Surfing Waves

Hi All

Long time since I logged in but I'm looking for a bit of advice on getting a second board.

Been surfing for 2 years now. My first board is a cheap and cheerful Bic 8'4" mini mal, 3" thick and wiiiiide which honestly, I like. I've ridden the xxxxx out of it on perfect days and horrible days, it's big, it's floaty and it's been a great learners board. Poly so it's taken a battering through my learning curve and kept going and going. It's got an endearing charm about it and I'll keep riding it on small mushy days until it finally gives up.

I surf in the UK so perfect A frames and calm weather are rare with swell. Any swell is usually accompanied with wind, rain and a sense of being in a fight with the ocean. The mini mal has served me well though.

I'm just back from a 2 week trip to Bali in a camp where I got on like a house of fire with one of the guides and i spent most of the time hanging out with him and his group of friends on a rental board. It was a 7'6" funboard, not sure on width but a little narrower than my mini mal, pointier tail with a very defined raised stringer in the middle (sorry, I'm not great at picking out board features by eye and the language barrier made it difficult) which has been great.

Best 2 weeks surfing of my life. After 2 years of the brutal cold and angry sea of the UK it's revitalised my love of the sport. Spending all day surfing, eating at warungs on the beach, napping under trees and surfing more has been amazing. The locals have taught me so much and I've progressed more than I thought possible in 2 weeks. Catching waves at will, nailing my bottom turns, holding it in the pocket and working on pumping for speed has left me feeling like I need to add to my quiver now to keep me progressing and allowing me to get in the water on heavier days. Turning up at home to see 6ft+ surf always sent me turning for home feeling dejected about missing such rare big surf. Here, going out in 8 to 10ft was something I never thought possible but the locals have given me the knowledge and confident to dive straight in now.

Question is, what is a good "next board" for me? I don't want to go off and get a board similar to this rental as the surf here was totally different. Defined channels, slower breaking waves, wedgyer and more powerful 16s period waves may have played right into the funboards sweet spot. At home, it's dumpier, faster breaking and weaker.

What would be the advice of yourselves for a good board as my next step to really start working on snappier turns, getting out in bigger surf and most importantly, getting out back without 20 minutes of shoulder shredding hard work? My thought were something around 7'2" to 7'6", maybe a more pointy nose, more pin tailed but still with good thickness and width to keep it floaty.
My body dimensions are 170lb to 180lb (been bulking recently so maybe 190lb in the next 6 months), 5'11" tall and pretty athletic (9% bodyfat) if that helps.

Thanks for any insight you all can give!

You're on the right sort of lines. The BIC magnum 8'4 is a wave magnet, but it's a heavy, bulky thing. I'd go for a mini mal around 7'6 ish which will be a lot lighter and feel nicer to ride, without sacrificing much in paddling. Don't be tempted to go too small and pointy. The UK waves will make it much harder work to progress to that sort of board, and your rides will be shorter and more disappointing if you go too small.

By the way, the extra bulk (of yourself) will make your paddling and wave catching more difficult so err on the side of larger.

What about something like a Torq 7'2 mod fun? Or something like that - seems to fit the bill

It should definitely be surfable with your experience and skill level. Might require a bit of effort in smaller or weaker waves but that's part of learning

Yeah, you were here for the best bit of the year....surf has been good lately.

Out of curiosity, where were you surfing while you were here? Where I usually go it's hollow with no channel....something mes go to Batu Bolong or Dreamland which sounds like your descriptions....nice thing about here is that with so many breaks you can choose what your're after.

How often do you surf in the UK? Wear a wetsuit always? I don't know hardly anything about conditions over there other than a few pics and written descriptions....sounds like a lot more poor days than good ones. When waves are good here they do most of the work....if you are in position a couple few paddles and you're off (esp. if you're hanging with a gang of surfguides. . ). 7'6" mini mal is still maneurvable.....depends on how much you want to bite off. If you were truly surfing as good as you just wrote I'd get a board similar to what you were riding here. You'll still have your tanker, but on those good days you pull the funboard which will be more responsive (a positive and a negative....you'll work harder but so long as you can get on waves you'll get better.)