Hi,

I'm wanting to buy a smaller board to improve my surfing.

I weigh 68kg and currently have a Nalu 10'6. I got a bargain on it and it is great fun for flatware and small swell, but I want to have a board for bigger days that i can start to get some tight cutbacks and get steeper on the lip.

I used to have an Allwave 8'11 which was ok but had too much volume for me, the rails were thick and corky. So i'm looking for something with thin rails and a bit of speed. I like the look of the Jimmy Lewis world wide 8'1 as it still has a bit of width and isn't over rockered either.

Has anyone had much experience of them?

Any other ideas? I reckon i am looking for something around 29-30 wide with maybe 115-120 litres.

Cheers, Tom

Tom,
Your progression sounds like mine (I'm around 78 kg), I started on a big 10'5" beater, quickly progressed to a AW 9'2", and then made an intermediate step to a Hokua X32 8'8" 140L. I just got the Worldwide 8'5" and have probably 10 sessions on it.

So, you will instantly find that the WW turns and snaps much quicker than the AW, everything will be quicker and easier. It was like that even jumping to the X32 from the AW, and the WW even more so. I also have a smaller 7'11" 104L F-One and while I love how it surfs, it's hellish in terms of stability for me in any sort of wind/chop. I almost went with the 8'1" WW, and if I didn't ride slow, mushy east coast (US) waves, I probably would have. The WW is extremely stable, no issues there at all. The rails could be a bit thinner, but then you would obviously lose stability. The flatter rocker allows for quicker entry into waves as compared to the X32 and a lot of other boards I've ridden.

The other big plus I've found is the WW is extremely light for it's size. I have the basic construction and it weighed in with fins at 16.3 lbs, in comparison my Hokua X32LE (carbon) was around 18.5 lbs, and my 7'11" F-One (bamboo) was at 17.5.

Lastly, I really like Jimmy and his son, Marlon, they are really responsive if you e-mail them with questions or if you are debating between boards. I would look at the SuperTech as well, it may suit you better given your weight, although the WW will be more stable.

Hi Tom,
For your size & weight I'd look at the 8'1 WW....I'm 80kg & 6'1 & I ride it in most conditions because it's so stable & handles any bounce really well...
The other option is the 8'3 Super Tech & it does surf like a short board but the WW is more stable & turns on a dime...
There is the 8'5 but for your weight & how stable the 8'1 is you'll really enjoy it when you get use to it...
I surfed it this morning in solid 4-5 beach break waves & it went unreal especially as a quad for that extra speed...
Hope this helps..
Cheers
Rob

I'm 6ft 80kg and ride 7'9" WW in all conditions. At 103 litres and 29" wide it has heaps of stability, if i didn't know what it is i would say it feels like 108-110 litres.
Performance wise it is the best board I have ever had, if i broke it i would buy another straight away, wouldn't bother demo paddling anything else.
Super fast, heaps of drive and knocks out awesome turns.
The fins that come with it are a perfect match.
6.3kg out the box in classic construction.

I found the deck grip too slippery so I changed it to FCS, it's the perfect board for me now.

Glad you're loving it Carbs :)
Baby Bomb on the way....Hopefully mid May..

Ahhh........after all of these posts, I kinda wish I had gone with a 8'1. I'm around 80 kg, I went with 8'5" just because I'm on weakish waves typically.

I may have to work a trade down the road, or switch to the SuperTech.

Which WW would be at least as stable as the Striker 8/11? And how would it compare in various ways,
Ease of catching waves
Ability to catch waves earlier
Ease of paddling
Speed on the wave
Maneuverability
Speed in small, flat surf
Other?

Hi Biliiekrub,
The 8'5 or 8'9 WW are just as stable but the only difference is when jumping between the 2 is that you miss that width & stability in the nose that the Striker has because of the WW's pointy nose... But if you jump between the 2 regularly it's no problem as I jump between the 8'5 Striker & 8'1 WW all the time....
Fuller nose boards like the Striker will always glide on a little earlier because you have no yawing compared to a pointy nose board but as far as stability goes they are not to dissimilar but as far as maneuverability goes the WW turns on a dime!
As a quad they are super fast & really accelerate in gutless waves....
Hope this helps..

