Longboard Help

[cbmgill]

Good day. I am seeking some help / advice. I am looking to purchase a new longboard. I have being surfing for 8 years - currently an intermediate surfer. I catch a lot of waves - can turn pretty well but don't surf enough to do much once i am up on the wave. I am looking to keep improving and want to get a good board. I live in South Carolina and surf some beach breaks, however, the waves here are normally very small. I go to Costa Rica for one week a year and surf beach breaks. I am looking for a good all around longboard. I have rented a 9 ft McTavish Original several times and enjoyed it. I also rented a Robert August (I think it was What I Ride but not positive) and enjoyed it as well. Someone recommended a Bing board. I have looked at the Bing website, however, they seem geared towards nose riding. Not sure if they make a good all around board. I have not surfed the McTavish Fireball Evo II - that seems to have replaced the Original I surfed. Any advice on several good boards to consider? Thanks very much.

[jaffa1949]

A Mactavish Fireball would be fine, get the 2+1 fin system so you can fine tune the fins. 9ft Have suggested the fireball there would be nothing wrong with a Robert August either or the Bing ( I’ve seen high quality surfing on all those boards)
Since I learnt to shape years ago from Mactavish I slightly favor his shapes with my own tweaks.
That all round shape, from anyreputable shaper would be OK, next consider epoxy versus polyester
If you are hard on your boards then think epoxy and cost may take you to similar shapes like Torq or NSP.
I’m sure a few other suggestions will come in and of course what is easily available nearby

[waikikikichan]

I am looking to keep improving and want to get a good board.

Your two questions are too broad. To give you a more concise answer/opinion, I need to know:
1) What you're looking to improve too. And not a general "be a better surfer" answer. Maybe exact techniques or moves you want to be able to do naturally.
2) "Good Board" is like saying good bike, good golf club, good computer. I understand you want a all-arounder and not specific nose-rider. But still, good means many things to different people. What is it to you ?

Question:
1) Was the Mctavish and the Robert August both Surftech Tuflites ?
2) What has the local surf shop guys recommended you get ?

[cbmgill]

Thanks for the responses. The local shops are not too helpful. Mostly fun shaped boards to try to catch the very small / choppy waves here locally. I am really focused on a good board to take to Costa Rica that i can still use here on the rare occasions we have decent waves.

I am looking for a board that will still allow me to catch plenty of waves. I am working on getting into waves quicker and then be able to turn smoothly in the wave. The rental boards all had a ton of volume - easy to catch waves, stable, harder to turn. Based on my surfing ability i probably still need good stability - just looking to work on the smooth turns. I am have not perfected the drop knee turn.

I am assuming all of the rental boards were the Tuflites but not positive.

[jaffa1949]

Don’t get fancy on yourself , ie drop knee turns! Work to get all your skills up and improving, the heavy board doesn’t stop you turning, your level of skills can’t turn the board well YET! Learn to move through the gears of your board, where you can turn from, where is the acceleration sweet spot , how to start trim and how to break it and why. Somewhere in the 9ft length all the tools are there, mush or power a good board matched to skills does it!
Even noseriding on an all round long board is there, because even with a specialist board, you need the basic skills to set up the ride!

[dtc]

Stability comes a lot from width and particularly around the nose/front. But bigger nose can be harder to turn and can get caught on the wave etc etc ie there are trade offs (as with anything board related). But maybe look at pretty wide boards (ie 22inch plus) - if that helps. Otherwise 9ft x 22 x 2 7/8 or something like that, a pretty standard type longboard with a more rounded (rather than narrower) nose

[waikikikichan]

I am really focused on a good board to take to Costa Rica that i can still use here on the rare occasions we have decent waves.

I think it's important to get a board that travels well. If the boards you did rent was a Molded Epoxy ( Surftech Tuflite ), those are very durable, okay light and in some ways, easy to temporary repair. Sometimes you may not want to travel with some big heavy custom board.

Based on my surfing ability i probably still need good stability - just looking to work on the smooth turns. I am have not perfected the drop knee turn.

From experience, it's really hard to drop knee on a performance board. Not that you can't but it much easier,if not a requirement, to do on a 50/50 railed single fin.
The smooth carving, drop knee turning, cross-stepping lends itself to smooth point or reef breaks not pitching beach breaks.

drop20150808_2083103.jpg (46.76 KiB) Viewed 1093 times

Here's my Reverse Drop done on a borrowed Bic board, where the front foot "becomes" the back foot.