Board choosing question from a reborn surfer

[Brototype]

Hi everyone,

First I'd like to say how awesome it is that this forum exists. I have already read so many good recommendations.

I'm a bit out of the loop these days when it comes to choosing the right board. I started surfing about 15 years ago and haven't surfed in the last 7. I've always been a longboarded, but learned and surfed on the east coast (long island) and I now live in the SF Bay Area. I'm 5'9" and 140-145lbs. I prefer nose-riding, but don't know where to begin with board makers. shapes, sizes, or volumes. I used to right some no-name 9' flat tail, but beyond that I don't remember anything about it.

Any recommendations would be much appreciated!

[jaffa1949]

Welcome back from the wilderness Broto!
At that weight you could stay in the 9 to 9'6" range maybe add a little meat in the thickness with maybe a bit more in width certainly there will good shops around SF , a suggestion do not get a performance longboard ( too light weight )or a specific nose rider ( can lose in other areas of riding ) get a good all round long board it will still nose ride if you can.

Get a 2 + 1 fin system so you can do single or multiple fins. Small side bites or thruster configuration, more options for a come back!
There was or is a no name brand of surfboard

[Big H]

I have a 9'6" heavily rockered longboard that while more than 3" thick only has something around 70something liters which isn't much if you are looking for a stable low speed noserider that works in mush....the board is perfect for here with speedy, steep, fast jacking waves the norm and I suppose that it would be called a performance longboard though I've never called it that...had one that was less suitable for standard conditions here but more of an all arounder, more float, less rocker nose and tail, wider tail, fatter rails, fast paddler, easy to ride and had some weight to it as well (heavily glassed) which added to the glide (power of inertia)....loved the glide on that board......that was a 9'3"x23x3" PU which was not enough float for me at 84kg to knee paddle but probably would have been for you....

[Brototype]

thanks for the help! I'm looking at a Stewart Hyrdro Hull that's 9'6" x 23" x 3 1/8". Do y'all this for $400 this might be a good option?

[Big H]

thanks for the help! I'm looking at a Stewart Hyrdro Hull that's 9'6" x 23" x 3 1/8". Do y'all this for $400 this might be a good option?

Looks perfect

[waikikikichan]

9'6" takes a long time more to walk to the nose than a 9'0".

3 1/8 thick is going to be a bit harder for you to set the rail compared to a 2 3/4 or 2 7/8"

But since it's been a long time and you don't remember how the 9'0" felt, I guess it's okay to start over with the 9'6".