Why so short?

You ride an 8'6 thruster or 8'6 longboard?? if you are riding an 8'6 thruster the board is riding you, not you riding the board. Surfboards have changed ALOT in the last 5 years. The trend used to be longer, thinner, and less width. Now they are shorter, wider, and with more volume generally. A 6'8 at your size/weight/age is for double overhead pumping surf. If you are scared to go too short get a nice 6'2" all around shortboard. Something like 6'2 x 2.38-2.5 x 19 for your size. If you are fit and can catch waves easily a 6'2 is a good board for you and will be able to be used in some bigger surf (over head) as well without feeling like you are on a really short board. If you want a board for the really bombing winter surf then you want a step up like a 6'6 -6'8, but those are only a couple days per winter, so you are better with an all arounder. The reason people are going shorter now is that they can. The boards carry more volume in them then the elf shoe rocker, super thin potato chip shortboards from 10 years ago. Shorter means added manueverability and they fit it the wave face better...they are way more fun and user friendly than the designs of 10 years ago. Just watch a couple surf videos from 10 years ago...the short boards look like canoes and even alot of pros look awkward riding them.

 

5`7 or 5`8 grovelor

 

It's all personal preference. How do you want surf? If you want to surf in a high performance style, you really need to go shorter. But you can surf with style on a longer board too-- it's just different. Neither is better or worse. It sounds like you want to surf a modern short board, so get that. You dad's reference point is from a time where shortboarding was riding a 7 footer. That's cool too, just different.

 

It's all about volume. Don't get too caught up in JUST the length of a board, consider how wide / thick it is too. I have a 6'4" that floats me better than my 6'10", and it catches waves easier too. Get with a shaper and have him dial you something up that will work for you when you got the extra weight of a wetsuit on.

 

Your dad is still thinking about the clark foam days when boards weren't as buoyant. US Blanks and all the new foam is more bouyant than Clark was. Assuming you're buying standard poly foam, you can go 3 inches or more shorter nowdays than the same board in clark.

imo, a 6'8" is too big for you as a shortboard. I'm your same size and am riding a 6'4" max in my high performance short board and under 5'10" in a stub/fish board. Choose the type board you want to ride, then look at the volume charts to determine the best size for you. Too floaty and you're not going to be able to sink the board at all...not floaty enough and you're going to sink to a screaching halt in anything but punchy perfection.

another reason I stop at 6'4" is that's about the longest I can go and still have the board fit in the pocket of most standard everyday wave sizes

 

volume schmolume,i'm sick of everyone who thinks this is all you need to make the shortest board for your poor dame reynolds imitation.volume,ok,yes,but length,rails,rocker,outline,bottom,fin,etc.,etc.,etc.,too.awful surfing on awful too-short/too much volume crap boards these days.let the boards breathe so you can just ride the wave and have fun instead of looking like a bunch of constipated,frustrated,pent-up kooks.a lot of bad surfing these past few years on these volume boards.

 

I'm assuming that you have surfed with your dad and he knows you style/ability and his suggestion should carry some weight. Foam has changed as well as the design/planshape of boards and I think you possibly could transition to something much shorter. However, your Dad has seen you surf and is likely honest with you regarding your ability, you may want to split the difference between his recommendation and your desire to go shorter and look for something used--6'5" thruster--maybe even a flyer or something of that nature. That way you are not as invested... Step down even more next year...however, if you are set on going for a shorter fish...upsize it a bit more...foam won't hurt/hinder you at this point...especially in the winter.

Also, in regards to volume...check out this site--his explanation was way more helpful then any other site I found--http://diversesurf.com.au/volume-shape-technology/

 

i surf in 654 winter suit on a 5'10 lost motivator. im 6'3 210lb and catch 3/4 waves I go for. 6'4 with thickness may be a nice option for a board too. I had an awesome walden cd4 mini magic with a lot of foam in 6'4 and it caught everything.

 

I think you have two questions to answer:

1) Do you want a shoertboard or a fish style board. Fish and shortboard two different animals.
2) How small do you want to go.

I like the fish style boards. I like a skatey feel. I have friends that don't. Personal preference.

I ride boards of all different sizes, but being heavy with shorter legs I always wanted a board that would let me pretty much plant my feet and go, without much worry about moving fwd, backward.

On a traditional shortboard, if I want my feet in the ideal position to generate speed, my rear foot is too far forward to be in the ideal position to lay down a hard turn. I have to move around. On my fish style boards, I can pump and lay down hard turns without moving my feet around. It's a nice change of pace. And as I said, I like a skatey feel, not for everyone.

For reference, I'm about 6', inseam only 30", arm length 37", weight between 210-20lbs, so yes I really am built like an ape. My shortboard (fish inspired) is 6'5". My fish style board is 5'11", and carries 15% more volume than the shortboard. Both custom made by a shaper for me taking my size/input into consideration.

I also ride bigger boards up and over 9', but not as frequently. One of my favorites of all time is approxametely 8' long, shaped in a fish style, and it's so wide even I have trouble carrying it under my arm, so I'm not afraid of foam at all, but I prefer the responsiveness of a properly sized shortboard or fish.

Since you dimensions are what would be considered average in the surfboard shaping world, off the rack would fit you easy 9doesn't fit me well). If I were you, I would test the waters with used boards to find out what you like out of a smaller sized board before buying new. Definitely try to ride a fish first before committing to that style...not for everyone.

I have no idea what Dame Reynolds, or any other pro rides these days...I'm old, and ride what i like, but I still like shorter chunkier boards. When the potato chip craze was in vogue, I was riding old school fatty 80's shortboards, then a flyer, then tried out a rocket fish, spent some time on a CI Flyer, then moved to a true fish, then variations on a fish that suit me (round tails, weird for a fish I know).

I always gravitated to a less than typical shortboard, regardless of what Dame or anyone else is into (yes I'm old). My long winded point is, just try stuff and decide what you like. It's fun surfing all kinds of boards. For a while I searched classifieds and garage sales and bought all kinds of weird boards. Was awesome back when I had the time to experiment and try different designs. I found no matter how many cool looking old single fin boards I bought, I didn't mesh with them, but then I would love a weird fat hot pink thruster from the 80's, go figure.

off my soapbox now

One last thing, your dad is probably just trying to prevent you from going to lean. There's nothing worse than riding a board that makes it really difficult to catch waves. You can't fault him for that. Err on the side of too much foam rather than too little while you're figuring things out, but if you can eventually get the size dialed just right, it will propel your surfing abilities.

 

same here.

 

first grovelers, then the beater, and now this hand plane craze? WHERE WILL IT END?

 

excellent point. Yes, having your feet plunk down in the perfect spot every time is a big plus and can get you in one extra maneuver, rather than having to change foot placement right when you pop up. Booties make shifting foot placement even worse.

personally, I would base my daily driver board buying decision on what type of waves my home break usually has...not what it gets on the biggest/best swells of the year or how cold the water is going to get.

 

if pops has been out for that long he has no frame of reference. if its your money then do it.

 

definitely give pops credit. I know the water dips down to the low 40s in NC...but how long are you wearing that 5/4? Tell him that foam has changed

 

It's all personal preference. But your pop is right- in the winter you will notice a huge difference riding a 6'8 vs 6'2 of the same shape. Personally if it was me and I had to pick one board- I would go bigger. You will have more fun- catch way more waves and not get tired from the rubber. You can surf big waves and small waves. Now lets say you get a 6'2 fish - sure it would be fun in a majority of waves- but it it's a few ft overhead and barreling - I wouldn't want to ride it... But like I said- it's all personal preference - the next guy might love it...