new surfboard thoughts

[oldmansurfer]

I currently surf an 8 foot quad pintail fungun (8'0" x 23.75" x 3.75) . It has been a real good board for me being overweight, out of shape and old (61). Here I am thinking about another board. The reason why is I have to move my feet from side to side and front to back and I would like a little less of that. I am thinking about a board that is 7'6". Should be no too much struggle for me but then I thought maybe just get a narrower 8 foot board like real gun or....a shorter but still wide board like a fish.... Anyway I am just inviting thoughts comments criticisms. Feel free to comment or make fun of me or whatever just post a joke. I have to let the thought processes stew a bit so help to stir the pot.

[dtc]

What about something like a walden mega magic, at whatever size suits. Still heaps of volume.

I suspect you probably can move to something like a 7 ft2 and not really notice if you get the right board. I have a 7'4x22.5 x 2 5/8 (I think..it's definitely 7ft4) and it paddles almost as well as my 9ft2. It doesn't catch waves as well, for sure, there are positional things I had to learn, and it's no where near as good on thigh high or smaller waves nor does it 'glide' in the same way.

But the trade offs are not particularly big and there are a lot of side benefits from it being shorter.

It is a flat rockered at the front, but extra tail rocker for beach breaks, widish nosed board with hard rails for the last 1/3, so it's not just the dimensions that are creating the 'almost longboard' result but still allowing much more manoeuvrability. there are a lot of design features involved. It's a custom built so won't be in your shops, but the shapers website has some details (he is a bit hyperbolic but through passion, absolutely fantastic guy)

http://www.grantmillersurfboards.com.au ... powerglide


I suspect getting a narrower board, around 21 inch or so, might make some difference but not much. It's still going to be 8ft long and require movement around rather than just weighting changes. Of course, if you are sticking to biggish waves it might be fine

Go for a wide, fat, fairly flat rockered board with some performance tweaks. Stuck with the fun board shape. Well, Worked for me anyway ...

[drowningbitbybit]

Here I am thinking about another board.

A replacement board or an addition to the quiver? I think that makes a big difference when you're choosing a board.

8'0" x 23.75" x 3.75

By a very rough estimate, that's roughly 2.5x the volume of my board ... so I'm not much use for opinions on bigger boards

[waikikikichan]

"The reason why is I have to move my feet from side to side and front to back and I would like a little less of that." - Could you clarify the reason behind your reason. You want to do less foot movement because of why ? To stay in trim or to power up ?

First thought for me is to go short and wide. But 23+ is already super wide. I am thinking More Rocker so swaying of the hips and arms have more effect than a flat rockered board that you have to walk back and forth.

[oldmansurfer]

Thanks for all of the reponses. I told you there is no way I can duck dive this board I intend to keep this board because I love it and I am not getting any younger although I have gotten into substantially better shape since I got the board. The reason why I am thinking of another board is that having to move my feet slows down the process of surfing and makes me have to think about it maybe only to move my feet back ot their original spot but still when I surfed before I used boards between 6'10" and 7'2" and they were 18 inches wide. I never had to move my feet side to side and not too often front to back. I could popup and go. I could make split second choices and not have to move my feet first. Back then I weighed 40 pounds less than I do now and I was in really great shape and it seems clear that I will never be in that good shape again or weigh that amount again (unless they have to amputate my legs or something) I know getting a smaller board will narrow down my takeoff zone and perhaps the size of waves that I can ride. My current board is adequate to longboard style of surfing in small waves (waist to knee high) and does really well in the head high range and also reasonable in double to triple overhead waves. I have a takeoff zone at head high that allows me to be maybe 10 yards further out than a shorter board would which means I can catch the sets or the inside waves. So I am really not sure if I will enjoy the new board as much but just thought maybe i would get one for a change of pace and see if I can get back to a closer form of surfing compared to what I used to do.

[dtc]

Sounds like you still want a pretty big board volume wise, but something easier to turn. Obviously going shorter on its own will help that and, as waikikichan said, so will increasing the rocker. Probably a narrower nose also assists.

Which perhaps leads us to a hybrid board (rather than the funboard I was suggesting earlier)? The Firewire Addvance is a big thick hybrid board - something like that might be a good starting point.

