I weigh about 65kg, I have an 6'0'' 32L shortboard but realized that my speed generation is not enough to rip with it. I'm looking forward to get an "easier" board for small waves to pratice my shortboard technique and speed generation, what board should I go for?
What I can think of now is a retro fish, but what size and volume should I choose? Say a 6'0'' 48L twin retro fish, will this help me transition or I was going for to much volume and should reduce it?

If you want to pursue performance surfing on a shortboard, then don't go to a high volume fish. It will definitely be easier to surf, and probably faster, but you won't learn the subtle rail to rail pump that you learn on a performance shorty.

Depending on where you surf and what shape you are surfing, the problem could very well be the design of the board you are on. It could be those dimensions, yet be a step up so it will ride stiffer than a similar dimension performance board. Or it could be a bigger guys small wave board, so it will be difficult again. Those dimensions you gave don't give a lot of information.

At your weight, less rail volume is almost certainly going to help. You can drop the rail volume without losing almost any total volume.

What you are riding is still a lot of volume for you. I think you could easily drop that to 27-28l if you want to make the board more responsive. Keep in mind you will lose some paddle, but paddle power comes from a lot more than just volume, so a flatter nose rocker board, with a little bit of width forward of center, and around 27-28 should be more responsive and easier to pump.

But, to answer your question, that fish won't teach you those skills.

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thedrip said..
If you want to pursue performance surfing on a shortboard, then don't go to a high volume fish. It will definitely be easier to surf, and probably faster, but you won't learn the subtle rail to rail pump that you learn on a performance shorty.

Depending on where you surf and what shape you are surfing, the problem could very well be the design of the board you are on. It could be those dimensions, yet be a step up so it will ride stiffer than a similar dimension performance board. Or it could be a bigger guys small wave board, so it will be difficult again. Those dimensions you gave don't give a lot of information.

At your weight, less rail volume is almost certainly going to help. You can drop the rail volume without losing almost any total volume.

What you are riding is still a lot of volume for you. I think you could easily drop that to 27-28l if you want to make the board more responsive. Keep in mind you will lose some paddle, but paddle power comes from a lot more than just volume, so a flatter nose rocker board, with a little bit of width forward of center, and around 27-28 should be more responsive and easier to pump.

But, to answer your question, that fish won't teach you those skills.

Thanks mate, great information. My current short's got narrow nose, big rocker, round square tail, and it's a thruster. So I would say it looks like an ordinary performance short. I guess the problem is that the waves I surf ain't big enough for my board, since round square tail suits bigger waves better? And when it's big it wipes out so soon that I hardly have enough time to accelerate (****ty beach break waves and also my poor skill).
I'm glad to know the limitation of a high volume fish. I still bought one though just to fill up my board collection, and to have a "short" board to surf small waves easier.
And also, I need to work on my paddling ability more, just to catch a wave a little bit earlier with my short now.

Solid advice from the drip. There's so many variables when trying to get the best out of a board, a couple of other things you could look at are your foot placement, a neutral foot placement makes a big difference, front or back foot heavy can slow you down. Also, full rockers are good in the pocket, can work down the line but generally something slightly flatter will help with speed but it wont turn on a pin, the key is to find the balance. Failing that, some boards a just pigs. Talk to a good shaper, keep it simple and until you get better, don't get sucked into the twinny v quad v thruster argument, thrusters will cover you in any conditions.

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Chindog said..
Solid advice from the drip. There's so many variables when trying to get the best out of a board, a couple of other things you could look at are your foot placement, a neutral foot placement makes a big difference, front or back foot heavy can slow you down. Also, full rockers are good in the pocket, can work down the line but generally something slightly flatter will help with speed but it wont turn on a pin, the key is to find the balance. Failing that, some boards a just pigs. Talk to a good shaper, keep it simple and until you get better, don't get sucked into the twinny v quad v thruster argument, thrusters will cover you in any conditions.

Thanks mate, I'll keep practising, it seems like my weight distribution is a big problem.