hey guys, this may be a dumb question but just dont answer if you have something negative to say. So, I will most likely not paddle out at the peak of this swell, but in the chance that I do, I have been fumbling in my head with what board to ride. In previous threads, I have read that taking out a 6' shortboard would not be very smart. Now I haven't ridden in much surf over 10' but i'm smart enough to know that a shortboard probably won't work. However, in the rare chance that at the peak of the swell, it is not closing out, I would like to try to paddle out. If the waves are indeed what is predicted, i have two options. call me a kook, i don't really care. so i can take out a 6' thruster pintail or a 6'6" funboard shape. The second board size seems better for larger surf but the rails may be too thick. we'll see what i do, but any positive advice would be helpful.
paddling out on that funshape is gonna suck won't be able to duck dive anything.. but to ride probably easier to catch the wave on the funshape but much nicer ride on the shortboard and get more of the wave cause you'll go faster on it
If you had a nice easy channel, maybe a pointbreak, clean conditions I would say go with funboard to provide easier paddling but have to be careful with bottom turns. Problem would be getting caught in between sets, that will take a lot of out of you. Now, assuming your are surfing in jersey where we have sandbars, some jettys or pier, you;l have much tougher time in my opinion getting out in funshape 6"6 and trying to duck dive under walls between 6-10ft consistently. It's all about endurance but this swell it turning out to be no joke. Again, with such a long period swell..I;m curious to see if it will in fact be "good" conditions or will it be closeout city. Tomorrow looks like a distaster and victory at sea.
a 6 foot shortboard will easily stand up to double overhead wavesjust cause you see those bigwave surfers dropping in on guns doesnt mean you cant use your shortboard. you just might not be going that fast and if the waves are this big theyll close out at most spots and the ones that do hold it will prolly be breaking very very fast so if i were you check out the spots on sunday and pick the best one its jsut going to get smaller as the day goes on which will open up more and more spots every hour.
