxes(first choice) or FCS plugs (second choice) a good keel fin like Futures 7" performance(as it says) or the 7.5/8" cutaway(lose tail) range some wax and your ready to rip it up this will give you the stability you want and need but with the later takeoff and ability to rip up and down and all over. No fish !!A fun board will have it's no use days where as the mal can be used every time from ankle mush to way overhead stuff. Oh yea ha ha if your paddle is kicking azz on a 9'er you'll be amazed at how fast your tank runs dry on a mal for the first few times ha ha ha Bummer dude but when you have at it a few times your paddle follows suit so no worries and when you go back to that flat 9'er you'll fly across the water. Good luck and good times.

Hi, you sound like a pretty experienced surfer with a good balance, so based on how you describe the waves (3-6ft), I would recommend a 7'6" minimal or a 6'8", which are the boards which I'm currently riding. They can cope with almost anything. Good luck with your boardhunt.

Get a short board

Thanks for the advice.

I went out today with a buddy who rented a 7'6" NSP epoxy funboard (3" thick). I borrowed it for a while. Surf was 3-5 mushy stuff. Definitely was harder to get into waves compared to the 9 ft - felt like I had to either take off later, or be really far up on the board, but got the hang of it after a bit, pretty easy to get up on actually. Couple things I have questions about:

1) There was this weird thing happening where just as my speed was picking up, water started to kick up and spray right in my face, which was super irritating and actually caused me to bail once or twice. What is that about? Doesn't happen on the 9 footer.

2) The board still felt a bit sluggish turning. Wondering if that is what 7'6" funboards feel like, or is an NSP particularly sluggish (based on thickness, quality etc.)?

I found NSP's pretty heavy and hard to turn. But maybe I just suck!! But they were really stable and easy to stand on. My wife enjoyed renting one when she was learning but now she says she enjoys a lighter more manueverable board. People that own them say they are indestructible though.

SFDoc wrote:Thanks for the advice.

1) There was this weird thing happening where just as my speed was picking up, water started to kick up and spray right in my face, which was super irritating and actually caused me to bail once or twice. What is that about? Doesn't happen on the 9 footer.

Sounds like the board was saying "time to get up"?.