Been shortboarding forever but have just sold them all to move to the dark side

looking at a McT Pinnacle or possibly Fireball Evo Square tail (Or anything else out there For that matter).

Having never seriously ridden longboards before is this a smart move? I'm only 34, but I'm 6'3" and 105kg. I'll be surfing 99% Perth metro waves like Cove, Seconds, and Isos, so rarely gets over head high (most days probably waist to chest high).

I want to be able to catch waves EASY, get up early, trim nice, cruisy turns, and learn to nose ride (I was able to when I was a teen, so re-learning).

Thinking a pinnacle around 9'6" or a Evo of 9'2" or 9'4".

Yay or nay?

Hi and welcome to the good side coming from a shortboard your probably going to struggle with the pure length of a longboard but at 95 kg your strong enough to handle it. The Evo or Fireball will be somewhat more friendly to surf than the Pin' first up, the Pin' is a cross over between a log and all rounder. But as you said your not new to this surfing game so either will have you sliding in no time, no idea about those WA waves you mentioned.

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Macaha said..
Hi and welcome to the good side coming from a shortboard your probably going to struggle with the pure length of a longboard but at 95 kg your strong enough to handle it. The Evo or Fireball will be somewhat more friendly to surf than the Pin' first up, the Pin' is a cross over between a log and all rounder. But as you said your not new to this surfing game so either will have you sliding in no time, no idea about those WA waves you mentioned.

Those waves are all small puss burgers 98% of the time small, weak, dribbly...take your pick

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Tux said..

Macaha said..
Hi and welcome to the good side coming from a shortboard your probably going to struggle with the pure length of a longboard but at 95 kg your strong enough to handle it. The Evo or Fireball will be somewhat more friendly to surf than the Pin' first up, the Pin' is a cross over between a log and all rounder. But as you said your not new to this surfing game so either will have you sliding in no time, no idea about those WA waves you mentioned.

Those waves are all small puss burgers 98% of the time small, weak, dribbly...take your pick

OK Tux in that case forget the Evo 2 go for either the Fireball squaretail which has a good rocker for those waves as dose the Pinnacul .

thanks for the Replies

as Tux said, normally very average at my local spots. You get the occasional good days, but not often.

And sizing wise I'm guessing I'm pretty spot on..

FYI - I'm 49yo, 5'11"@ 113kg occasionally surfing a 9'1" McT Fireball Evo... but I mostly surf beach breaks...

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GPA said..
FYI - I'm 49yo, 5'11"@ 113kg occasionally surfing a 9'1" McT Fireball Evo... but I mostly surf beach breaks...

Best McT board in the range for beach breaks.

about as big as it gets at seconds

about as small as Cove gets

and here's a vid of Isolators (where they hold the whalebone classic)

Is it just a coincidence the SDR has a whalebone model???

Me thinks not, i'd be giving the "local" bloke a call to ask his advice.

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SP said..
Is it just a coincidence the SDR has a whalebone model???

Me thinks not, i'd be giving the "local" bloke a call to ask his advice.

Correct and named after the comp.

I'm 6'5 & 100kg - go for a bigger board.

Personally if waves are small like the pics I'd go bigger to max wave count. My daily board is 10 x 24 - I ride in 1ft to too big to paddle

Remember - biggest bloke on the board gets the biggest wave

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SP said..
Is it just a coincidence the SDR has a whalebone model???

Me thinks not, i'd be giving the "local" bloke a call to ask his advice.

+1

& why give up the SB's, just add the LB to the quiver.

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MickPC said..

SP said..
Is it just a coincidence the SDR has a whalebone model???

Me thinks not, i'd be giving the "local" bloke a call to ask his advice.

+1

& why give up the SB's, just add the LB to the quiver.

105 kgs wouldn't that put a hold on SB,you'd need some size to get you going.

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Macaha said..

MickPC said..

SP said..
Is it just a coincidence the SDR has a whalebone model???

Me thinks not, i'd be giving the "local" bloke a call to ask his advice.

+1

& why give up the SB's, just add the LB to the quiver.

105 kgs wouldn't that put a hold on SB,you'd need some size to get you going.

incorrect mac. im riding a 5;9 and a 5;11 plus a few in the 6ft range. SDR just built himself a big and old persons shorty

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Macaha said..

MickPC said..

SP said..
Is it just a coincidence the SDR has a whalebone model???

Me thinks not, i'd be giving the "local" bloke a call to ask his advice.

+1

& why give up the SB's, just add the LB to the quiver.

105 kgs wouldn't that put a hold on SB,you'd need some size to get you going.

Nah I have friends riding under 6'0 high performance boards & they're like 90kg...look at those McCoys & Superfish, they'd hold a ton...boards like that will hold 105kg np...plus the guys 6'3, not 5'3

But yeah at least chest height waves to have any fun

thanks for the words of wisdom everyone. i ended up going with a locally made board instead, and it was a lot cheaper than a McT. Especially for my first long board.

I'm going to pick up another shorty, but with a bit more length (probably a McCoy around 7'6") just to help me get into waves a little easier on crowded days. I've been surfing primarily a 5'9" for the last 2 years (which I LOVED) but having put on some fat and no surfing over summer I was struggling on lately.

Thanks again.

Had my first surf in the new longboard. A lot of fun. Very easy to ride, and turned surprisingly well. Even got a couple of nose rides in! Once with 5 over the nose, and a couple more about a foot from the nose. Overall very enjoyable, I feel like I'd like a bit more length in the board for some extra paddle power getting into the waves early.

When the time is right, you'll live a Custom Pinnacle...
Think it through, select a preferred Stringer, and tints...


But it's good to start with a cheaper option...
Make mistakes on a cheap board... Ding up a cheap board... At first, you'll bang it into doorways, fly screens, floors, steps, handrails at the beach, etc! ...