Surfing Waves

Hi folks, I've been using a 9' mal for a while now but don't really like it that much. I've been kitesurfing for 15 years and SUPing (sorry) for a while and am happy enough with my wave riding ability. I just find the long board a pain in the ass to do anything on and to manoeuvre and to get through whitewater etc.

I've been looking at a few short board designs with higher volume (in the 40's) that allegedly paddle like a longboard (according to salespitch) and I was wondering if it'd be easier to manage and more enjoyable. I want to start surfing a ew smaller reefs this winter and thought a shorter board might be more suitable to the steeper waves. I have the SUP for the beach breaks and small summer days. I have average enough paddle fitness, swim regularly, body surf etc.

Anyone else out there go that route instead of the longboard. Maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to add to the quiver

I'm 5'2 1/2" and 125 lbs. If a little person like myself can turn a 9'8" longboard, you can too. It's easier to maneuver a big ol' longboard if you make the board smaller/shorter by turning from the tail. Step on the leash plug and you should be able to whip it around. ( or maybe move your fin up or get a smaller fin )


This is my Bonga 9'8". Notice half of the board is out of the water.


This is Genki Kino, doing an off-the-lip on his 9'0". He is not that big either.

If you are saying you can whip your SUP around but not the longboard then I would wonder about the longboard design or how you are trying to ride it. I don't hink you need a shorter board to ride steeper waves but it may be a shorter board will work better for you. When I learned to surf initially back in 1971 I used a shortboard. I surfed for a while and quit surfing then restarted again a few years ago. This time around I learned on a 9'6" longboard. I surfed small waves, larger waves, steep waves, mushy waves. Having almost no experience riding a longboard I surfed it like I would a shortboard. It's all a matter of learning how to get the board to do what you want. Eventually however I found that even though I could surf steep waves the board did not like to hang higher up on a steep wall, it's like gravity makes it fall down to the bottom. And when I got good at cutbacks and off the lips I found I could feel the heavy weight of the board as I threw it around in turns. It was that point that I knew I needed a shorter board. I got a one and a half foot shorter fungun but initially I was worried that was a mistake because when I first lay down on the board to paddle I immediately fell off the side. The shorter board was far less stable but then that is what I wanted a less stable board means easier to turn but you have to work at controlling it. Anyway there are plusses and minuses to each board. So as I think Waikikichan is saying it's not the board that is the problem, however if you want to ride a shorter board eventually then you could go for the shorter board right now just don't expect it to solve your problems. You will have to learn how to make that board work.

kangoo wrote:I've been looking at a few short board designs with higher volume (in the 40's) that allegedly paddle like a longboard (according to salespitch) and I was wondering if it'd be easier to manage and more enjoyable.

As well as all the technical aspects of whether you can surf a longboard in certain conditions, what you ought to be doing to turn them, etc etc, that's the critical sentence... would you have more fun on a shorter board?

First off, they won't paddle like a longboard. For that, you need the volume of a longboard, end of story. But they will paddle much easier than a skinny potato chip of a board.
Will it turn easier than a longboard? Yes, but only if you can already turn a surfboard. Ditto steep drops.

Personally, I simply don't like having a big board beneath me. Amongst other things, I find shortboards "easier to manage and more enjoyable" ... so give it a go. And who needs an excuse to add a board to the quiver anyway?

I feel that people either really like longboarding or want to try shorter boards. It's just two camps of thought. As mentioned, if you can't do something on an lb, you won't be able to do it on a shorter board. But if you just feel like you want to try a shorter board then go for it.

I suggest something mid 7ft and mini mal shape. I wouldn't try the hybrid style quite yet (narrower nose), that is for the next board. They won't paddle like a mal (despite the marketing) and they won't have the nice easy glide of a mal that feels so nice. And you still won't be able to duck dive. But they are easier to handle in the water, easier on steep waves/close outs and might fit in the car.

do you have any particlar boards in mind?

I got to ride another user's 7'0 pumpkin seed awhile back. I thought it was very fun as a big shortboard style fun board. I'm about 180 and could turn it pretty well and still duck dive it. Not a board that will catch waves as easy as a long board but definitely doesn't need as much pocket or steepness as a normal shortboard.

Thanks for the replies folks. My SUP is 9'1" and I've been getting on pretty good with that and am linking together plenty of top and bottom turns and generating speed and am happy enough up to double overhead beach break. I just find that the longboard type days are the same days where I would sup and wouldn't mind something that feels a bit different.

I was thinking of something around 40 to 45 litres with plenty of volume built in to help paddling but maybe around 6'6" to 6'10" so it feels completely different to the sup. I guess I just want to maximise the days I get out and be prepared for all conditions. I want to be able to get out no matter what the conditions are or else herself is going to start leaving lists of jobs around if she thinks I have nothing else to do.

Keep in mind that dropping that much in length will make the board harder to paddle and make positioning for the wave much more important than either your longboard or SUP. If you stay with a high volume board that will make it more difficult to impossible to duck dive so it may not solve that problem. There are a whole list of ancillary surfing skills that make a big difference in your ability to surf a break. Wave reading and positioning become much more important as you go shorter. Knowing how to deal with taking waves on the head helps also or the skills involved in going out through the surf. Fitness will help with all of that. It's probably better to go longer for now but if you end up with a 6'10 bopard don't be surprized if you can't even catch a wave with it for a while

I don't have much to add but I had this 7'4" board shaped like a shortboard and could catch small waves with it but also do some steep drops.

waikikikichan wrote:This is my Bonga 9'8". Notice half of the board is out of the water.

WKKKChan, that is totally awesome! I need more time in the water to do that.