Wondering if an additional board gets me much more than I already have.would love to hear some opinions! New here, apologies for the longish post

First some info:
53 years old, 6'0 tall, 80kgs surfing NJ beach break 1'-5' waves, everything from clean to blown out conditions. No surfing experience, started 3 years ago. Surf about 2-3x per week when warm enough.

I have 2 boards: 10' 6" x 31.5"x 4.5" Bic Performer (185L) PVC sandwich long board shape and 8'10" x 30.5 Naish Mana GS (133L), which has a more performance shape with pulled in nose.

When the surf is small 1-2' or really choppy (up to 15mph winds) I grab the Bic board. It's the board I learned on, but still enjoy. Like the glide, stability, ease of catching waves that I surf down the line. It's virtually indestructible, so don't mind the kids or friends trashing it. Yeah, it's really heavy (32 lbs), but since I cart it to the beach from about 1/2 block, it's not that much of pain.
When the waves are clean enough and are bigger, I grab the Mana. I'm still learning how to turn on it, but it's a blast on hollow waves. Like that it punches through whitewater easily, has decent glide and is very nimble and fast. If the wind gets above 10mph, I do struggle a bit with its stability. I think this one could be a keeper.

i did have a 9' x 31.25" Angulo Surfa (140L) for a while, but that board didn't stand out for me in any way over the Mana, so I sold it.
Soooo, my question is should I be looking for a 'better' long board to take out instead of the Bic? I realize the Bic is a beginner board..Like a Naish Nalu or Infinity New Deal or one of Kings long boards? Thinking that it should be at least 10' long and wide enough to take out in the chop.

Or not? What am I missing from a lighter, more performance long board that I'm not getting from the Bic. Would wave count and glide suffer at all?Demoing boards around here is not really an option, so very interested in what you think!

For me the 'nimble' feeling you mention just keeps on increasing with smaller boards, you don't have to work to turn them but you have to work harder to paddle them. If you're out 2-3x per week I bet you would adapt to lower volume quickly and it would speed up your learning on turns. I would just go with the general shape of the Mana but go like 15L less. If you do this, your Mana will be your stable on windy days board.

I guess the problem is: what is the problem you are trying to solve?

Kisutch is right on the money. At 80kg and surfing 2-3x per week, you could handle a drop of 15L. If the surf is good, the board will really come alive. You might like the Sunova Flow V2 or Infinity Blurr V2 or one of the Revolution boards (check out STC's posts). But that is only if you want to get more of the surfing experience.

But for smaller waves, you might find a higher performance long board, but I don't ride them much so I don't know what you would gain over your current board.

If the conditions are crappy, no board will make it a lot more enjoyable. I have the 12' Sunova Point Break for that (I also use it when there is rolling swell that barely breaks - the weight and length of the board make it easier to catch the wave and the shape makes it fun when you catch it).

I surf boards from 7'8 Hypernut, 8'6 Sunova Flash,10'6 Laird Pearson Arrow up to PSH 12'0. I'm 5'11 and 90 kgs.

I love the glide from a big board in both super small to overhead surf. For many years we all went smaller and smaller and found it harder to balance and stay out so long. Sure you find a smaller board more twitchy and alive in the right conditions but you can't beat a bigger board for the ease of paddling and standing on for extended surfs.

As others said they are heavier but that's part of the attraction to assist in the glide as well. Remember that you will need to change your style abit to turn them and walk up and down to trim.

I would definitely get a more performance shape in the 10'0 to 10'6 range (DEEP/Sunova SUP's)

Bigger boards make **** surf more fun IMO.

If rounding the quiver out is the goal, i'd point you towards a HP Longboard SUP.

Smik Hipster Longboard 9'2" x 29" 124L. (Or a Sunova Revolution...9' x 30"), or up to 10ft.

The parallel rail makes it a dream to paddle, the rocker makes it glide super easy... but stand back on the tail and they rip like a really high performance shortboard.

A board like this works in almost any condition. High tide fat waves, peeling point waves, micro 1ft stuff...

The round nose makes the narrower width way easier to stand on, much more than you'd think. (I've longboard SUP surfed 28" boards at 120kg no problem).

A Mana isn't really a performance Sup IMO. More an entry level wave board. But is has its place.

The way I see it, you already have 2 boards for ordinary conditions. So getting something way lighter, with performance rails is the ticket and a HP longboard SUP gives you more options than a pointy nose board. The only reason i'd change to a shortboard shape is if you wanted it for hollow stuff (barrels) as its priority.

We are the same size and I have a performance longboard of those dimensions 10-6x31 but thinned and foiled to 149l. If you keep the length and width you will keep your stability. The rest of the performance upgrade will give you rails and a tail to take your surfing to a higher level.

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Kisutch said..
For me the 'nimble' feeling you mention just keeps on increasing with smaller boards.

Good point Kisutch, If I keep on progressing l, I may eventually replace the Mana with a lower volume board.maybe next year.

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cantSUPenough said..
I guess the problem is: what is the problem you are trying to solve?

Great question! I'm interesting in progressing and wondering what performance versions of my boards will do for me, without giving up what I enjoy.

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wazza66 said..
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I would definitely get a more performance shape in the 10'0 to 10'6 range (DEEP/Sunova SUP's)

Bigger boards make **** surf more fun IMO.

