Big Waves vs. Small Waves

Under gunned was a generalization, you don't need a gun.

Seems that what you have on your hands is a great small wave quiver. Some may argue, but fish are loose and can be sketchy in steep surf, in my experience. They usually have wide tails, soft rails, and little to no rocker. Maybe LBCrew or someone who knows the specifics of that one could be more helpful.

That longboard can handle the surf if you can, but it is pretty demanding to ride a log in big waves. If you really think you have a reason to get a board for bigger waves, I would go for a standard high performance shortboard, in 3 fin, squash or pin tail, and like 2-4 inches longer than your coil. Foam is your friend so don't go buy a pro model or anything.

I've got a pin tail 6'6 that is my traveler board but a far stretch from a gun. I ride it in anything over head high and steep. It's thick in the stringer, sharp rails, and lots of rocker.

 

this is a great advice. a 6'6" rounded pin thruster is a great board to own when you live on the east coast and surf a lot of beach breaks during big swells. there will be days when its big with strong offshores that you will be so happy that you have one. and it awesome to have one in the bag on surf trips.

 

i find smaller is better in fast hollow beach breaks, but it really depends on the wave your surfing and shape of board.
example - i'm 6'0 160lbs and pretty much stick to my 6'2 standard shortboard for just about everything from chest high beach break to DOH reef/points.
i just broke my 6'2. my 6'0 is getting repaired so i took out my only other option - a 6'3 roundtail, lots of rocker, etc...in chest-head beach break and had so much trouble getting into waves. altho bigger, the shape is not right for those conditions.

commitment and concentration is super important too.

 

Agree with everyone so far. More foam is better for sure. My bigger wave step up board on the west coast was a 6'6 which could handle big blacks and most anything else with a 7'2 mini gun that I broke out maybe 3-4 times per year. As far as beach break, commitment is key. Larger boards tend to hesitate and drop in a little later, but on the bigger waves, a 6'6 to me would turn and burn like any of my 5'11 standard shortboards... You will have to initiate turns a little sooner and plan you attack, but if you have nice shoulders and conditions, it actually becomes easier to turn and navagate the waves...

But unfortunately, as mentioned in other threads, there are no reefs and points to go to when the bacj breaks max out... So on many occasions, it could just be too big, or too choppy. So dont feel like you have to climb the mountain every time... Some days just arent meant to be... You can get an A for effort, but on big days, you may g out for an hour and get two waves. Dont beat yourself up... It happens.

Know you limits. Know your spots. Be safe and don't over do it. A lot of those epic east coast photos of guys being shacked in DOH conditions end with them getting swallowed up in a closeout. So if you arent going for broke trying to get cover shots, just know your limits.... But the only way to get comfortable is repetition. You have to just go... Your instincts will take over. You may sit out on the shoulder and dodge sets for 30 minutes, but once you calm down and see what going on out there, your wave will come and you will know its time to go.

 

we're posting pretty much the same thought because we've all stroked into bombs on a the right board and know how good it feels. you don't use the 6' 6" all the time so it will last longer. mine is a Nev from the late
90's 6'6" 18 1/4 2 1/4. its a little thin for me now but its still in pretty good shape. i only use a few times a year but when i take it out it's like game on.

what type fins do you guys use on these days? i always use a fin with more rake. i feel it gives me a better bottom turn that gets me in the spot for a good down the line run.

 

I think the mental aspects are far more important than the equipment. Sure, it's important to have good gear, but none of that matters if you cannot focus and get the job done.

It comes down to fear. Big waves are scary. How scary depends on the level of comfort, which comes mostly from time spent in similar conditions. If you have never surfed a head-high day, it's pretty scary. If you have been around the block for a while, it's no big deal. The same goes for DOH and bigger. When the waves get really big, it's always scary (for me, at least) because there is always the possibility of getting hurt really bad.

Experience, aside from removing fear, also helps us to manage it. Just because you are afraid doesn't mean you cannot nail it and score a big one. You just need to learn to push that fear away from your mind and use your mental faculties 100 percent in doing exactly what you need to do. My gnarliest ride ever was in Hawaii at Logs. I don't want to say how big the wave was because I'd be tempted to lie , but all that matters is that it should have been scary as sh!t. It was big and hollow and I could see the lava spikes just inches below the surface as I was getting into the thing. The funny part is that I don't remember being afraid at all. Looking back, it seems scary to me. At that moment, however, it was all focus on what I needed to do. The rest of the universe, for that brief time, did not even exist. I bet the hard-chargers here (and I do not claim to be among them) have even better stories about instinct taking over in those critical moments.

 

Classic line... Who is J.O.B. is one of the best surf videos... cant wait for the next one..
But in all seriousness, the trick to bigger surf in my opinion is take your time. Don't just take off on anything, and have the right board, it will make a big difference.

 

Contrary to popular assumptions, you're absolutely right. People just assume that if you have a longer board, you'll get into waves earlier, simply because of the added length, and that is not so. Other design elements are at least as important, particularly bottom contours, tail volume, and rocker... and I would even go as far as to argue in that order. Length allows you to have a higher paddling speed, and that will help catch bigger, faster moving waves more easily. But bottom contours that displace water (as opposed to concaves) can undo some of that effect, and so can reduced tail planing surface and/or tail volume. This applies to traditional surfboard designs, and not Roy type boards or other out-of-the-box type designs. Those pulled in tails and displacement features, like the heavy vee you see on a lot of semiguns and guns, is needed for control at speed while up and riding... not for wave catching. So like everything else... it's a compromise: Take of late and steep, and have the control and maneuverability at speed, or take off early, and have less control.

 

For the wayyy outside sets look up and down the beach around you. When a big set rolls in 1-2 blocks north then a big set rolls in 1-2 blocks south your spot is probably next. Start moving outside a little so you have a head start.

 

Here's an interview with the guy riding the sick reef break above

http://surf.transworld.net/1000159780/photos/behind-the-cover-june-2013/

 

Nice board. I have a Firewire that is similar( 6 foot) and have had it in some OH conditions with no problems. I am also in the 170 weight range.