well i have been surfing for about two summers now. i surf about every other weekend at holden beach. i have an 8'4" long board right now and i really like it. however im wanting something that i can use when the waves start getting kind of big and too steep for a long board. like when hurricanes are coming and stuff like that. i am kind of big when it comes to surfers i think. im 6'0" and i weigh 195 pounds. anyway i have been trying to read what would be good for a guy my size and the conditions i want to surf. i think a hybrid fish is what im looking for. something that has the width and thickness to float me, but also the steeper front end to catch the steeper waves. i was hoping if you guys could tell me if that is the correct way to go and if not what would be the best board for me. if anyone could tell me where i could find a nice used board that is correct for my size and desired surfing i would appreciate it.
There is a wide variety of boards you could use. A fish typically is used for mushy chest high surf. If you really want that shape, you could get a performance fish that would allow you to get into those bigger waves. Since you like your longboard, you could get a performance longboard that has more rocker which would allow you to surf the bigger steeper waves in the hurricane season. The big hybrid fish shapes tend to be really slow, harder to turn, and definetly not for clean head high hurricane swell. You could always get a big guy shortboard that is larger, 6'10 to 7'0 that will work a lot better.
It all really depends on what style you are looking for too.
HP longboard-long turns with glide, yet can hold in the pocket
fish- chest high mushy waves, wider turns then a short board
HP fish - head high mushy-clean waves, tighter turns than a normal fish
Big guy shortboard- waist to head semi clean to clean waves, tight turns for snappy cut backs.
Jimmy Keith here in Wilmington shapes the Whiskey Fish. They are sick. I have one, floats like a longboard but has performance qualities. I love mine, ride it probably 90% of the time I surf. I'm 6' 165 and ride a 6'x21x2.75. Could probably go a little smaller if I wanted to but I love being able to catch waves with the longboarders. They always have a funny look on their face when I catch a wave they didn't think I had a chance of catching.
thanks for all the help. guys. im going to go look at some used boards this weekend. im going to go look for a fish with a slightly steeper than normal rocker. i figure that would be a good one to go with from what i have been reading. or maybe a thicker and wider than normal shorboard.
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