Thanks very much for replying. Let me see if I understand what you mean, since my reference is the 8/11 Striker, not the 8/5:

If two boards have the same stability but one is less stable because of a narrower nose? Please clarify. Which is it? For me, stability is important while paddling, waiting for a wave and accelerating to catch a wave. The nose is of no interest to me for nose riding, especially if it has the lower speed of a noserider, with duller rear rails, etc. More interested in a performance design.

WW specs

7'9"x29"x3.85" (103L) - Orange
8'1"x29.5"x3.95"x (112L) - Red
8'5"x30.25"x4.20" (127L) - Yellow
8'9"x31"x4.40" (141L) - Blue
9'3"x32"x4.40 (155L) - Green
9'9"x33"x4.5" (171L) - Grey

Striker specs

8'5"x 30" x 4" (116L)
8'11"x30"x4" (130L)
9'5"x31"x4.15" (147L)
10'0"x 31"x 4.2" (151.9L)

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Jimmy Lewis Boards said..
Hi Biliiekrub,
The 8'5 or 8'9 WW are just as stable but the only difference is when jumping between the 2 is that you miss that width & stability in the nose that the Striker has because of the WW's pointy nose... But if you jump between the 2 regularly it's no problem as I jump between the 8'5 Striker & 8'1 WW all the time....
Fuller nose boards like the Striker will always glide on a little earlier because you have no yawing compared to a pointy nose board but as far as stability goes they are not to dissimilar but as far as maneuverability goes the WW turns on a dime!
As a quad they are super fast & really accelerate in gutless waves....
Hope this helps..

If 8/5 Striker and 8/9 WW are "just as stable"?
Does this mean the 8/11 Striker and 9/3 WW have the same stability?
Despite the huge volume difference between them?

Is using a 9/3 WW a "tank" for someone who weighs only 170lbs/77kg?

Is there a model that will catch waves earlier than the Striker, is not a noserider; rather, a faster performance board?

Most grateful for any insight.

Hi biliiekrub,
Sorry it's getting lost in translation...I'll start from the top & try to clarify...
I meant the 8'5 WW & 8'9 WW are very similar in stability but the 8'9 is definitely for a heavier guy (at your weight of 77kg you would only need the 8'1 or 8'5 WW if you were concerned about stability & yes the 9'3 WW would be way to big for you)
The Striker is always going to be more stable than the WW because of the fuller nose which will also give you more glide & speed into a wave...Wider nose = stability under foot especially in bounce or bump....
The Striker is a performance board but more so in the 8'5 & 8'11 but more so with the correct fin set up & also will always depend on the rider...The 9'5 Striker is for a bigger surfer...
Because of Jimmy's shaping experience & the way he distributes the thickness of a board you can ride a smaller board with less Litres than the average sup & still get the stability you need & more importantly performance...
To answer your last question the 8'3 Super Tech would be perfect but it all comes down to peoples abilities...
Feel free to call me if you want to discuss...

Hey Tom

I went from an Imagine Icon 11*34 to a worldwide 9,9, being 110+ finding a performance board with sufficient volume as a step down isn't easy.

I was sure Sunova would be my next board, just couldn't find one I was comfortable on (the speed review by Burt and the reviews here had me 80% sold).

Rode the 9,5 striker at a demo day, was just not quiet enough volume, took a punt on the WW.

Awesome board, strong light and Fast, also not a mark on the board after 6 months.

Couple of things I found, thruster was ok, quad it rips and its just a better all around board.

Tried it with a nubster as the 5th fin in bigger swell for something to do, held like glue down the line not as great to turn.

If you paddle a lot with your weight forward pulling onto a wave it can yaw easily, makes you improve your technique.

