Surfing Waves

I have been surfing 3' to 5' surf, sometimes as big as 7'+, on my 9'0 longboard here in Hermosa Beach, CA. I want to upgrade to something just as buoyant yet faster and more maneuverable. I'm 6'3", 205lbs so given my height and weight I was thinking of going with a 8'6" Rusty Desert Island. It has the length and shape that I'm looking for and it's super light. I was also considering a fish. I'm fairly new to the sport and I would consider myself at a beginner/intermediate level. Please throw me some other suggestions if you think I'm treading down the wrong path. No funboards either! Thanks!!

Ryan

why do you want a 8'6 for? it would be better to stay on a longboard unless you are interested in shortboarding?

I am more interested in shortboarding. The purpose of the 9'0" longboard was to learn on.

Going from a 9-0 to a fish may be too much of a shock. But if you want to progress to shortboarding, why do you discount a funboard so quickly?

Funboards get a bad wrap, mainly because of the name I think. If they were called anything else, like a performance shortboard, people would snap them up.

I have an 8-6 and really like it. But I've surfed 9-0's just as maneuverable. It's all about the shape and the fin can have a big effect on a longboard.