If you could only keep one board it would be...

Ooooooh. Tough. Id have to say a 5'8 x 19 3/4 x 2.5 round tail. Low rocker but not super low. Single to double to vee. 5 fin convertible.

I already own this board. It doesn't excel in all conditions, but it works almost any conditions and goes good in anything waist high and up.

 

Good post.

Should also query, perhaps, what are one's dims & where does one surf most often?

I'd go with the 9'2 CI Classic / Performer.
Bigger fella like me (6'2, 205) on the east coast = takes any conditions & does well

 

I’d have to go with my 5’9” chili rare bird. It’s okay in waist high, but excels in stomach to a couple feet overhead, which is very conducive to my home break. Doesn’t get outside of that range that often. My only other choice would be a hp longboard, to take advantage of those smaller days....

 

My 8’4” Roger Beal big boy fish. It works in knee high/thigh high just as well as any of my long boards and it it just gets better as it gets bigger. It’s funny but at first it wasn’t a bort I’d use because it was a big step up early and I couldn’t get comfortable on it. The one day I had a great session and swapped around between that and my red mini Mal, and it was just as fun and that changed it for me. Since then, it’s been the one I ride every time it’s big. If the 10’DelRay wasn’t so stable and paddle able in huge messy surf like Sunday, I’d have surfed the fish hands down.
And being in the same field as Yank, the bigger size mixed with the HP of a short performance bort helps my heavy ass in this east coast mayhem lol

 

6'0 x 19 1/2 x 2 3/8 LBCrew. Round tail 5 fin quad/thruster. Modeled of a Lost Speed Demon II.
There are very few days where that is not my go to the last couple of years.

 

If i could keep only one board that i already have, it would be my 6'2" x 21" x 2 3/8" Jon Ashton battail quad. It goes just fine in everything from waist to chest high mush to overhead El Salvador. Its basically a fun fish shape.

If i actually had to choose one board to be my only board, it probably wouldn't be exactly like any specific board in my quiver. It would probably be a very wide squash tail about 6'0" x 20.5" with at least 5 fin boxes!

 

Two theories...

Because the majority of the days we get here are under head high, I'd say a fish. That way, I'd have a decent board to work well most days.

But... When the waves are good you want a board that works good - a shortboard. It might not be the best board for most days, but it will work best when it counts most.

 

One thing i'm 100% sure about....if i picked one board that i had to use as my only board, within 10 sessions i'd be convinced that i had made the wrong choice.

 

My old 7'0" round tail fun gun, thing could paddle into waist high and OH with ease and rode each really well. could even cheat 5 on it if necessary. R.I.P.

 

I think we have been through this before lol but always fun to hear yous guyes thouts.

If it’s based on East coast conditions and being able to surf the most days regardless of conditions (not just if it’s chest high or bigger, but everything.) I would go with a LB since there are so many small days and it could also handle bigger days, just a pain if caught inside. I have a 9’10 rounded pin single fin that I really like in any condition, so something like that. It’s a surfboards Hawaii model AAA.

years ago I would say a 6’10 (I think) standard thruster that had a really good amount of volume. I don’t have the board anymore but it worked well in anything. There is probably a better design now in that range that would work. Only thing is that I wouldn’t be stoked to paddle out in smaller stuff, while on a LB I would be. And I would be on bigger days with a Lb too since it’s a challenge

If it’s based on just surfing BELMAR - I would have to go with my 7’10 full on gun. Pintail, glasses on fins, the whole nine yards.


Otherwise, I agree with Mitchell

 

This 6'6 Diamond Tail Quad has proven very versatile for me in recent years. Tons of foam and paddles great, fast and maneuverable. Not the best board I have for heavy takeoffs but I can make it work if I have to.

 

Interesting Question. I would pick a hybrid short board. Something in between a HPSB and a Fish. 6'0 x 19.5 x 2.5 quad fin.

Something that works in waist high waves but excels in chest to slightly overhead.
A board floaty enough that it will catch smaller mushy waves but just small enough that you can still duck dive it.

 

My 9-0 HPLB.

 

Hey would love to see that board Biggles!
I would keep a bigger board being older and for the area of EC I surf - either my 8'3" Dynaglyde by Wayne Okamoto or a 9'0" HPLB

 

This 7'2 mini me. Works in this knee high to overhead

 

That’s a really sweet looking bort man

 

That “I just picked up my new custom bort!” Look haha
Its a perfect all arounder for me.

 

My 6’ Quiver Killer, I love this thing