im looking for a new board, and do you guys think that a 5'7, 2 inch thick, 3 fin, chemistry board is too small for me, im 5'8 and 119 ilbs.
your surf shop owner should be able to put you on the right board based on your weight, height and skills.... as for 2" thick it will probably float you....but i think you might need juicy waves for it....
It depends on your talent level and how big of waves you prefer to ride it in. It won't do much good on 2 foot chop, but on some chest+ high glass it would stand out more.
instead of going to a shop, contact a local shaper and work with him to dial in your dimensions for the best possible board. Somebody like Jon Ashton or Mike Hague willl steer you in the right direction for our waves.
cause most local shops will put you on a board just to get your money. if you know the shops well and trust them, by all means hit them up but the local shaper will dial you in better since they make the board from scratch custom to your ability and dimensions, not trying to find you something they have in stock (like a shop)
not saying that either mike or jon would have this happen but isnt it possible the board could end up really not working for you and just end up being a custom piece of crap.
If you understand board design or trust your shop you can easily get a board off of the rack that will ride just as good as a custom. Unless a shaper knows you well has seen you surf in every conceivable condition there is no way he can make a magic board just by weight and height measurements and asking you your skill level. Most people over estimate their ability or just plane lie when they tell a shaper this stuff. A custom board has most advantages for advanced surfers who understand how to communicate the short comings of their equipment to a skilled shaper who can fine tune the design to fit. For a beginner a cutom board can be cheaper, you get to meet the person who actually shaped the board (rather than a machine cut board from who knows where) and supporting a guy who is probably struggling to make a dollar. I have done both and both are fun and have given me great boards. Better yet try shaping one for yourself, that is the most fun of all and I guarrantee no matter how ugly a homemade board may be it will catch waves and it will be surfable. I have done 3 so far and each has been better than the last with my most recent being the best board I have ever ridden from any source.
Stock-off-the-rack boards end up not working for the rider more often than customs IMO. Usually this happens when the buyer can't judge how much volume and rocker a board has by looking at it, doesnt ask the right questions, and isnt realistic about their abilities. I''ve been riding Jon Ashton customs and Mike Hague customs for years, and every single one has been a real solid board, that rode well for me. As Zippy said, if you know boards and are realistic about your needs you can absolutely get a fantastic board right off the shelf. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a non-locally shaped board off the shelf if i thought it would be the best option. For example, Matt Biolos has been shaping round nose fishes for over a decade, presumably refining the design, they obviously kill it in the kind of waves we get around here a lot, and I can't imagine why anyone would feel any guilt in buying one. i sure wouldn't.
I just had Ashton copy a lost RNF template and tweak if for me. What it really boils down to is trust. If you really know the shop guys and trust them, they will put you on the best board they have in stock or order a custom for you. I've worked with Jon for 25 yeas and trust him to tell me if an idea i have is full of it. I don't trust the OCMD shops to steer me right and I was friends with most of them when I surfed down there.
Yeah buying blind off the rack like I used to do is a recipe for disaster and a big waste of money. It that situation custom is the way to go. After shaping a few I am slowly learning what does what, so it would probably help me when picking off the rack. I am pretty sure I am done buying retail boards and plan on making everyboard I ride for the rest of my life. Even if I suck on them it's really fun to ride a homedone board and a great excuse when you screw up on a set wave, lol. PS: Mitchell, thanks for the heads up the other morning, I was in the water at the time and for about 4 hours after you called, figured it was too late for a report to do you any good by that point.
Chili Chili's a lil' BIZNOTCH! HEHE: well, you gotta also look at width, cuz more surface = more flotation, and that is a very important part in my choosing, cuz thickiness just feels like it gets in the way, as where width is necessary for your foot placement and doesn't impair diving. I'm 6'1" and 160 and had been riding a dinged up twin fin at the small height of 5'10", made easier by its nice width and limited thickness. I now have a 6'3" thruster with similar width and thickness, but can abviously float alot better and do more stuff because of the added length.
