Surfing Waves

I’m 6’3 200 lb. and out of practice. I used to live on the Big Sur waves. I was 175-180 and rode a 6’ js. 21”w, 2 11/16 thick (started on a 6’3 wave crest single fin) and they held me fine.... looking at your size chart it says I should be riding 7’3+.... I still have my JS and want to start going out daily again... I guess what I’m askin is if it’ll still hold me and ride like it used to.... didn’t have these charts back in the day.... or the internet for that matter.

the answer to your question, only two things haven‘t changed, the boards you wish to ride and your height ( although that may have)

Your weight , your current fitness and lack of match fitnessmeans your old board is something to aspire to!
The board too may have lost its edge as foam loses some of its qualities as it ages ( don‘t we all)
So paddling is going to be harder catching harder, update your board to something longer it will enable your skills to emerge from where they have been buried.
you will find a suitable paddler will also so be well shaped enough to do what you used to!

Thanks bud. I’ve been teaching my 4 year old daughter to surf. She’s a natural and now I’ve got the itch again.

great thing that you and your daughter, only one thing, =fun all down the line!

Well you didn't ,mention your age or time spent not surfing. I quit surfing for 12 years and when I restarted about 10 years ago I was 56. I was surfing a 7'2" X 18.5" X 2.75" pintail single fin. I no longer had the board when I restarted because it was damaged in storage because of a hurricane and I felt so guilty for allowing it to be damaged without it getting in the water that I gave it to my nephew. I loved that board so much it broke my heart to see it damaged in a shed no where near the ocean. I grew a bit during my time off. I was 6'2" 180 pounds when I quit which is up 10 pounds from before college. I grew to about 205 to 210 pounds and to tell the truth the extra weigh is not all bad. I used to be really thin before and needed a wetsuit in Hawaii or I would get chilled which I usually didn't wear because it was Hawaii and I shouldn't need it but now I really don't need a wetsuit. I also got in horrible shape which is what motivated me to start surfing. I couldn't seem to stick to any exercise program that didn't involve surfing. When I restarted I found a used big wave gun. It was 9'6" and narrow and thin. I could duck dive it. But it was like learning to surf all over except I knew what to do and I didn't have nearly as much time to learn. I only spent 30 minutes a week but I did go every week just about. 26 hours a year but spaced out so that my skills didn't decline between sessions. If I go too long between sessions like 3 weeks than I notice a definite decline in my skills and much or most of my time is spent catching up. I ran into the wife of my shaper and he was ill not shaping boards anymore. She said she knew the perfect board for me which was a 9'6" longboard he shaped that had a lot of tail rocker so I bought it. It was really good. Not that much easier to catch a wave with than the big wave gun but I could catch waves from a larger takeoff zone so I didn't need to be as close to the exact right spot as the big wave gun and could still catch waves. That board was a blast. I ballooned up to 215 but it was a healthier 215 pounds. I rode that board till I started to notice the swing weight of the board I could feel myself wanting to turn it faster than it was possible to turn it but I could shred with that board, off the lips , floaters, get tubed, and the usual snaps and cutbacks and a few made up maneuvers too (not to mention nose rides). What a great board. Then I found a shaper who made lots of boards for older guys like me and he made me an 8 foot fungun. I have a few other boards now as well but I still love that 8 foot board. If you're in the same boat I would think an 9'6" progressive longboard might be the thing. But really I am not the board expert I get my boards from people who are experts and follow their advice

A lot of people ask 'should I buy this board'. And the ideal situation is 'try it out first and see what you think'

If you still have your JS, why not take it for a surf or three and see what happens. I suspect I know what will happen; but you dont have anything to lose except a bit of time. Go and surf and see; then decide if you need another board.

