Is 8'0 too big for me?

[DLOC]

Howzit guys. I've been living in hawaii, honolulu to be exact, for some time now. Been surfing a lot lately renting boards. My pops just surmised me and gifted me a 7S Superfish II XL the X2 epoxy model. I am about 6'1" and 195lbs depending on how many burgers and beers. The fish is an 8'0, it's been so flat lately I haven't gotten to use it. My buddy took a look t it and told me I could have gotten away with the 7'3 or even the 7'0 but again, I am brand new to surfing. I've only gone out for a couple weeks and riding long boards. I'm not trying to get ahead of myself, but I'm just wondering if I'm gonna be surfing every day, am I going to out grow this board? Or will it simply be too big for me to whip it? The website lists the weight for the 8 at 209 lbs and up. Lemme know what you guys think, cheers

Dan

[drowningbitbybit]

No, that'll be fine. Slightly smaller, in fact, than most people here would usually recommend.

Yes, you might outgrow it, but it's better to learn on a larger board and then replace it in a year or two than flail around on something too small.

Say thanks to dad, ignore buddy, go surfing

[AJR]

I think you'll be glad he got the 8'er. I tried going smaller with a 7' fish and it was to unstable for where I'm at skill-wise and I was having no fun at all. Traded it and my 10' lb on an 8' fun board and it's much better. You gotta give yourself time for the learning curve IMO.

[jaffa1949]

With the 76S model you have if you can't whip it around it won't be the board but your level of skill! It is not a shortboard but it is certainly a board you can learn on easily go shorter and experience frustration. This board will be a good go to board for quite some time, lay off excess of burgers and beer get fit get your basic surfing up to a good level then you will be able to whip around!
Surf for your needs not your buddy's opinion!

Say thanks to dad, ignore buddy, go surfing

[DLOC]

Right on thanks for the replies guys I'm feeling great about this now. Also, just to clarify, I'm not some couch potato fatty haha, I was just making a point my weight fluctuates a little bit and the heaviest ill usually be is around 195 lbs. so i just wanted to make sure i didn't screw up by getting a board that was too big for me. why do they post recommended weight limits for boards? you guys make it sound like the length has to do with your skill level, which is what I've been told. I'm in pretty good shape, I'm an EMT and an aspiring firefighter so I've felt comfortable in the water, swimming, and paddling out. I don't get too fatigued too quickly. thanks again guys ill definitely come back and post how I'm doing once we get some waves. Swell should be coming Monday so stay tuned!

[pandarturo]

Lol the length correlates to shill mainly because shortboard it's the picturesque surfboard. It's never a sick nose rider shaped my takayama or the millions of other shapers there are. Honestly it's preference I never thought I would step down below 8 but I ride a six footer now and it's fun, but it's always nice to bring the log out and get it super early.

[jaffa1949]

Right on thanks for the replies guys I'm feeling great about this now. Also, just to clarify, I'm not some couch potato fatty haha, I was just making a point my weight fluctuates a little bit and the heaviest ill usually be is around 195 lbs. so i just wanted to make sure i didn't screw up by getting a board that was too big for me. why do they post recommended weight limits for boards? you guys make it sound like the length has to do with your skill level, which is what I've been told. I'm in pretty good shape, I'm an EMT and an aspiring firefighter so I've felt comfortable in the water, swimming, and paddling out. I don't get too fatigued too quickly. thanks again guys ill definitely come back and post how I'm doing once we get some waves. Swell should be coming Monday so stay tuned!

Just to clarify right back the length thing is about catching waves in the beginning stages , if the board is too short and not having enough volume, you simply can't catch waves.
At 6'1" and 195 lbs you could go up to 9'6" in a board and it wouldn't be too big, if you are surfing on the Honolulu side of town then the breaks will accommodate your 7S well.
Have a look a the bigger guys on bigger boards surfing Queens and Swimming Pool and other south shore breaks.
Don't tell me they can't whip it, some of them will be bigger than you.

