Surfing Waves

You all have been super helpful in questions I’ve posted before and with posts I’ve read, so thank you.

I have cycled through a lot of different boards especially boards for better waves. Currently, I only have 3 boards: a noserider longboard, a quad fish, and a midlength single fin egg. I tried taking the fish out in some good hurricane swell we had last month and the wider nose made it tricky on steep, punchy drops to hold to the face unlike any performance shortboard I’ve had.

So, a little backstory on my surfing history. I started years ago with a big Channel Islands M13, 8’. I was also much bigger at the time, 6’ and 265lbs. Currently, I’m 185lbs. I went down to a 7’8” M13 eventually and a 6’8” FireWire Dominator and several other boards in the 6’8” to 7’6” range but didn’t like the length and felt there was too much board in front of my front foot. I’ve gotten comfortable on my 6’2” fish which does have a lot of volume or definitely feels floaty to me at 43L. I feel like I can handle a board that is a bit shorter than what I’ve surfed before for a performance shortboard (I know 6’8” to 8pm is funboard length, but I’m describing the shape of the board and not the length when I say that). 43L feels like a lot of volume for me but I don’t want to go too low on volume and it doesn’t feel bad, just very floaty. I’ve been thinking something in the 6’2” to 6’6” range, and specifically considering a Channel Islands Rocket Wide, a FireWire Dominator, a Proctor MonstaChief, or a FireWire Glazer.

If I did the Proctor, I would likely get a custom which would be a massive wait time and I might not even see the board until after the winter/good season, and it would cost more but I would get a quality board custom suited to me and my surfing, since that’s Todd’s thing. I could get a Dominator today as a local shop has one in Helium construction but it’s expensive for a mass produced, not handmade board and might not be ideal for me. I would have to order a Rocket Wide since no shops around me have anything near what I would need for size, dimensions, so while that could be well suited to me too, it would be expensive and take awhile to arrive. I would also have to order the Glazer since no shops in any states near me have one.

So, wondering what I should get. Should I get a custom and from who? Or should I just swing for the Dominator, spend a lot, and hope it works for me?

Thanks for your help. Cheers!

Matt

If you like the Dom before (other than the length) then getting that board but shorter is the less risky option - you know what you are getting, how it goes etc. No point changing just to change

However if there are things you didn’t really like and would prefer to be different then work from the Dom ‘template’ and see where you get to eg if you didn’t like the big tail or whatever

If you want a board now and there are limited choices then sometimes you just need to get a board and surf. It’s all a learning experience, it may not be perfect but it’s better than no board. This is where second hand boards are very useful - but one that seems good enough (even if not the specific board you have researched and shortlisted), try it and see. If it’s not good you figure out why, then flip it and try a new board. Over time you understand what you like and what works and doesn’t work - then you get your custom. Do you feel right now that you would be able to say what type of shortboard suited your surfing style - never having surfed a shortboard outside of your fish?

Looking at what you said you are after, the hypto krypto also seems like an option (or one of the ‘HK inspired’ alternatives)

Thanks for your reply. Like I said, I cycled through maybe 15-20 boards on Craigslist, all shortboards and funboards in terms of length but designed as big guy shortboards or step ups.

Epoxy doesn’t work as well where I typically surf is the only thing, it’s too chattery, less connected, and our conditions are a bit too rough for it.

Don’t really care to get something new or a custom because of the expense. I’ll try to get something used and if nothing I’ll just have to wait and hope something shows up. If nothing does, I’ll either grab a 6’2” Rocket Wide but in poly or a Dominator. I love the shape of the Dominator, but the material wasn’t great at least in FST and I’d prefer some better bottom contours.

I have a 6'2" Rocket Wide in epoxy and I'm 6' 190lbs. I really like it in chest high + surf or punchy sections. I feel like it's more of a high performance shortboard than a groveler. It just doesn't handle flat/mushy sections very well, for me at least. But as soon as the wave takes shape, the board feels like it comes alive again. Really fun board but needs the right type of waves IMO.
It's a great paddler and has good float.. its listed at 40.7L
I haven't noticed any issues with chatter.

So a dominator is a hollow epoxy board, when you say you don't like epoxy I think you mean factory epoxy molded boards. I too don't like the pre-fab epoxies but love the hand shaped epoxy boards, all my shortboards are epoxy for that reason, but not factory made. My bigger boards are PU for the same reason you stated, but you are talking 7ft guns and such.

