Question for you all. Seeing as most people ride all sorts of surfcraft. At what point do you leave the longboard at home and take the shortboard. 2 foot, 3 foot, 5 foot??
2 - 3ft
I have been known to ride a longboard when its overhead but as a general rule as soon as there is a bit of punch or size the shortie will win every time.
For me - the question is probably best phased the other way round - when do I use a longboard - when its 1-2ft !!!
Depends if there is a channel and how likely I am to get one on the head. 
Yes and not likely than anything I would ride a shorty in.
For 3 years only had one BOARD, a 9'6 fireball - biggest was just over double head point break down south.
Hardest day on the longboard was a very solid over head beach break in a cyclone swell....went backwards a lot!
Have had it out in solid 4 foot beachies many times for something different, but at over 120kg's I have mastered how to duck dive the big girl.
most of the time anyway.
If I think I can get out to the line up with out breaking it - I'll take it. If I think I might break it or it looks like to much hard work - I'll take the Shortboard or the Hull depending
The 10 footer up to 4 foot. Over that I'll take the 9 footer, up to a point though.
You would have had plenty of opportunity this last week to do exactly that I imagine Stu!
Over 3 foot and I will go for the shortie unless it super fat like a high tide bells and then maybe 5 foot
Select to expand quoteTed the Kiwi said..
You would have had plenty of opportunity this last week to do exactly that I imagine Stu!
Nope still hobbling around, xrays tomorrow 
i took my 9'8 hotlog out at 4 to 5 ft pushing alley. not something i would want to do again
At about triple overhead my nuts shrink to peas!
But I would be on a Longboard Gun up to that point...
1 inch stringers add strength to the board, but also add 5% physc strength for the surfer!
For me it depends on wave quality not size. If it is big enough for me to be able to do an open face carve on the shorty then I will ride it. If it is full then the longboard it is. Whether it is 6 foot and full or 2 foot and full I will ride the mal.
Or I willa aride the mal when it is small.
TC.
10ft log up to 4ft, have ridden it bigger, paddles very well gets in early but can be a bit of handfull bringing it off the bottom on my backhand!!
9'1 over that. Took it out the other week in solid east swell when Alley was double / triple overhead on sets. Bit of a mission through the keyhole but way worth it.
I don't ride a shortboard, if it is too big to paddle the Alley I'll ride my bodyboard at Kirra.
Have a new board on order 8'6 x 22 x 2 3/4 pin tail - bit like Simondos speed machine. Comes in at 55 ltrs which is same as my 9'1, designed for points & Indo
Depends on the wave really. If its big & fat, anything up to about double overhead, like say Yallingup. But generally up to about head & a 1/2 on the peak if its fat for the local & then I'll pull the shorty out. I'll take the shorty out in shoulder high though if there aren't too many out & the tides low.
