Transitioning to shorter board from 6'9" hybrid...Advise please? Thanks

That's a pretty big drop off in volume most likely and you will have definite challenges, as you found when jumping right to a hybrid off the foamie. My advise would be to keep mastering what you have, but if you need / want another board I wouldn't go any smaller than a 6'4"-6-6", and I would make sure it's got some volume to it still. In short, baby steps...

 

I think you can go for the transition. I surfed a 6'4 and bought a 5'6 Pod and had no problem. The board has great float ability and catches a lot of small waves (knee to chest). It is not a performance board though so it doesn't rip like you may want it to. However, it definitely can get you some nice carves and top turns. If you can get it for under $400 go for it. You should also look into the Firewire Dominator. Doesn't have the fish-like shape as the Pod, however, surfs better. Go for it.

 

That's actually not too bad of a transition. I'd say go for it. That pod has plenty of volume to help with catching waves and paddling. If it has a swallow tail it should help keep it pretty lively. You could always play with different fins or even have a 5th box added to ride it thruster. The Fishcuit is also a good choice. Good luck

 

9" is quite a transition in surfboards, but you will get used to the smaller size (eventually) and surfing small waves will be exponentially higher performance and more enjoyable..."in the pocket" will take on a whole new meaning.

I'm 6'1" / 175 lbs and rode a genuine 6'2" CI pod for about a week. The reason I didn't keep it was the rails are too thick/"corky" (kinda bobs through turns). Kinda got hung up in the lip dropping in a few times, but it paddled very well, was fast, and, like most CI boards, it was extremely stable riding (made it out of a maneuvers, Kelly style, I probably woulda fallen on most other brands).

As far as the tail shape, don't be swayed just by the rad looking swallow tail design...most of them ride about like a similar width square tail. The only tail I've noticed a major difference on is a pin tail because they're so stable (for barrel riding and bigger waves).

 

The 6' pod has 39 ltr of foam. Which will float a 200 lb man or women. Of course it's gonna take a little to get used to it, but its plenty of board. Plus the swallow tail is not for looks, it adds volume to the tail plus sharp edges for release, it is much more snappier than a round pin. Round tails are for more drawn out turns and tend to slide out on sharp bottom turns. If the price is right.... Go for it!

 

well, I disagree. Volume would depend on the thickness of the foam left on swallow points (granted on the pod it's left pretty thick), but the V cut out of a swallow removes the volume that would be left in a similar square tail. Unless it's a squash tail, the sharp edge/release will be the same....but I don't even think the rounding would make a significant difference.

pumping is all about rhythm and, sadly, most surfers don't have any. Do you have rhythm? (it's either yes or no, not kinda)...if you don't, pumping out of sync is just going to make you like a flailing kook

I tried someone's 6'9" a few weeks back and I couldn't pump or turn on it at all. May have been that I just wasn't used to it...also coulda been a crappy shaped board (it happens). I'll go out on a limb and say, if you can't pump it or turn it, the board is probably too long for you (you may as well get an actual longboard and just stand there like the majority of them)

 

Any board you get smaller than the funboard is going to be much different.I hate the term "Hybrid Funboard", it just doesnt work. A funboard is a funboard is a funboard. Personally I think you have the right idea with a 6' to 6'4x20 and keep some foam so say 2.5 to 2.75. A funboard is an ok learning tool but if you can do a long carve its time to move on. Look for a fish or a shortboard with a little more nose. At your stage I like a pulled in squash cause it helps keep the rear stable but still allows for good digs in sharp turns. Of course I always recommend talking to a local shaper about what you want out of your surfing and let them help guide you in the right direction.

 

id say a pod shape isnt a bad idea....i went from my longboards to my sweet potato which took a few days but it gave me a chance to get my "shortboard" basics down. it is performance oriented too. I then went and got a more performance shortboard for myself (more like big man shortboard)

 

I say bite the bullet and get the board you really want. Commit to learning how to ride it. You learned to ride your other boards and you can learn to ride something else. You could spend years dropping down in 3 inch increments, mastering every step along the way, but what would be the point? You want to ride a short board, so get one.

 

I say go for it. In my opinion, that POD you described is too big for you, but that is probably a good thing given your skill level, but I definitely wouldn't go any bigger.

I say get a used fish/small wave board that is sized on the large size of appropriate for your weight, and have at it. It will be much different, but once it clicks, should be much more fun. Going too big on a fish style board is almost as bad as going to small on a board. It's gotta be sized within the right dimensions or it will feel "boaty" and hamper your surfing. Yes, bigger will catch waves easier, but it will surf like junk after you catch the wave.