Great on a late drop and fast to make sections.

I like the full deck grip concept but its one of the slippery decks ive ridden, as carbs said above.

I tried to get on the nose on the weekend for fun, not enough volume in the nose for me, drowned miserably lol !

The more I ride it the more I like it.

I've got a 8'9" WW Carbon at 105-108kg.

I have yet to weigh it, but damn it is light. Especially compared to my 140L Sunova (which is by no means heavy). The carry handle is awesome too - nice and deep. I also like the little things on it like - genuine "Futures" branded fin boxes and a proper "Gore-tex" branded vent. Not that it means much really, but it does mean no corners have been cut. I can't say the same for most other boards i've seen / own / ridden.

Cannot fault it except as has already been said - the deck pad is slippery - it's the only thing that I would change if I was JL. The best deck pad by far i've ridden is on a Naish Nalu LE - it's like glue!

I prefer as a thruster than a quad, with bigger sides than what comes with the board. I just get more drive than surfing as a quad. Compared to a nalu (which is very similar to my Sunova in shape) it turns on a dime - it's like it wants to turn all of the time. Doesn't matter if you are a front foot or back foot surfer, or if you're not right back - it'll turn.

One of the biggest things I noticed as soon as I started on it was how much fitter I need to be to surf it well. I get to the end of a long wave puffing hard as it just has so much energy and wants to rip the wave. My longboard is certainly much more cruisy - maybe i'm just lazy haha. I also found the wave needs to have a little push, if it's gutless it doesnt pick up waves as well as a longboard style board (pretty obvious really).

On another note...I wish JL did a 28" wide, 10' Performance Longboard in Carbon at about 130L ...I'd be all over that like a kid in a candy shop

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suprider206 said..
Hey Tom

I went from an Imagine Icon 11*34 to a worldwide 9,9, being 110+ finding a performance board with sufficient volume as a step down isn't easy.

I was sure Sunova would be my next board, just couldn't find one I was comfortable on (the speed review by Burt and the reviews here had me 80% sold).

Rode the 9,5 striker at a demo day, was just not quiet enough volume, took a punt on the WW.

Awesome board, strong light and Fast, also not a mark on the board after 6 months.

Couple of things I found, thruster was ok, quad it rips and its just a better all around board.

Tried it with a nubster as the 5th fin in bigger swell for something to do, held like glue down the line not as great to turn.

If you paddle a lot with your weight forward pulling onto a wave it can yaw easily, makes you improve your technique.

Great on a late drop and fast to make sections.

I like the full deck grip concept but its one of the slippery decks ive ridden, as carbs said above.

I tried to get on the nose on the weekend for fun, not enough volume in the nose for me, drowned miserably lol !

The more I ride it the more I like it.

Good to hear - I debated between a Sunova and the WW for awhile as well and have found the 8'5" WW to be quite fun (definitely much better as a quad). If you are looking for a noserider - try the Black and Blue, out of all of my SUP and kite gear, it's the one board that I have fun on every time out guaranteed.

Looks like the WW is not for me. In the volume I need to reap the benefits, it lacks the stability of my 77 kg, on the 8/11 x 30 x 130 Liter Striker. A performance longboard would do the trick for me as well, allowing me to paddle upright, catch waves earlier and also turn well off the tail. No nose-riding wanted or planned, narrower nose for the wind. Also, a proper windsurfing mast track would be nice for displacement sailing. Striker full deck pad is good.

Alternatively, a Simmons, Tomo, or other wide and short shape with speed, but not overly fat rails.

Hi billiekrub,
I ride the 8'1 WW at 80kg's & it's ridiculously stable so for your 77kg the 8'5 would be a breeze....But if you don't think it would be right for you I ride the 8'5 Striker...Performance all-rounder & you don't have to go near the nose if you don't want to...Completely optional :)
The Striker nose doesn't sit out of the water so no problem with the wind...No mast track though...BIC does one I think...
Best bet is to demo a few boards...
Happy Paddling

Just wondering what everyone is running fin wise on the WW. I have the 8'5", and i started with the stock quads, then switched to GL-1 quads which I liked, but unfortunately I slipped and fell and broke 2 of them (fin boxes survived - JL makes a solid board).

