Boards that work on the East Coast

[rDJ]

Trying to spice up this forum a bit with a thread that has something other than just forcast talk.

I'll be the first to admit that the right coast lags behind the west in surfing industry. It seems there is a surf shop or shaper on every corner in CA. In the east, the only major manufacturer that comes to my mind is WRV. Kechele would be another big shaper. We have a few great smaller guys like Brian Wynn, Larry Mayo, Clean Ocean, Basic Element, Cosmic Bull, Quiet Flight, Natural Art, Bunger, Heritage, Natures Shapes, Austin, Bulatowicz... did I forget anyone?

So what makes a board an East Coast board?... or a North East board?... etc...

I know most people recommend fish for Jersey. I've been told by many people that retro fish shapes, quads and twins, are the best board to have in your Jersey quiver. The extra volume and two pivot points on the tail make the most of our waves. I have my first on order due to be done this week from Brian Wynn. However, I have a more modern WRV Citation fish that has suited me well. It has extra volume, wider nose and swallow tail. I also ride a Channel Islands Flyer that works great when the waves have better form, but doesn't seem to cut it most of the time. The Flyer is a small wave board with some extra volume and rails and concave for smaller mushier surf. I also have a performance longboard (PLB2) shaped by Clean Ocean Surfboards that I've ridden in everything from ankle high to overhead. I've found that squash tail longboards are much better suited for the EC. I've noticed that rounded pintails are very common on both long and short boards out west and don't seem to really work well in Jersey. Just wonder what boards you have found to work well on the EC verses what works on the WC, what everyone thinks a good EC board consists of, and what shapers they use (if you use a local shaper)? And lets see some board porn! Pics?

[satanv]

here's my hypothesis for the minimal ideal jersey quiver.

one board is not enough, you need three if you want to surf often:

1. a longboard - whatever type you prefer -- e.g. a 9 footer for those minimal days

2. a fish/twin/quad type of thing - for windslop junk and clean small weak swells -- e.g. a 5'10" or 6'0

3. a real thruster for those good days when it's really hurling barrels everywhere. e.g. a 6' or 6'2 thruster

that's about it.

[goin_retro]

Depending on how big you are, I'd go with a little bit bigger thruster, for the clean barreling days and more importantly the huge hurricane occasions. 6-6.2 might be a little small for bigger days.

[ozak]

Right now the only thing I'm ridin on is a 5'7 ezera fish. I have a 7'8 WRV squashtail, but I need to have it repaired and I'm broke. :P

[Carson]

a Body Board.

[NJlongboarder]

Hobie PeterPan Slugs are specificly made for NJ waves. They go from 7ft all the way up to 10ft. My bro has one and its an awesome ride. Basicly floats like a longboard but rides somewhere in between a funshape and short board. Hence the name peterpan slug lol!

[StuckinVA]

Depending on how big you are, I'd go with a little bit bigger thruster, for the clean barreling days and more importantly the huge hurricane occasions. 6-6.2 might be a little small for bigger days.

Agreed. Especially since there is almost never any channel to paddle out in. sometimes you need a little more board to pick up some speed as you paddle out between overhead sets.

Also, it seems like most EC shapers shape their boards a bit wider than on the west coast. i dont' ride anything slimmer than a 19 1/2.

Lastly, if you don't have much of a quiver, you may want consider a bit of a bigger board that will float you with a 4/3, booties, and gloves, as well as float you in the summer with trunks. Obviously the water temps vary alot on the EC so those are other things to keep in mind.

I'm 6'2 205 lbs and my boards are

9'2, 22 1/2 - TK shapes
6'6, 20 1/8 backup thruster for my 6'8 - in the eye
6'8, 19 1/2 thruster - in the eye
6'4, 20 1/2 ...Lost RoundNoseFish for sloppy waist to chest

I mainly surf OBX or sometimes delaware/OC

[noj]

ride a shorty,

[epidemicepic]

Ive been honing my east coast quiver for about a decade now, and this would be my optimum east coast quiver combining my favorite boards over the years.

9'0'' Tim Nolte longbaord (for anything under the sun)
6'6'' merrick round pin taylor knox (for hurricane swells, or travel)
6'1'' merrick mbm2 for the best head high-overhead swells
6'2'' lost SDII for when the mbm2 is just not enough volume (chest high windswell?)
5'10''' Lost Round Nose Fish set up as a twin or a twinzer (for when i dont feel like longboarding)

5 boards seems like alot for the EC, but hey whynot ?.... i could get away with just the RNF and the mbm2 i think.

[conway]

i have a 9'6" log and a normal thruster and that does me just fine year round. Those are really all you need, in my opinion.