Step up for winter and bigger swell

I wouldn't go bigger than 6'8. 6'3-6'6 I think you'd be happy with. A little extra foam is a good thing especially in winter so as far as width I'd stay on the high side of your range. 20-21. Rounded pin sounds good. Actually this sounds allot like the board I just described in the confused and humbled tread. Read the last couple posts on that tread about fuller boards with lower rocker. Something to consider

 

I never felt the need for anything bigger than my 6'1". I blew the one of the fin boxes out surfing near the dock during the freak low that we got a few months ago. I now am down to a 5'8" groveler that has been surprising me in the bigger stuff the past few years.

The dims on the "step up" I used to ride was 6'1'x 18 3/8 x 2 1/4 round tail dhd d2 concave. I am 5'11 182

 

Keep in mind the longer you go the more foam thats added to the board overall. You dont really want a wide board in typical OH+ stuff, 19 should be plenty fine for anything up to 6'6 or so which is all you would ever need here. 2 1/2 is about right for thickness for extra wetsuit float and paddle. Low entry rocker, pulled in tail as you mentioned, go for a 5 fin setup so you have options, sometimes that quad is crucial. I'd get a heavier glass job as its not going to be an air launching potato chip. So watch out for some of the cali boards, they usually glass light and you dont want 4 4 glass on a winter board as it will probably be taking a beating.

 

6'4 Bro. 6'4 is plenty. That will get you into anything you will see this week. These conditions are "decent" there, but not even real step up conditions. When you are tackling something in the 15' range, you may as well just get a 7'2 or something and bypass anything in the high 6's, but I never went bigger than a 6'4 unless it was dust off the mini gun that comes out twice a year kind sh**, and I call it a mini gun cause it was a 7'2 from HI. Just a pin-tail speed gun.

 

WOW...man, not much volume for a 18o lb dude...

 

6'4' pintail, quad if you can find one. If you can find a shape by Rich "Toby" Pavel, do yourself a huge favor and spend the extra cash to grab it. You'll thank me later. If you want to know more about Pavel (shapes for "Choice" and "Rainbow" labels), stop by his shop by the OB Pier. Research "Speed Dialer".

 

...Lost Mini-driver...probably in the 6' range or so... The type of step-ups of the past are unnecessary with the acceptance of additional width, foil thickness, etc.

 

bingo. w/ the way shapers are redistributing foam & volume in modern shapes, unless you're surfing someplace in the 12-15ft range (& most average surfers aren't), you don't need a classic-style step-up/mini gun w/ a lot of rocker anymore. i used to keep a 6'8" in my quiver as a step-up b/c my "standard" hpsb was 6'4". that 6'4" is now my step-up & i'm riding sub-6ft boards as my daily drivers.

emass, it sounds like you just want your daily driver w/ a bit more foam for paddle power. i'd say take your board, bump it up 2-3 liters, add an inch or 2, put a rounded pintail on it, & you'll be set.

 

Slayer, Stretch 2 x4, ...lost mini driver

Rusty Slayer
6'2"x 19.5 x 2.5
32.8 liters
Ideal Wave Size: Overhead to Double-overhead

You dont need half a foot of extra length in your step up. 2-3 inchs longer than your daily driver is all you need plus a little bit extra volume if your wearing a 4/3 or 5mm.

 

that's ifallalot's chile bonzer. i'd be all over that, too. been thinking of adding one to my stable for the better part of a year, but i like my octafish too much.

 

I think a 6'4" thruster round tail, 19.5 inches wide max. Maybe have the wide point north of center for easier drops on heavy days. 2.66" thick max. That should give you plenty of float in winter, even if it is fiberglass, not epoxy. You don't want a fat profile on macking waves. Put the volume under your stomach-chest, keep the front and back rails foiled and thin. Sharp down rails from the fins back. Some vee from fins back, but bottom contour is constantly evolving. Get some big boy fins to plug into it. And a thick leash.

 

The shape of the wave matters a lot (i'm slowly coming to realize) in boards for bigger winter surf, and whether additional length is going to help you A LOT, or become a hindrance.

If the waves have really quick, steep barrelling takeoffs, extra board length, and extra nose width may just get in your way and offer no real advantage.

If the waves are more of like a big pointbreak or walled up feathering/mushy type entry, where you find yourself taking 8-10-12 strokes or more to get in, extra length is probably going to work out well.

 

I had a 6'10 in jerz, never used it
had a 6'8 used it 2x a year max
6'6 got a lot of use on large overhead tubular days

 

I personally like narrow swallowtails for step ups. A pin for a rhino chaser for DOH plus hollow waves. The swallowtail will handle big drops (10 - 15 foot faces) and won't spin out if you have the right fins, and is very maneuverable on the face for cutbacks and hacks. You can go vertical on a dime. It's a bit more touchy than a round tail, but that's what I grew up with and I like the bite in concave sections.

 

my pick 6/6 unibrow by firewire.
kinda sounds a little bit bigger than it actually is...

 

I like round pin or thumb tails for smooth turns and like Sissurfdogg said a NARROW swallow is really cool. Must be narrow though not a big ole fish tail. As for length 6'1"-6'3" is fine. Then pick a board that will work well for the conditions you will use it in like others said (mushy, peaky, etc) and get 5 fin boxes as it will be way more options. If you do not get it to narrow and gun like then you could ride:

Normal Thurster
Normal Quad
Twin
Quad + Nubbster
Twin + Nubbster
Twin + nubbster side bites

I choose mine with a diamond tial as my step up. It's 6'0" BTW.