So, if you have not tried it, try to find an epoxy board that is not molded, but rather shaped. Many vendors of those, I actually have a JS Blackbox II and love it, and a couple of other hand shaped by local shapers.

Again, haven’t surfed above 7’ boards unless longboarding since I was 265lbs years ago. Been in the mid to high 6’ range for a bit but have become proficient enough to drop down closer to 6’. I was trying to figure out shape, volume, and length that I liked by going through a lot of boards on Craigslist before but they all helped me progress a bit in my surfing as well. I’ve been talking a few local guys who have been surfing a lot longer and are sponsored and they suggest I get something in the 5’10” - 6’ range, but with plenty of volume (35-45L). I like the outline of the Dominator, is there another board that might work better for me or that might have a similar outline to a Dominator but different material?

I was looking at a used 6’2” Rocket Wide in poly but the shop was asking for a lot for it, so I was waiting for it to go down or sit long enough to talk it down. It sold. I wasn’t terribly attached to it, so no big deal. Gonna use my 6’2” Bing Quad fish in the mean time which is a lot of fun with speed dialer fins.

Might have to order a new board to get the dims I want but might be able to knock off shipping by ordering through a local shop. Just not sure what board still. Not winter yet here, so there’s time to think about it still.

If you want suggestions for performance with volume: JS Black Box, Rusty Dwart, Al Merrick UltraJoe, Sharpeye Discocheater, PlusOne Squish to name a few. Honestly, here is what I would look for in a shorter package with your specs, I'm 180 myself: 6'0 x 21 x 2 3/4, wide nose and tail but not a longboard nose, and I prefer a thumbtail than squash. Low mid rocker for paddle ease.

Good luck with the search

Hey everyone! Thanks for your comments and feedback. I bit the bullet on a new Channel Islands Rocket Wide today, 6’2”x21”x2 7/8” 40.7L, from one of my local shops. Decided although small, it isn’t too small as my fish is the same length, the volume is a tad below the fish but I feel like the fish has a tad too much volume for me at 43L. Excited to get on a thruster setup again as I’ve been on quads, twins, and singles for awhile. I love the stability, especially in turns of the thruster. This post is closed for the most part. However, if anyone has any fin recommendations for Futures for 2+1 (trailer) or a thruster that would work great with the CI Rocket Wide (swallow tail), please feel free to comment. Thanks as always for the help.

Futures AMT of course !

Yeah I've heard AMT's are best if you like more Pivot. Or the MR Twin+1 if you like a little more Rake.
I went with the MR's but I kinda regret it because I've heard the Shapers fins typically work better. Probably not too much difference between them though.

I just went to my local surf shop and got a stubby for small waves, kept the thrusters with size M for bigger waves.

Got Large new Jordy Futures set and will be playing around with a center trailer. Heard there’s quite a difference between a tri and a 2+1 in the RW, will be fun to experiment. I’ve heard good things about the AMT with the RW too. Will definitely look into those too.

SaltWaterHeart wrote:Got Large new Jordy Futures set and will be playing around with a center trailer. Heard there’s quite a difference between a tri and a 2+1 in the RW, will be fun to experiment. I’ve heard good things about the AMT with the RW too. Will definitely look into those too.

I got the 5'11 RW with the MR fins fcs 2 plugs 2 + 1

seems fast and connected.. Good for small waves with that setup in the eps.. not sure what the top of the range would be in eps but i will find out.. i usually ride pu boards in 4 foot plus..

hows your board getting on?

I've mostly been riding the RW as a Quad + nubster when it has some size.. got the MR 2+1 late in the summer and didn't get many chances to use it. I wonder if that's why I felt like it wasn't very good in smaller surf... almost always used it as a straight Quad on those days. Cant wait to try it out some more with the 2+1.

