What do the big guys ride?

Im 230 as well, I am ridding a 6'8 CI Biscuit. Its a pretty nice board for us bigger guys. Lots of float and is alot of fun to ride. I was looking at a 6'4 Firewire Sweet potato and wondered how that would work for us bigger guys.




Bill

 

Kinda depends on what you've been riding... Obviously, you know you're not going to pick up a stock 6'2.

The general rule is as boards get shorter, the more accurate the volume has to be. Meaning... your age, fitness level, experience, local break... all matter MORE in terms of cubic units of foam and finished weight of the board (materials and construction).

Figure this... if the average male at prime physical age (27) is 175 and 5'10".. ish.. and rides a 6'1 x 2 1/4 (average) scale that up. You could ride a 6'10... or a 7'0... or a 6'8... depending. Keep in mind we're talking typical shortboards here... which is a numbers game.

I'm much older, and a bit bigger, than average (47, 6'1, 190) and I ride a 6'6. But my fish is 6'1 and my East Coast Gun is 7'0. My log is 9'3.

Have a conversation with your shaper... you can get a lot more out of that than a few lines of text on a forum like this... where everybody's an "expert,"

(I know I'm guilty)

 

6'5",230,then add all the thick wetsuit weight.i get a thick board 3+"with a raised-deck for thinned out rails under 3".6'5"x22"fish,6'7"MR,6'8"thruster,6'9"single,all three 21" = In The Eye,Cape Hatteras.lb,please edit out that last line,you caught yourself

 

+1 on the talk to your shaper.
If you work with a local shaper, then you will be even better off, as they can make a board that will work in your surf and for your style.

 

5'10 200.......6'6-6'8".....i prefer thick rails.....more float, easier paddling......been searching for something smaller and surprised to find alot of options, Kech makes some sweet stuff for bigger guys.....I want to talk to Mahady or Wynn soon....as soon as I can free up the cash...

 

I'm 6'4" and 220 lbs, I have a board model that I make for bigger guys, I just finished a custom 8' for a local guy who is 6'2" and 285 lbs and in his words, in the the 30 yrs he has been surfing this is the first board that was custom fit to his size and ability. My go to board is a 6'8", I have a 7' big guy shortboard you can try, come by my shop and grab it
Tom
www.mahadysurfboards.com
www.mahadysurfboards.blogspot.com

 

I'm 6'3" 210 lbs. Have a 6'6"x19 1/4 2 1/2 thruster, 8'8" hydro hull, 7' x18 1/2 2 3/8 gun, 7' 6" funboard. Gonna go wider and thicker next thruster I could use alittle more volume.

 

5'9", 205 lbs. A few years ago was talking to a shaper down in Florida, Tom Neilson, who sponsored my nephew. Ended up with a 6'5" custom fish, 2 3/4" thick for float. I probably could have gone an inch or two shorter, but I love this board. Prior to getting, I thought I might be destined for a life of longboarding. Grew up on a twin fin, so I love the quad set up on this board. Highly recommended.
http://www.tomneilsonshapes.com/surfboards/floatey_fish.php

 

Ready for Winter
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P.S. We can guarantee the best rate so ignore the online price
James
516 633-6861

 

Mahady-Im going to give you a holler...I am 6-3 and around 375lbs...I compete in strongman, highland games, etc...and have been surfing for close to 20 years. I currently ride a custom Ricky Carroll 10-0 thats about 4 1/2 to 5 thick. I am happy with it...am able to ride it like a shortboard, turns, hitting the lip, etc, and it supports me well...but am always looking for something different. Am planning on dropping some size...and see where it goes...Let me know what you think....

 

6' 190lb not a huge guy but big for a surfer. I ride 6'4 x 20 x 2.5 in most conditions. I think that is about the minimum amount of foam that I am comfortable with. I don't like to go much longer than 7' though unless we are talking rhino chasers. I borrowed a 6'1 from a buddy in a pinch on a good day and I did catch waves on it but really just felt silly sitting there totally submerged. If we had to grovel that day it wouldn't have happened. Made me feel like a fat kid haha.

 

Man you guys ride some big boards. My Seed is 5'6 and my tech is 5'9. I had a board called a Bick that was like 8 but I traded that for a bong. PARTY!!!

 

Beef - Easy to see where that nickname came from. Do you ever train or compete @ Brute Strength Gym in Norfolk?

 

JTS-No i havent...but i had a buddy who was involved in the management there that i kept in touch with.

Actually it was around a grand for that custom...

Its funny i am at a crossroads almost in my life it seems. I have always been big, but grew up in the surf/skate/snow scene in the 90s...and its hard balancing the two(Well at least being this big) I sometimes long for the days when i was younger and trying to emulate the fletcher brothers, ratboy collins, etc...doesnt seem i can do that now, but I should thank the Lord for allowing me to be able to be this size and surf and be this big...

 

Sometimes it's not the volume, but the rocker. I did a 5'10 that floats me up to about my chest, but catches everything... magic rocker, along with the right template and volume DISTRIBUTION makes a low volumed board easier to paddle.

BTW... Greenlight has a few big guy boards available for test drive. Just stop in and ask. They're not up on the website, but they're in the shop. Check out the Barracuda.

 

Im 6'6", 200LBS and it's been rough all my life.
I still have a feeling that my board(s) is not perfect for me.
I have two boards:
a 7'6" walden mini magic - good in almost anything but slow to turn;
a 7' epoxy big guy tri fin - pretty thick - by R. French
neither board is that good in OCMD - during Irene I was struggling - had to be very selective with the waves.
sometimes i ask my buddies to try their boards but they just sink under me... they feel like a boogie board with the float...
Blair at Chauncey's helps me find boards...