FWIW, I would look at the Walden magic and the Firewire Addvance and figure out what you like and don't like about them in terms of what you are after, with those boards representing the two ends of the board continuum choices (I only suggest those boards because they are both well described on their websites and all over the web, so you can get a good idea what they are about). One is a funboard/mal style and one is a hybrid style*

Then you might end up wanting something in the middle or a bit here or there from each, and you either find a board that does that or go to your shaper and ask for that board.

*I appreciate that there are many other variations you can throw in, from narrower gun types to 'big boy shortboards' to slightly higher performance hybrids (eg the firewire dominator, as an example) to slightly out there designs (McCoy Nugget). But based on your comments around fitness and weight and ease of paddling and I know you only surf for short periods at a time, having a wider thick board seems like a good starting point. You may end up wanting to go an inch or two narrower than these.

[oldmansurfer]

that Firewire Addvance seems pretty nice but maybe a little narrower. I already have wave hog board so wanting to try something I have to work more for the fun.

[drowningbitbybit]

I already have wave hog board so wanting to try something I have to work more for the fun.

Oh, I've got loads of those, borrow one if you want

Even on short wide board, I find that I need to move my feet back and forth towards the rails. Anything above 21" wide, and my toes/heels aren't near enough the rails to really weight them, so maybe go with a length/volume that'll keep the width relatively narrow.

[benjl]

How about the firewire spitfire in 6'10? That addvance does look quite nice although I was having a look at the 5'8 spitfire a few days ago and if you want something with a more narrow nose than the addvance then this might be of interest? Essentially a more high performance hybrid but still packed with volume and low enough rocker to have good paddling and planing?
6'10 x 22 x 3 1/4. 55.4L volume.
http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/surfb ... d=spitfire

[dtc]

Just to add to the 'firewire love' (I don't have one, so no idea what they are actually like), as I understand it the 'dominator' is the board that is next up from the Addvance in terms of performance, then you go to the spitfire. although you can see that both these boards (dom and spitfire) have their width further back toward the tail than, say, a mal shape does. Which may or may not be your thing and may not make much difference in reality

A lot of shapers are making boards like the Addvance nowdays, at least in Australia. They are really good for us older folk and we are the ones with the demand and the money, so its a good market to be in.

So I'm sure you can find someone around Hawaii who makes something like the Addvance but perhaps thinner or rounded pin tail or whatever.

[benjl]

Just to give you some more food for thought- check out the 6'10 dominator vs the 7'0 hellfire. Both are almost identical for stability but the hellfire has 10L more volume and quite a bit thinner nose (13.7" vs 12.5") so it looks more like a big shortboard.
This firewire board comparison tool is pretty cool..

6'10 dominator vs 7'0 hellfire

[oldmansurfer]

I have a shaper who I will consult with prior to making final decision and he will make my board. But I am thinking I should try to go to the surf shops and just look at some boards. Funny thing is there are more and more surfers over here but less and less surf shops. I have to go out of my way, poor me, but I guess it's not as bad as some have it.

[dtc]

the old 'does it feel right under the arm' test never fails.

here are a few of other boards that might suit - unfortunately also Australian made, but as more food for thought

http://www.grantmillersurfboards.com.au ... waterskate

http://www.markrichardssurfboards.com/b ... puffer.php

http://www.markrichardssurfboards.com/b ... ingray.php

[oldmansurfer]

Here is a picture of oldmansurfer and his 8 foot oldmanoutofshapeoverweight board and the beach I surf at with typical conditions.

[oldmansurfer]

Maybe should have warned you to not look if you get nauseated easily. Feel free to make fun of my pic or my shorts or whatever too LOL

[waikikikichan]

Question...... where's the paddle ? Man, that's one big board. Big board , big guy, in Hawaii ...... Hmmmm ?

You need to look at getting a Ben Aipa Big Boy Sting. They have a 7'4". That board is just a shortboard on steroids. Paddles great and turns on a dime ( for real, i 've ridden my friends one ). If you come to Oahu, you can buy one directly from the man himself at his shop Ala Moana surfboards.

[benjl]

That is pretty cool!

[oldmansurfer]

Yeah Waikikichan that board looks awesome.