Eight foot will do you fine. Go surf! you will eventually get enough skill to be ready to choose different boards and if the fire department don't run some of those burgers off well no worries.
BTW muscle floats less than fat! So if you are muscled then your weight isn't going to change much
I know the shaper of the 7S, he used to shape my boards, good boards.
I'm 6ft and 220 lbs, I ride a 9ft board as my go to, and my short board is an 8ft but a narrow Indo gun. Much less volume.

Last things all this theory is fine the only thing that really does it is surfing. Go surf, let the experience teach you!
Very last thing enjoy

It's a 7S ad but same model, is this whipping it?

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[pandarturo]

Oh and if you ever want to get away from the crowds let me know, I know how aggro the crown in town is.

[DLOC]

Thanks again guys. Yea I'm headed out in the morning hopefully there will be some waves. But pandarturo ill for sure tie you up on that man. I mean the attitude here for the most part isn't very friendly. Some of these guys are nuts dude just yelling at me trying to coax me into a fight I swear this guy was methd out or something...just screaming hey Haole boy what you call me?! It's crazy sometimes even in Waikiki.

[BuffDriver]

Nice to see some South shore riders in here I arrived on the island late last year and started surfing a few months ago. I was thinking about the 8.0 7S as well, but at 220 I think I'm going to get something a little bigger from one of the local shapers, I really like what Chronic has to offer for bigger guys. I've not been to any of the breaks in town, so I'm sure the attitude is different, but out here on the SW side of the island I've only seen the Aloha spirit, of course being a newb I stay the F*** out of the way and do a lot of observation and give mad respect to the locals.

[DLOC]

Yeah bro I try to do the same! Where exactly have you been surfing BuffDriver? I actually live closest to makalei park but I don't have the skills to surf suicides yet, also diamond head is real close to my place as well. It looks like a long paddle out there and not sure on the locals at diamond head either but looks like plenty of different breaks for everyone to be able to surf. Yea my next board will be a local shaper for sure, I'm always up for supporting local and small businesses and owners, but like I said, it was a present from pops, and I'm sure as hell not gonna turn my nose up at it!

[BuffDriver]

Mostly out at White Plains, being military the MWR there rents boards super cheap. I live up in Makakilo so the beach is just a drive down the hill for me. I wouldn't turn my nose up at any board that was a gift either! Once I get my board shaped then I'm going to start venturing out to other breaks on the island, but probably not anywhere on the North because I'm still a newb, and maybe after all this damn shark nonsense settles down.

[DLOC]

Yeah dude i hear you. Isn't white plains where that kid got bit last month? It's in ewa right? But yea man I think I'll stick I. Waikiki for now I'm a little nervous about having to paddle too far out with all the bites going on. These f*ckers need a dead whale a few miles out so they can get their grinds instead of chomping us!

[DLOC]

Change of plans bro @BuffDriver I think my girl and I are gonna head out to white plains today, hit me up on here if you're surfing dude well probably get there this afternoon I got some stuff to do this morning

[BuffDriver]

Would love to head out there today, unfortunately I'm in Korea at the moment lol. Ya I was out at WP the day prior to the dude getting bit out there. Of course, with Flossi coming in I think the conditions that day were perfect for a Tiger to be roaming around. A local guy I know in Kapolei said he had seen a Tiger around White Plains/Barbers point quite a few times and I wonder if it was the same shark..

[DLOC]

Yea probably right. if it looks sharky I don't head out that's for sure. How are the crowds out there? I've read it's never really crowded. How many people are usually out there surfing man?

[BuffDriver]

It's usually not bad out in the water, except for on holidays. The park can get really crowded though, but most people out there are families just having a day at the beach. It's usually pretty chill, lots of waves to go around.

[DLOC]

Hey guys, just wanted to post back and say thanks again for all the input. Taken the board out for the last few days and its been a blast I'm so stoked on it. I will say my paddling isn't as good as I thought it was, i struggled to get into waves the first day. But I would say I'm improving quickly I had no problem getti g up on the board. This thing is a rocket though, and super responsive! I will, however, be buying a rash guard, because my nipples got worked man. I swear, I dunno how some of you guys do it. It's like the locals out here just have no nipples or so,ething. Anyways, just trying to keep it light haha, but yea, thanks again, and I'm super stoked