Surfing Waves

Hello. I've been surfing in Japan for about a year. Bought a 7'6" last year and kept it at the shop, but I've been making more friends with cars and heading out to some other breaks. Unfortunately my 7'6" is really just too big to get on the train, even to head to where everyone is loading up the cars. It's too big for some of the cars. I'm looking at getting a second board, a little shorter, but still something fairly easy. I'm 66kg, 39 yrs and in average shape. I get out once or twice a week to surf, on weekends, so I have to take whatever the conditions are. I currently have a Santa Cruz Solid, probably low 50s in volume. I'd like to get something around 6'6". I can stand up fine and catch unbroken waves. I'm working on turning and going down the line. I know it would be ideal to wait a little longer to get a board, but I really need something I can travel with now. I've tried some 6'8"ish boards probably in the low 40s in volume and I have been able to catch waves and stand, but definitely more difficult than a larger board.

I'm looking at this board now. 6'6" Three Weather Happy Turn. (Yeah, I know the name is a bit silly. It's a Japanese brand) The price is ok. The volume is a little higher which should help with mushy days. Has some nice flexibility in fins. Concave in the nose. It seems like a better choice than a groveler/small wave board.

(full page: http://www.murasaki.co.jp/surfing/topics_list/threeweather_16-17.html)

I've also looked at the 6'8" torq fun board. The 6'10" torq big boy 23 (probably a little larger and more volume that I might want). I'm curious about the McCoy nugget, but it's twice the price of this board. I'm not sure if it would be worth it at my current level. Probably worth waiting until I improve more. Firewire is too expensive for me in Japan right now. Lost is up there with McCoy, but not off the table. I've kind of been warned away of going shorter than 6'6" until I'm able to go down the line and stay in the wave.

How does the above board look? Any suggestions on other boards I should maybe look at? I'm restricted to Japan at the moment, but I can consider getting something next time I travel back to the US. A lot of brands are considerably cheaper there. I've been watching the used boards, but haven't seen anything pop up in my size/volume range for a decent price.

Oops, maybe I should of posted this here: viewforum.php?f=39

I got a 6'4" NSP Fish I can sell you. I've taken it on the train to Kamakura-Shonan. That's about the maximum aloud on the train. ( but if you look like a Gaijin and say you don't speak Japanese, they'll just let you go ). I leave near Shinagawa, so hit me up if you're going surfing ( I don't have a car either )

If you're going to go with a Three Weather 6'6", I would go with the "Performer Egg" over the "Happy Turn". If you're not going to use the Single fin center box, it'll be easier and more simple with the tri-fin on the Egg. Also I would prefer a Squash in the small gutless beach break than the Rounded Pin. What break you go to ?

Thanks for the reply. Nice to see someone else in Japan. I actually brought the 7'6" on the train back from Onjuku and almost got it crushed in the escalator a couple times in Tokyo station. Met someone last week who even crushed a 6 footer in the escalator. They let me on with that thing, but I can see where I might have trouble at a more busy station.

Last year I learned with some other beginner friends at Onjuku, but picked up some bad habits. I've been taking some lessons in the tiny surf at Shonan near Enoshima and going out with some new friends. Anywhere from Kujukuri, Torami, Onjuku and a little further south. Sometimes down to Tatado in Izu and hit some other places in Shonan, more toward Taito. Last year I kind of found Onjuku can lack a lot of power, especially with even slight on shore winds. No one could ride anything.

I kind of liked the option of a large center fin on the Happy Turn over the Performer Egg, but either would probably be fine. I can see where the egg is probably better in gutless surf and it has a little more volume, probably almost as much as my 7'6". I'll have to think about it a little.

I hadn't looked at a fish board when considering what to get. I heard they are a little more advanced, but I am interested.

Wow, just took a quick look at your blog and I really like all the detail you go into. A lot of it is above my level yet, but definitely going to spend some time reading that soon.

CharlesTokyo wrote:Wow, just took a quick look at your blog and I really like all the detail you go into. A lot of it is above my level yet, but definitely going to spend some time reading that soon.

Great decision!

I have a McCoy nugget (one of the PU hand shaped ones) and it's pretty good in smaller waves due to the fat tail. But I do find the rounded dome bottom is a bit unstable and in bigger steeper surf (OH+) the fat tail is a bit of a hindrance (for me anyway although others don't find it an issue so...me). But it's definitely a viable option - if it's the epoxy version (can't imagine a PU board is feasible on the Tokyo system).

Whether it offers more than the other boards you are loooking at I can't tell.

Listen to waikikichan rather than me - he surfs all those places and knows his stuff.

dtc wrote:I have a McCoy nugget (one of the PU hand shaped ones) and it's pretty good in smaller waves due to the fat tail.

I agree with the McCoy Nugget design and having a wider tail for small gutless surf. But sadly, having that design flipped the other way round is the trend. Wide nose and Narrow tail like a tear drop going the other way. Haven't seen too many McCoys here in Japan.

I had a nugget for about two months....pu as well; got rid of it because the tail was too wide for here....waves can be small but rarely gutless and the wide tail made me feel like a pinball being shot into the wave. Was a solidly glassed board as well (read: heavy)....epoxy version would be the go if you were toting it around subways. In the end, the egg shaped mini Mal 7' board I have had better range, lighter (epoxy), and was easier and more fun to ride so I sold the nugget on.

Short update. I did pick up the Happy Turn on Friday and took it out to Nodehama on Saturday morning. It worked out great. Small waves, but it was fairly easy to paddle into and catch waves. It's not as a buoyant or stable as the longer board, but I can still stand up on it. It fits easily into cars and much easier to carry on the train, so it's an all round victory. It's doesn't float all the way into the shore like the larger board, but that's good for me right now. I might have even able to go a little lower on volume, but I can keep my wave count up with this as I work on improving my paddling.

Cool - many happy turns indeed!