Board Help

Well, How much do you weigh?

 

what are your specs, what are you currently riding, what do you want to do as far as surfing?

 

I would recommend a funshape or LB if you will be surfing mostly small stuff. As for the size, as others have noted, we need to know your weight. I am 5'8" 160 lbs and ride a 7'4" funboard in the small stuff. I am going to buy a 6'10" Egg soon for larger swell.

 

Don't know what skill level you are, but assuming you're just getting started i'd go with a 7.6" - 8ft Fun board, or if you are already catching waves frequently then maybe get a Fish in the 6'6" - 6'10" range. I'm about your weight, slightly shorter, and ride a 8'1" McTavish and a 6'10" WRV Fish, and they are perfect for me, catch almost every wave i go for so i'll be going to a true shorty later this winter i believe, in the 6'4"-6'6" range, but I am trying to hold out a little while longer to make the transition easier.

 

If you're already considering a 6'6", I would bump up to a 7'+ single fin. A 7' is a great medium between a shortboard & a smaller longboard/funboard, as long as you go for the more rounded nose. You will have plenty of float for the ankle biters & the board will be more maneuverable than a longboard/funboard in larger surf. Plus, the 7' single egg is a classic staple in surfing culture. Definitely a great all around board. Best of luck in the search.

 

Why a single fin ? I have two single fin boards and don't really see the advantage for a beginner. I think a thruster set up would be more user friendly. If the OP is a beginner, I'd agree with the others and go with a fun shape. Maybe 7'6" range.

 

What is your ability?

 

Hey man, I'm not forcing this dude into buying a single fin - it is simply a suggestion based on my personal experience. Nothing about the OP's post insinuates that he is a beginner - the only thing we know is that he is considering a 6'6" - obviously not a typical beginner board. By all means, a funboard is a lot of fun - I have one myself, but I think we can all agree that a funboard will not yield the same results as a 6'6". Sure, a single fin is not a thruster & it's the same vice versa. A thruster is a combination of a twin & a single, but it still lacks the stability of a single fin. Additionally, a thruster has a lot of drag - something that may complicate things for a beginner. A single fin set-up provides a smoother ride & offers more stability than a thruster does, with little-to-no drag. From a historical point of view, the single fin is the original - the classic - the mac daddy of fin set-ups. The single fin allows the rider to go with the flow & ride the wave for what it really is. If the OP is really a beginner, the single fin will teach him style & finesse of true classic surfing. From there, you can go anywhere; including a thruster set up or even a quad set-up - you could even look at single fins as the "stick-shift" of surfboards. Style & grace over airs & modernization - restore the power.

 

Just read a great article in Surfing Mag the other day about single fins. It basically talks about using a single fin when the conditions are clean with long rides, to get the most out of it and when it's bumpy / semi bumpy it's best to use a thruster. Guys like Kelly and Dane love the feel of a single fin when the conditions are right but i'm sure it's fun to surf in lesser conditions too. It says it will force you to pay attention to certain things and therefore improve your surfing overall when you try different equipment. Many will say any complete quiver will have a single fin in it. Just my .02

 

Your .02 is well taken, my friend. To me, the key point of your post is about how a single fin will "force you to pay attention to certain things and therefore improve your surfing overall when you try different equipment." A single fin may take some time to get used to, but it's totally worth it. Plus, I feel like a single fin is less maintenance, since you only have one fin to worry about.

 

Why thank you, just relaying what i've read, seems to make sense if you think about it. I'm all about trying different equipment, the more well rounded you are the better i think.

 

If you have to ask what board is right for you just come to Greenlight and try a few different demo boards to feel what is best for your ability level. No obligation to buy one from us, we just don't like seeing people come to us AFTER they are dissatifsied with the board they bought on someone's recommendation. Doesn't have to be like that with Greenlight's demo rack available to everyone.

~Brian
www.greenlightsurfsupply.com
Shape Your Surfing Experience

 

Great post.This is basically what I was thinking. When I first rode my 6'4" singlefin, I hated it. After a while I figured it out and it definitely made me pay attention to what I was doing. The board rode well in clean surf but wasn't really the right board when it was choppy or too hollow. If I only had one shortboard, it would not be a singlefin.

 

what's with everyone recommending egg shapes and fun boards? why not a regular old longboard to start? i know there are some reasons to start with something smaller, but let's flush them out there...

+1 to a single fin by the way. a thruster set up is only really necessary when the waves get big (IMO)

 

For smallish summer waves, i disagree with the advice about 7 foot boards or single fins, but its all personal preference.

my go to boards for weak waist high and under summer waves are short wide boards with mostly twin or quad fin setups. 6 feet would be on the long side, and 20 or more inches wide wide, relaxed rocker. fishes, small eggs or disks, mini sims etc.

I know i would be frustrated trying to do turns on two foot waves on a mid length single fin.

 

I only suggested since he was talking about a 6'6" board. I do love LB though. I just can't afford one right now. I have a funshape and an egg. I think fun boards are a good way to start if you want to learn fast.

 

I bought a 6' 6" epoxy fish earlier this year as a transition to a shorter board from a longboard that I learned on and have been having a lot of fun on it. It is small but floaty and is excellent in medium surf even when it gets choppy. And I prefer dropping in with the shorter board with more rocker on the waist/chest high waves. Lately I'll only go to the longboard if it is like knee/ankle and clean just for something to do. Oh I'm 5'9" and 175.