Hey Riders,
Hope you can help me figure out my next board. I'm really struggling on my own. It seems difficult to figure out a good transition board without having the knowledge to do so. Every board is so different the choices seem endless.
I've been riding for three years on an epoxy noserider shaped log 9-2 x 22.5 x 3.38. The board is heavy but stable. It's been a good platform for learning. My take offs are pretty consistent and I want to start to get more movement in my riding. My biggest complaint is that the board is just plain slow and if I'm on a steeper wave or have drifted into a beach break area the take off gets a little challenging. Plus I'd like a bit shorter board for easier transport. I like the epoxy for its durability. I want a board that will give me a good wave count for small size waves so ease of paddling is important but also more flexibility to improve my riding skills.
I ride mostly a point break wave waist to chest high. I'm 6'-2" (188cm) and 160lbs (73kgs) and somewhat agile. My primary sport is windsurfing and I took up surfing for non windy days and to help improve my wave riding skills.
Is it better to get a higher performance longboard in the 8-0 to 9-0 range or move to a more hybrid funboard shape or one of the boards like the 7S Super Fish that I see a lot of chatter about in some of the forums?
If I were to get something like the 7S, they offer a 7-3 at 53L and an 8-0 at 66.9L. How do I know which board would be the better choice and provide enough floatation and easy of paddling? The weight charts shown for each size board seem geared more for experienced riders and not novices. Moving from a 9-2 to a 7-3 seems like a big jump although some of these funboards are wide and thick offering more float.
Sorry for the long post.
Thanks in advance for the help!