Death of the Modern Shortboard?

While responding to another post, I realized that my evaluation of this topic may be misunderstood. Although I ONLY ride thruster setups, even on LBs, just because that is what im comfortable with... But different fin setups is not really what I am against... My opinions on these newer, wider shortboards was more based on their thick rail volume and lack of turning ability. Its not that these quads or other weird fin setups are bad, I am just saying that these fat little discs are fun to paddle, but I dont like the direction that they are headed as far as style and performance...

its almost like the common trend is all about getting more people in the water. Making paddling easier. Making speed easier, which I understand... But I have always like the fact that you can't just pick up a potato chip thruster and paddle out and get good waves. On boards like that, you have to be good or you wont even make the first section... All these little fat boards are going to have all kinds of people standing upright dropping in on me =) Lets make surfing HARDER, not easier

 

i like the newer less nose design,and Scott is shaping In The Eye Surfboards that way.
I'm very big,6'5"/215-250 with winter gear,and I was getting boards too thick and wide recently,but now I'm trying this idea of keeping things 2 7/8" or less and 21" or less.

 

Shorepoints:

I get your point... no pun intended. It's pretty much catching on widely at this point that the the tip of the board does nothing but provide an aesthetic, and throw off your rocker numbers - and you can't discount either one of those factors. Aesthetics sell boards. You can debate whether that's good or bad, but it's a reality. And as for rocker, guys like you know that as little as that first 1-2 inches of board can alter your rocker as much as 20-25%. That's a lot of rocker! Because the curve accelerates dramatically on a modern shortboard in the last 18 inches or so, you can attribute a considerable amount of "rocker" to that little flip at the tip... as much as the better part of an inch on a nose rocker of 5 1/2 inches or more. That's why a nose rocker measurement a foot back is in many ways more important than at the tip. You can duplicate a rocker without a rocker stick like this... measure the rocker half way between the apex and the tip... then half way between that point and the tip, then half way between that point and the tip, and so on. This way, the more the rocker curve accelerates, the closer your measurements get. Works like a charm.

 

Board suggestions

i would like to have 1 board for all around surfing. ankle- head + , however i will have a separate board for when it is really perfect out but i do want this board to be good for any wave the east coast throws at us. I have been surfing for about 3 years now . I need a board that will allow me to take my surfing to the next level. I currently have a 6'0 firewire alternator and 6'4 al merric a6 . *I am considering the merric robber and dumpster diver

 

Al knows

A lot of the Al Merrick shapes are versatile in all sorts of stuff. In my opinion, the "Flyer" shape is one of the better designs ever. I've been going with a lot of quad swallow tails lately, and they work in pretty much anything the east coast throws at ya. On the unusually big days tho (like anything overhead +), it's worth your while to have a nice round pin or pin, especially in OC or NC when it starts getting really hollow. You could always buy a bigger board on consignment for that; pintails are harder to find but generally cheap because nobody buys them.