Right on wazza, That was my thinking also.

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Hoppo3228 said..
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The way I see it, you already have 2 boards for ordinary conditions. So getting something way lighter, with performance rails is the ticket and a HP longboard SUP gives you more options than a pointy nose board. The only reason i'd change to a shortboard shape is if you wanted it for hollow stuff (barrels) as its priority.

Thanks Hoppo, my beach break conditions vary a lot. Having a board that can handle them while upping the performance sounds right to me.

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surfinJ said..
We are the same size and I have a performance longboard of those dimensions 10-6x31 but thinned and foiled to 149l. If you keep the length and width you will keep your stability. The rest of the performance upgrade will give you rails and a tail to take your surfing to a higher level.

Very interested in what board you have SurfinJ? Do you surf similar conditions as I do?


Really great advice all around! Fantastic forum!

SurfinJ has a custom Sunova Surf in Blue. I have one too. Mine is 28" wide x 10'4" in 140L.

Thanks Hoppo. The board is my all terrain tool. Too small, too choppy, too crowded or unknown conditions and this is the board I'll grab. I don't have any vids from a messy day, though I will have fun with this board in such conditions. This is a meager morning surf.

Nice vid. What camera are you using and how do you mount it to yourself?

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Hoppo3228 said..
SurfinJ has a custom Sunova Surf in Blue. I have one too. Mine is 28" wide x 10'4" in 140L.

Cool, are you guys happy with your boards? Construction, etc? Would you buy them again?

I think Sunova XXX are the toughest boards made. I've had my custom for nearly 6 years and it's probably been surfed 600+ times. Still looks pretty mint. I can't say that for any other brand of board i've owned. Jimmy Lewis next best IMO (boards are sweet, just don't like their deck pads - too slippery).

The Sunova Surf is the only board i've held onto long term. It's a custom size and volume, but also custom rail, custom rocker, deck and fin set up. I have bought 6 Sunova's now all up so far. All XXX. Have not tried Eco/TR3. I'm considering buying a surfboard or 2 from them too - i'm sure that shows my belief in their product.

I would buy the surf again, but tweak it a bit to suit my thoughts now... Basically I would go a bit shorter (say 9'6") a bit wider (29") refine the rail a little more and only do 2+1 fin set up. Keep the rocker the same. Drop the volume a bit too.

I'm considering a custom now in a different type of board - and it's between Smik or Sunova as to who i'll get to build it. Smik is cheaper and lighter, Scotty is a good dude too. Sunova is more $$ and bomber... The crew at Sunova are good dudes too... tough choice. I know, i know... first world problems...haha

That was a GoPro 7 black with a mouth mount.

And I totally agree with Hoppo on the durability of sunovas XXX construction. I have broken a few sups. My 2 sunovas have dealt calmly with the many beachbreak drama moments I have put them through.

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surfinJ said..
That was a GoPro 7 black with a mouth mount.

And I totally agree with Hoppo on the durability of sunovas XXX construction. I have broken a few sups. My 2 sunovas have dealt calmly with the many beachbreak drama moments I have put them through.

Thanks. I think it's time to upgrade my old GoPro 3

Have Starboard widepoint 10 6. Its medium pine top construction. Got a second hand carbon one. Its not much lighter but I use it all the time now. Just feels different. Encouraged by that buy I got a second hand carbon Blend a little sceptically as I had used my friends Ast one and couldnt relax on it with the narrower width and it was heavy and hard to turn before a wave came. Now I am much more skilled and as I said in another post I really like the Blend...so its about weight. Heavy boards just annoy, hard to lift when tired, bash the car, drag your leg off in the surf and you have to stand almost on the back to pivot them around...then you fall off. Havent looked it up but anything Bic used to weigh a ton. Just misery...find a carbon something over 10 ft. They are a third the dollars they were new.

Or not? What am I missing from a lighter, more performance long board that I'm not getting from the Bic. Would wave count and glide suffer at all?Demoing boards around here is not really an option, so very interested in what you think!"

I got away from my first (very heavy) board because I knew it would probably kill me at some point.... really heavy longboards are hard to get away from and they hurt when they hit you! Since you tend to ride longboards in smaller waves, the water is generally shallower, which gives you fewer options because you can't hide underwater until the board is safely away from you.

Lighter, more agile boards are easier to kick away from you during a wipeout.... and hurt less when the do hit you.

But the main benefit from a proper longboard shape is how well they surf!

Since the Sunova Surf has been mentioned, I will have to say, it was always my favorite longboard SUP!
Here's an old video of my 10'6 Sunova SURF ... pre SoloShot days.

Thanks improveit and STC, some more good reasons as to why I should be getting a new board to replace the Bic. In fact this week, I got a couple to bruises from the big board, which is further cementing my resolve to swap it out.


Around here I could get a hold of some new boards once they replenish supply in the fall. 10' x 30" (+/- 1") at about 150L mark sounds about right. A few options would be the Starboard Longboard, Infinity New Deal, or the Sunova Surf. Something with thin rails.


In the meantime, please let me know if anyone has a board that they are wanting to sell that fits the bill and is not too far from the NJ shore.

Thanks again all!
Vince