Size and shape

[dopi_d]

can you guys give us some tips
I been surfing a year on 6'4" 19" 2"4" shortboard and i want to get a new board shaped.
I not a beginner, but with my current board, is heavey in the water and hard to turn.
What size and shape board should i get, im 5'11" and 70kgs?

[namino tsume]

well, what size waves are you riding?

[dopi_d]

3 to 5 foot

[namino tsume]

well i would suggest mabye a 6' 6" or 6'8" fish. a fish would give you more float on the waves. however you dont nessaryliy need a fish. the reason why your board is heavy and hard to turn may be becuase it is waterloged. but i would get something in the 6'6" through 7' range.

[Guest]

isnt that too long, wouldnt a shorter board be more manueravable on the wave, like sub 6 foot

[namino tsume]

yes, a shorter board will of course be more manuverable on a wave, however you have to catch the wave first. if your 5'11" and riding a 5'8" board, thats a bit of a stretch and you'd have to be a strong paddler and in big waves to do something like that. if you want to catch wave easy you have to sacrifice a bit of manuverablity.
i had a simular problem yo yours; my board didnt react as much as i wanted it to. it was a retro 6' fish (very thick). so i bought a 6'6" fish for one to five footers, and i was amazed at how manuverable it was. of course later found out my board was extremly water loged but....
so... if you want more manuverablity either go with a 6'4"-6'8" shortboard or go with mabye a 5'11" to 6'4" fish.

so, its really up to you. the shorter you go, the more manuverablity but the harder it is too paddle. a fish paddles easier then a shortboard but again, gives up manuverablity. if you feel you can paddle into waves with your board now easily and you are a strong paddler, then go with something around 6'.... if you feel your not all that strong a paddler and you have a bit of trouble the go with a 6'6".

(if you buy a fish take off 3 inches of what you would buy in a shortboard.)



PS. you can never have too long a board. any shortboard will give you manuverablity.

[Guest]

I'm 5,9" and weigh 75 kg's...that's 5 more than you.
I use 2 fish, both 6 foot long 20" wide with good wide (15.5") swallow tails they're 2 5/8" thick. Perfect for me volume wise.

You'd even get away with 5'11" methinks. Even less if you don't use a wetsuit (they add weight to your total mass in the water).