Surfing Waves

Musings on my biggest board...

My 7'6" x 21" minimal has seen better days, I bought it 2nd hand years ago and it had a fair few miles on it then. I just finished repairing the rail - again, but I do get on well with the board, and for such a big board it goes very well.

Is there such a thing as a performance orientated funboard for someone 73kg? I am looking at the 7S Superfish and the Firewire Advance but these look like large shortboards. I've also spotted the Walden CD which is a weird looking longboard shaped 6' board.

I'd be using it for 1-2ft days or the local point that is a long paddle and the wave is often a bit mushy initially.

nottyR6 wrote:Is there such a thing as a performance orientated funboard for someone 73kg?

Yes, a shaper should have no problem with that.
I used to have a 7'4 funboard that was awesome - so awesome in fact that I really regret selling it now and I'm planning on getting something similar again

It was something like 7'4 x 21" x 2 3/4" with a proper shortboard shape and fair amount of rocker. It would catch anything from 1ft crumblers to overhead waves. It wasn't the most nimble of boards compared to a "proper" shortboard, but never held me back.

I'm now considering getting something very similar in the 7' range, for ease of paddling and catching waves, and just about on the limit of what is possible for me to duckdive.

I'm in the same boat as you so have been looking at the same boards. The Addvance is more of a ''funboard'' than a large shortboard and probably would be ok; or maybe the Dominator for more performance, looking at just the firewires. But there are plenty of other shapers making similar boards nowdays; wider and thicker than shortboards (as well as longer), but a fairly similar shape eg channel island msf (and many others).

That said, for 1-2ft waves or long paddles, you may well be better off with the 'mini log' shape like the Walden CD (or even mini magic) or something similar - eg Takayama Scorpion, Mctavish Sumo, channel island waterhog etc (or McCoy nugget, a bit of a left field board). Basically a longboard nose but a much narrower tail than a standard mal; supposedly making them easy to paddle but also easier to turn than a longboard. Plus a flat rocker for easier paddling. Of course, they wont be anything like a shortboard, but might be more suitable for what you are after. The funboard shapes are generally rated more for waist high+ waves. That said, the high volume ones (like the Firewires) will probably get you up on most waves.

For the small waves, there is the opposite end of the spectrum - a groveller. Again, just by way of example, the firewire 'potato' boards. However, these are not for the point breaks, so you would need another board for them.

drowningbitbybit wrote:I'm now considering getting something very similar in the 7' range, for ease of paddling and catching waves, and just about on the limit of what is possible for me to duckdive.

Well put, exactly what I'm after. I have had a chat with the local shaper about it, he is on the right wavelength but he didnt seem totally happy with the 6'6" he had so I am giving him a bit of time to sort it.

DTC - You know your boards dont you mate I'm put off by the short fat boards having tried a Potatonator. I'm just not at that standard. The blurb says 'easy paddling' What they mean is easy paddling for a short board in the hands of an experienced surfer.

I dont think I can get my head around the short longboard shape either, maybe if I got to demo one it'd be different but those board noses just look heavy.

I like the look of the CI MSF but I dont know anything about single fins. That McCoy Nugget looks interesting, I'll do some research...

nottyR6 wrote:Well put, exactly what I'm after. I have had a chat with the local shaper about it, he is on the right wavelength but he didnt seem totally happy with the 6'6" he had so I am giving him a bit of time to sort it.

Hey notty, you're after a quite specific board, and you're already talking to a shaper, so stop looking at mass produced boards or the boards already on the rack, and get one custom shaped. Then it'll be exactly what you're after and unique

nottyR6 wrote:DTC - You know your boards dont you mate

Huh, yeah, too much internet time. The problem when you dont live close enought to the beach, you get your thrills vicariously.

I actually did what you have done, looked at all the manufacturer boards then went to a shaper.

What you probably want is one of these at around 7ft or so:

http://www.waterskatesurfboards.com/waterskate.aspx

but unfortunately I think you dont live in the right country! Nonetheless, it might give you some ideas to bounce off your shaper.

Just in terms of the 'short longboard' outline, this explanation (from the same shaper as above) describes the 'theory' behind the shape quite well (allowing for the marketing speak) - whether or not all of the boards actually deliver, who knows.

http://www.waterskatesurfboards.com/powerglide.aspx

The McCoy nugget is a controversial (love/hate) board, I suspect its one you really need to demo to see if its for you. When you see it in the flesh its very strange looking.

You might want to consier doing a search on "California Guns" they are like a gun but they add a lot of width and thickness, and widen the tail. You end up with a big size shortboard that has a bunch of glide but better performance than a funboard. I used to ride one 7'4" x 21 1/2 x 2 3/4 as one of my starter boards and loved it.

I was wondering about guns and step ups to be honest, those dimensions are big though. I have had a look, that definately looks the kind of thing, they are showing:

Lengths: 7'0" - 8'0"
Nose: 12½"
Mid: 19½"
Tail: 13½"
Thickness: 2¾"

I like the idea of the easy guide, easy paddle, but without the huge nose to worry about once on the wave.

Hang on... you've gone from wanting a board for 1-2ft days to wanting a gun....

Well, gun shape but a bit wider and without the rocker. Am I right in thinking the difference is a gun is slimmer with a fair amount of rocker for bigger waves? If I'm talking bo**ocks you can tell me

nottyR6 wrote:Well, gun shape but a bit wider and without the rocker. Am I right in thinking the difference is a gun is slimmer with a fair amount of rocker for bigger waves? If I'm talking bo**ocks you can tell me

Yeah, that's what a gun is like, but despite their length, they're rubbish for small waves. And if you make a gun wide, it isn't a gun anymore
The california gun that themathteacher is talking about isn't really like a gun - it's more like the funboard we've been talking about (but with a cooler name).

Finally got a board, its an Adams WSK8 (On the right)http://www.adamssurfboards.co.uk/boards-wsk8.html. Prob a bit bigger than I wanted @ 6'10" x 21" but its just 2" 5/8 thick and less than 5kg. I have high hopes it will be a good board and a good step down from a mal.

I approve, let us know how it shreds!

drowningbitbybit wrote:
The california gun that themathteacher is talking about isn't really like a gun - it's more like the funboard we've been talking about (but with a cooler name).

LOL, that is sooo funny!

But you're rigth, a california gun is a misnomer, it's more like a hybrid between a funboard and a gun, but definitely not a real gun. They are very popular in California, especially on good reefbreaks where the surf pumps big but slow. My bud is 180lbs and owns an 8' x 21" x 3 1/4, super thick, wide tail but with a narrow nose and he loves it, barely uses in longboard. I had one until just recently but have gone the fish direction for small or mushy waves, but yeah I used to whip out my 7'10 california gun on small days.

nottyR6 wrote:Finally got a board, its an Adams WSK8 (On the right)http://www.adamssurfboards.co.uk/boards-wsk8.html. Prob a bit bigger than I wanted @ 6'10" x 21" but its just 2" 5/8 thick and less than 5kg. I have high hopes it will be a good board and a good step down from a mal.

That looks perfect, have fun on it!