dude trust me your definitely ready.dont let anyone discourage you.il be going to Hawaii in a few weeks and the only thing im packin is my 14'10'' sup board and im taken it to pipe,waimai,outside log cabins.i was gonna buy one of those inflatable lifevests,but I found a sick pair of swimmies for $15.search and you will find brotha. pipe so overrated.i rate it a 2 compared to sandy hook which I rank at a 10.it barrels more in jerz than it does at pipe.and if u get in trouble,lifegaurds have jetskis.imagine that a jetski rescueing you 15ft from the shore in jers during a wicked 23ft swell like tomorrow.what you want to do is pick out the best guys out that day at pipe,someone like johnny Florence or maybe Jamie o brain,maybe even sunny Garcia if hes out that day,and just hit the cruise control on that wavejet and calmly glide to wherever they paddle,and when a wave comes and they start paddling,u come flying out of left field with your arms folded and the wavejet doing all the work and say yea suckkkkaaaaa!!! like mclovin.