I find funshapes to be to be "not fun" unless I'm on a solid sized wave. Then you can draw some nice carves, but despite their size and extra float, I think they surf pretty poorly in the general smaller east coast conditions we get. I'll take a little fish or a longboard over a funshape every time for average waves.

Grab something with a "fish genetics" (i.e. wide full nose, and a little portly through the outline) and my guess is you'll love it. Easier to catch waves then a shortboard and will float flat sections better too. Buy used and cheap. Ugly boards are your friends because their cheaper and surf just as good as the pretty ones.

Then only break out your funshape when the waves are big and soft and provide a lot of face to carve.

my 2 cents anyway....

 

you surf 3-5x a week?!where the hell do u live,hawaii??if u surf that much,going to a smaller board should be no problem!maybe the issue is your surfing 1 ft whitewash that u can only surf on a longboard.have u surfed any real waves this year,like atleast over 4 ft.i see guys say all the time on here,asking for advice for carves n shyt,and i have to think,maybe ur not throwin spray because your tryin to carve on a 1 ft wave.you need wave face to cut back!!i havnt seen any real waves here in jersey just about all fukin summer.leslie was ok,but thats not real waves.i am lucky to only surf a few days a year,it sucks but thats the eastcoast.near me,the sandbars only come to life at a 4ft minimum..the rest of the year its flat,while southern breaks like lbi have nice sandbars so u can surf year round.not here in northern jersey breaks....make sure ur surfing waves and not whitewash,trust me youll learn theres a big difference between getting pushed by some whitewater and going over the falls on a 5ft barrel!......

 

First off, good for you for catching the sickness! Keep surfing as often as you can regardless of whether others say the conditions are good. Strong onshore winds, mushy ankle to knee high junk waves, etc., they all will help you improve your surfing. That said, I agree you should ditch the "funboard". My first board was a 7' swallow tail that I only later found out was meant for larger waves (thanks local surf shop brahs), and it probably hurt my progression.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that winter is coming. Transitioning to a smaller board and winter wetsuit at the same time is definitely going to slow down your paddling. Personally, I find myself riding my longboard a lot more often in winter for the ease of paddling and also to keep my body out of the frigid water (I live in MA). If most of the waves you're seeing are in the knee to waist range it might be worth considering a longboard. I should mention my local break is a point break that offers some steap bowly peaks but then mushes out fast and offers long lefts, which sometimes reform nicely but you really need a longboard to stay in them. Know your break! Long mushy waves=longboard. Short punchy waves=shortboard (IMO).

I also ride a 5'8 hobie fish tail (I'm 6'1, 180 lbs). The transition to a small board ain't easy but you might as well do it now if that's the direction you want to take. I guess my point is that if you're committed to riding a shortboard then go for it! But if you're not committed to a shortboard there's a lot you can learn from riding an actual longboard. My longboard is a 9' Localmotion with a big aggressive single fin. I love both my boards, ride them about equally and, like parents with their children, probably couldn't pick a favorite.

PS - I got the longboard first and once I started to feel some level mastery went for the shortboard. Just saying.

 

3 years of surfing here. 1st board was a 6'8 fun fish. I beat the hell out of it and then sold it it for 150......
picked up a 6'6 with a more sleek design now, The fish I had was jus a tank in the water, this 6'6 is all around smaller every dimension! Much quicker....
allright I gotta go flounder now, 3+ foot chop right now.............
id jus get the new surf skis jk

 

A longboard really is a solid addition to anyones quiver in my opinion. I started on a shortboard, but soon after I started picked up an old 60's longboard at a yard sale and had a ton of fun on that thing. It now lives permanently hanging on the wall of my basement, in such a way that you can't see the two buckles I put in it ;-) Even after it buckled, I bought a repl,acement and always have had at least one longboard around.

That said, if you have interest in riding a shorter board, my advice is try not to fall into the crutch of only using a longboard because it's easier, and you get proficient at it quickly. I know many that have gone that route, especially now that I'm getting up there in years. Many of my buddies want to ride a shortboard, but after years of only taking out the log out of laziness, their shortboard skills are gone.

Oh, and I second what Pinkstink said about riding any conditions you can. When I started I would try and surf any rideable day, no matter how small or junky or sideshore....It all helps you develop skills, and when your a beginner, it's all fun. You'll have plenty of time to become jaded and crotchity and only go on the better days when you get old, and have hardly any free time like me.

 

Hey Shablagoo,

Hope you find a good board.

But one thing's for sure. If it's an actual CI Pod, a 6'0" is too big for your weight.