Hi all,
I'm a beginner surfer, just starting to see the "kook" phase in the rearview. I've been surfing an 8'6" Torq longboard for about 5 months now and, while I am still mastering the basics, I can now consistently catch and ride the fabulous 3-4 foot swells we are so "blessed" with on the FL Gulf Coast.

I love my Torq though, and love surfing, so I see myself progressing with pretty good speed (given the amount of time I can allot for surfing) and I'm getting down the line, performing turns as the wave allows. My background in skateboarding and snowboarding did come in handy at least for the balance portion. The ultimate goal is to surf shorter boards and larger waves but I am realistic about my abilities at this point. What I have noticed lately is that the extra size and bulk of the longboard is limiting the amount of maneuverability I have on the short rides I get, and gets trickier on steeper, faster breaking waves. Although I am aware of the disadvantages of a shorter board (slower paddling, less buoyant, less stable), I now wonder if something smaller would open up a new realm of possibility (and challenges) to explore and allow me to make better use of the waves. I'm not talking about a short board, or any hugely drastic move like that. And for now, I'm going to stick with my longboard for at least another few months. I'll always have it in my quiver. When the time does come, however, I am looking towards either the Torq mod fish or mod fun in the 7'2 range (or a similar NSP, Firewire, etc.). The fish has a little more volume, but the fun board seems like it would handle larger waves better on future surf trips to the east coast and other areas with more swell. I also like that the fun board has a bit more rocker for steeper waves. Anyone on here have any advice/experience with boards like this? It would be most appreciated.