So, I went back to the stock quads, and then tried the thruster setup just for the hell of it. I think I like the quad setup better, just wondering if anyone is running anything different.

Stock thrusters work best i think.
Have ran the stock quads a few times, it is faster but not as controlled.

I think you got to demo boards if you can. One persons view on stability can be totally different to someone elses. Just saying your weight means not a lot. If you are a seasoned SUP surfer with very good skills then you can surf most boards well. Not everyone is the same.

Im average when it comes to skills and so are my pals.....we are about the 90 kg size and one 75 kg. We all tried the WW 8,5 and certainly didn't find it as stable as others on here suggest. Quite tricky actually for the dims. So much so my pal sold it after a couple of months to someone with better skills.

My brief go on it....I found it high performance, certainly less stable than any of my other boards. I was amazed how fast it paddled for its size though and I guess it shreds big style. It was really light like all JL boards and flawless construction. I'm a big fan of JL boards but you have to demo and not take others views as gospel....

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Slab said..
Not everyone is the same.

An important factor too is the average number of sessions per week. Somebody who can manage 3 sessions per week can get a new board he/she is not comfortable with, practice is everything. But if you average one session per week, you should get down in board size much more conservatively.

It is not only the bare number of hours on the water, but the frustration to "waste" your precious little time on the water with an unstable board will be much more painful.

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colas said..

Slab said..
Not everyone is the same.

An important factor too is the average number of sessions per week. Somebody who can manage 3 sessions per week can get a new board he/she is not comfortable with, practice is everything. But if you average one session per week, you should get down in board size much more conservatively.

It is not only the bare number of hours on the water, but the frustration to "waste" your precious little time on the water with an unstable board will be much more painful.

Absolutely agree, if you are on the water a lot then you can adapt quicker but if you are a weekend warrior when the surf is on then choose wisely....not what you would like to be able to ride in your dreams but what you can actually ride and learn with.

Posted a vid recently on the 8'1' WW post feat. the 8'5" WW. Rider 88kg 172 cm, weekend warrior.
I find the WW a real fun board that is incredibly easy to catch waves on, paddles fast, and is stable enough to take out in virtually any condition my local point and beach break throws out. Loose as a goose as a quad (firewire futures) and Shapers Darc Drive 5th fin...this setup, imo, gives the best of both worlds...speed of the quads and the pivot point of the thruster setup.

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Fepsi said..
Posted a vid recently on the 8'1' WW post feat. the 8'5" WW. Rider 88kg 172 cm, weekend warrior.
I find the WW a real fun board that is incredibly easy to catch waves on, paddles fast, and is stable enough to take out in virtually any condition my local point and beach break throws out. Loose as a goose as a quad (firewire futures) and Shapers Darc Drive 5th fin...this setup, imo, gives the best of both worlds...speed of the quads and the pivot point of the thruster setup.

Yeah, I'm around 78 kg or so, and I kinda wish I had gotten the 8'1" instead of the 8'5", the 8'5" is stable enough, although instead of going down in size on the WW, I may switch to the 8'8" SuperTech and lose some volume.

I rode it this week with the stock thruster setup and found it harder to release the rail after a bottom turn, it may have just been the waves, but.......I may go back to stock quads.

I find the WW's surf better as a quad because of the wider tail & the Super Tech & Stun Gun work better as thrusters because of their refined tails...

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Jimmy Lewis Boards said..
I find the WW's surf better as a quad because of the wider tail & the Super Tech & Stun Gun work better as thrusters because of their refined tails...

Do you run the stock quads typically or what? I had GL-2's until I slipped and broke 2

I just run the JL stock quads..