Does the 2+1 still have enough hold when the surf is overheard or barreling? Or do you switch it out to a typical thruster

We’re in a bit of a flat spell between Atlantic Hurricane season and full fledged winter season. Longboard waves but pretty small stuff lately. I only took the board out once or twice the week I got it as we had some waves with a little punch but a bad wind for where I surfed which made things weird. Just today I got a center trailer to try with my large Jordy Futures fins. Can’t do MR because my RW is Futures and it’s 3 boxes, so can’t run as a quad. I have a Bing Quad fish that works well as twin or quad, so having the versatility of performance board with a thruster setup is nice. Feels much more stable, but would love to feel it with the small center trailer. Supposed to have a little looser feel. Just need good waves.

I talked to some friends about epoxy versus PU on the RW. I was curious how the Spine-tech works with that board or compared to a wood stringer. However, I haven’t found anyone in several states where I surf or around any of the surf shops in my region of the country who prefer epoxy to PU boards for heavy, cold, winter surf in northern New England. The weight of the PU board along with the responsiveness is just preferable for everyone I’ve talked to or heard from. Lots of people buy Firewires up here but they are eventually for sale seemingly for the same reason. Too stiff and light. Maybe one day I’ll snag an epoxy and try it as I know the technology is getting better. The new Dominator 2.0 looks enticing and the Fever in spine-tech would be fun too, maybe, but I don’t want to spend new price on a board that might be a regret for waves here.

The Jordy fins seem to work alright but I’ll play around with things once we get good waves again to see what works.

SaltWaterHeart wrote:Can’t do MR because my RW is Futures and it’s 3 boxes, so can’t run as a quad.

Futures Fins' Thermotech T-1 are great.

This will actually be my first winter with the RW in Spine Tek.. I don't think I've noticed a difference with the Epoxy in the cold yet, but the water just recently dropped down below 60. But my last session was my worst by far.. so now you have me wondering if that might be part of it Hope it was just from the weird tide and the waves backing off. Not sure if I'll ride it too much into the winter though.. my wetsuit keeps telling me to wait for next spring.. but I just keep going in anyway.

The Jason Stevenson shapers fins work really well in the RW too.. They hit the shapers dot exactly and they have one of the longest base available in FCS2.. the board seems to really like fins that have lots of drive. Futures probably has something similar.. I think the AM1/2's have a wide base and similar template too.

it was a bit punchier so I put the MR fins in my pu board that is similar to a rocket wide. its an Onfire "ball tearer" .. those fins are something else i tell ya.. Its the size of them, they are like XLs or something.. this boards a bit small for me, but i didn't want to ride my expensive rw over shallow rocks at the reef.. I think they are raked template because the hold was there, but i had lift that i havent felt before.. when i was putting all the weight on my back leg it was still projecting me forward and wanted to go.. turns are a bit drawn out like carver fins, but the small back fin feels like am2s a bit where when on rail it feels a little drifty.. but not like a twinny.. more controlled.. Might try them with my round tail next time just to see how they go.. still haven't had the RW in perfect small conditions which is what i bought it for, but summer is almost here so shouldn't be long..

In Maine, we wear wetsuits year round, just change thickness depending on season. Locals, myself included, surf far more in the winter because like anywhere the waves are better and because the cold and the stereotype and held belief that surfing is a summer sport by Hollywood and tourists make the crowds generally disappear the colder it gets, which during this Covid year is such a blessing. I’m already wearing my 5:4 with hood, boots, gloves. Only mid to high 40s (F) in the water now but with air in the morning being freezing and strong, bitter cold offshores makes the 5:4 a good choice. It will get much colder, like 32F in the water.

Fun waves today but used a single fin egg which works best with the conditions we had today. Got a small center trailer from a shop with the two Large Jordy sides. The new Jordy fins are great if you’re a bigger surfer. I’ve used AM2s and Carvers before too, pretty solid. AM1s are good for more speed and less hold but aren’t ideal as I’m 6’ and 185lbs. The bigger fin is just more responsive for me and doesn’t drift or slide like the medium sized. I like the idea of large side fins for some hold and control paired with a small center trailer (not center fin which is usually a little smaller anyway). Sometimes 3 big fins make for too much hold, so some flexibility with that seems good. Waiting for winter waves to kick into gear to try it.

I had an fst dominator.. I've come to the conclusion if you are getting a round tail should be for good waves.. And PUs are better for good days imo.. So the dominator wasn't doing it for me with speed.. I like square tail PUs for good waves I think or even swallows.. Interested to know the top of the wave range on your Pu rwide.. Have you used it in four foot? Any good @saltwater