Shortboard transition

[tylo255]

So I have been surfing for about half a year now, I currently have a Kazuma mini long board (8' x 21.25" x 2.68" 50 L). I surf ankle biters to about shoulder high and can catch green waves and get down the line with some turns, albeit wide turns. I had thought I needed more experience before shortening, but I borrowed a friend's Firewire Greedy Beaver (6'6" x 21.25" x 2.75" 46.4 L) on a waist high day and found I was able to catch some waves more easily than I expected, and was kinda hooked on how easy it was to turn...I didn't give it back for a while.

I'm now now on Craigslist looking for a board that will give me a similar feel as I progress, and if it could be something I keep in the quiver for slopppier days, that would be a plus. I found a 7S 6'8" Superfish (6'8''x 21'' x 2.75' 44.2 L) that seems to be the closest, would this be a good reco for anyone who has used them or knows of them? The next closest board is a NSP 6'2" Hybrid (6'2'' x 20.75" x x 2.625" 40.5 L), which I feel may work, but that seems like a bit of a jump to 6'2" even though the volume seems to be pretty high still...but just in terms of quality it does look to be a nicer board.

I live on west Maui so the wave quality is pretty good and consistent, I go whenever I can. And also I'm like 5'5" 130 lbs. Any help appreciated!

[dtc]

7S superfish is a board often recommended as good choice to transition to smaller board. Pretty stable, good to get into waves. Not for fast reef breaks or anything too big, but doesn’t sound like you need that

Make sure you don’t damage the ‘points’ on the tail - it’s easy to do, even just standing the board up on its tail in the parking lot.

But if that’s the length you want, then it’s a good choice. I would go for it.

(It’s not really a ‘fish’, it’s really a hybrid with a swallow tail. But that’s just being pedantic, it makes no difference to the suitability of the board)

[alex_k]

I've got a similar total amount of experience, though am a little bigger than you at 5'10", 150lbs. I surfed a 6'6" greedy beaver with about a year experience at my local sloppy beach break, then later surfed two 7s superfish at 6'6" and 6'9" around waikiki with about a year and a half experience as a much better surfer (all rentals, one or two sessions each).

To me, the greedy beaver feels more shortboard-y, responsive, stiff and maneuverable. The superfish was a little more stable and forgiving, much more forgiving than my shortboard. Both were quite manageable to surf, so the superfish is something you'll be able to surf quickly if you could surf the greedy beaver.

Length also helps when going down in volume. I expanded from an 8'2" mini longboard to both a 6'6" shortboard and a 7'0" egg, and even though they are only a few liters different in volume the 7' is way easier to surf. It is easier to place my feet right and can be trimmed from the middle or turned off the tail, and the shortboard wants to be surfed more from the tail. Might a pro for the 6'6" over the 6'2" NSP.