Hey ther oldmansurfer. I’m 42 now. I haven’t surfed hardly at all since my mid 20’s.

oldmansurfer wrote:Well you didn't ,mention your age or time spent not surfing. I quit surfing for 12 years and when I restarted about 10 years ago I was 56. I was surfing a 7'2" X 18.5" X 2.75" pintail single fin. I no longer had the board when I restarted because it was damaged in storage because of a hurricane and I felt so guilty for allowing it to be damaged without it getting in the water that I gave it to my nephew. I loved that board so much it broke my heart to see it damaged in a shed no where near the ocean. I grew a bit during my time off. I was 6'2" 180 pounds when I quit which is up 10 pounds from before college. I grew to about 205 to 210 pounds and to tell the truth the extra weigh is not all bad. I used to be really thin before and needed a wetsuit in Hawaii or I would get chilled which I usually didn't wear because it was Hawaii and I shouldn't need it but now I really don't need a wetsuit. I also got in horrible shape which is what motivated me to start surfing. I couldn't seem to stick to any exercise program that didn't involve surfing. When I restarted I found a used big wave gun. It was 9'6" and narrow and thin. I could duck dive it. But it was like learning to surf all over except I knew what to do and I didn't have nearly as much time to learn. I only spent 30 minutes a week but I did go every week just about. 26 hours a year but spaced out so that my skills didn't decline between sessions. If I go too long between sessions like 3 weeks than I notice a definite decline in my skills and much or most of my time is spent catching up. I ran into the wife of my shaper and he was ill not shaping boards anymore. She said she knew the perfect board for me which was a 9'6" longboard he shaped that had a lot of tail rocker so I bought it. It was really good. Not that much easier to catch a wave with than the big wave gun but I could catch waves from a larger takeoff zone so I didn't need to be as close to the exact right spot as the big wave gun and could still catch waves. That board was a blast. I ballooned up to 215 but it was a healthier 215 pounds. I rode that board till I started to notice the swing weight of the board I could feel myself wanting to turn it faster than it was possible to turn it but I could shred with that board, off the lips , floaters, get tubed, and the usual snaps and cutbacks and a few made up maneuvers too (not to mention nose rides). What a great board. Then I found a shaper who made lots of boards for older guys like me and he made me an 8 foot fungun. I have a few other boards now as well but I still love that 8 foot board. If you're in the same boat I would think an 9'6" progressive longboard might be the thing. But really I am not the board expert I get my boards from people who are experts and follow their advice

Well you know like dtc said you can try that board and see. But it sounds like you will need to start all over again so a longboard would be the thing. I just happened to get one that was made for a person to progress rapidly on. It turned very well and took steep drops pretty well too although I guess I just learned skills to do that with that board. Turned out those skills were good for my other boards as well. I have a 6'2" board made for my wife back in the 80's glassed in thrusters. I can ride that board but the effort is too great and while I can fly all over the place like a cartoon I prefer a slower more powerful turn.

Cmburkit wrote: I still have my JS and want to start going out daily again... I guess what I’m askin is if it’ll still hold me and ride like it used to.

Cmburkit wrote:Hey ther oldmansurfer. I’m 42 now. I haven’t surfed hardly at all since my mid 20’s.

So your JS is over 15 years old ?

waikikikichan wrote:

Cmburkit wrote: I still have my JS and want to start going out daily again... I guess what I’m askin is if it’ll still hold me and ride like it used to.

Cmburkit wrote:Hey ther oldmansurfer. I’m 42 now. I haven’t surfed hardly at all since my mid 20’s.

So your JS is over 15 years old ?

Nah. Started on the wavecrest that I found at a vintage shop on Abbott Kinney in Venice way back in the day (before the police station when the pavilions were still there)Got the js around 2008 before js was a company when I was visiting Australia. By then I was barely surfing and haven’t been surfing AT ALL in about 6 years.

Cmburkit wrote:Got the js around 2008 before js was a company when I was visiting Australia.

So your JS is about 12 years old ?

Just wondering since we say at the shop that there's about a 5 year life on a 4+4/4oz. glassed stock HP shortboard.