Hey guys,

so this is my first time on here. I'm living in warrnambool and in my last year of studying marine biology.
in the last 8 months I have really got into my surfing after living with a young Dutch bloke who froffed to get out on a wave Haha.

im 6'2" and 93-95kg and trying to drop a few kg . I currently use a 7'2" NSP, which is a bit of fun but I feel like I'm being restricted by it's fat rails and I'm not enjoying the rigid epoxy feel on some of the bumpier waves that frequent the area. I surf from knee high to head high waves but plan on going bigger when my skill and confidence improve. so I'm wondering should I go shorter or should I keep persisting For a while longer?

I have been looking at the following in about a 40L volume:
- Rusty Dwart
- Rusty Stump
- CI Average Joe
- FireWire Baked Potato
- FireWire potatonator
- FireWire round nosed fish

I was also thinking of something around my height to help with paddling so 6' - 6'2"I was thinking of running these as a thruster so they are a bit slower (so I hear and from feel)

But I would also want the option to run them as a quad or twin when I get used to it and when I need the speed.

Please give me your thoughts :) I'm really stoked and can't wait to get back in the water

Cheers,
Mitch

I'm selling a 6'4 JS Revolution 2, 5 fin FCS, with heavy glass. It's 38ltrs so will float you fine.

If you don't want to fork out big bucks on a new stick this could be ideal. PM me for more details.

Don't go too small. 6'4" - 6'6" would be a great all rounder for you. I am about your size and 6'6" has been my all rounder for 20 years. I currently own 35 boards from 5'10" to 8' so don't think I am speaking from no experience with shorter boards. It's not just about volume for tall guys. We need some rail line too. I have surfed in Warnambool and surrounds and a rockered up 6'6" would be my choice. You wouldn't surf a 40 litre esky, which is one way of saying literage is only ONE way of measuring a board.

Having said that, the literage you are looking at sounds pretty good for you. I am pretty competent and surf 36-38 litres on my 6'6" boards (I have six of them). One is about 42 I think. You would need a little more possibly.

And I hate the feel of epoxy. For that reason I would be making sure I got a traditional board if I were you and not some of the funkier FireWire shapes.

What fins are in it, not those crap black ones ?

Thank you so much thedrip for your insight! and for the reasons you have addressed, that's why I didn't want. a super short board like the firewires I was looking at. I wanted something originally at 6'4 but a more refined profile but still with a bit of width So i think we are back on the same page. are there anyboards you would recommend? And I'm glad someone shares my view on the epoxies!

and surfer stu, if making reference to what I have in the NSP then yes I still have the disgusting black ones.

If you are planning to keep the nsp throw the black ones in the bin and get a better set of fins, should only cost about 50-75$ It will make a big difference.

^^^Just out of interest what does one do with 35 boards? I currently run a 3 board quiver that covers all bases.

Na I really don't plan on keeping it. I have a 7'0" Jed Noll that I use at the moment mainly due to it normal glass construction and not the epoxy. It rides much better, I'm borrowing it off a friend who won't be back until April so I thought i might sell the NSP and use this in the mean time

As far as recommending a board, I buy custom boards. I would recommend getting one from a respected local shaper. If you want to know my dimensions let me know and I can pass them on.

What do I do with a 35 board collection? Surf about 7 regularly, another 8 or so infrequently. Stare at the rest and think I should sell some and create some shed space. What do I surf? 5'10" twin fin, 6' twin fin (very different types of twinny), 6'6" HP thruster, 6'6" massively volumed quad fish, 6'6" less HP thruster, 6'10" semi-gun for clean waves, 6'10" mini-mal for almost anything (arguably my most versatile board although one if the twinnies is pretty amazing), 7' single fin (the board I currently ride the most), and a 7'2" gun for when I want to scare myself. Getting an 8 footer very soon. Sometimes drag out the 6'6" reverse vee or the 6'6" six channel warp factor 9 board for a different feeling.

Yes a three board quiver will do small, medium, big, but it doesn't cover all surfing bases by a long shot. I also still need a 9'6" longboard. It won't be a log though.

And surferstu is right. Fins make a massive difference to a board. But I still wouldn't want it.

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thedrip said..
Don't go too small. 6'4" - 6'6" would be a great all rounder for you. I am about your size and 6'6" has been my all rounder for 20 years. I currently own 35 boards from 5'10" to 8' so don't think I am speaking from no experience with shorter boards. It's not just about volume for tall guys. We need some rail line too. I have surfed in Warnambool and surrounds and a rockered up 6'6" would be my choice. You wouldn't surf a 40 litre esky, which is one way of saying literage is only ONE way of measuring a board.

Having said that, the literage you are looking at sounds pretty good for you. I am pretty competent and surf 36-38 litres on my 6'6" boards (I have six of them). One is about 42 I think. You would need a little more possibly.

And I hate the feel of epoxy. For that reason I would be making sure I got a traditional board if I were you and not some of the funkier FireWire shapes.

+1 on the info here.
Still being new to surfing you could even go a bit longer 6'8" or 6'10"
Going a little longer may also help when you want to tackle the bigger stuff also. Bigger guys tend to have a bit more power in your turns and can throw around a board with a few extra inches pretty easy.

Go the Custom for sure. And unless your going to be pulling airs, go heavier on the glass job.

My 2 cents

Hey guys so I bit the bullet and went to torquay today. And walked out with 2 boards. A 9'5" strapper Easy rider, and a 6'8" strapper cruiser with 40.2L of volume. I took the 6'8" out in lorne and had a blast on a few 3 foot waves and instantly felt the drop in volume but still really easy to get into the waves with. Didn't give the longboard a go yet.

Sounds perfect. I surfed Lorne a few months ago. It's a bit gutless. How wide is the 6'8"? Both should go well at some of the reefs west of Warnambool.

The 6'8 is 20"3/4 x 2"11/16. And it wasn't to bad yesterday, just a bit all over the place

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thedrip said..

What do I do with a 35 board collection?

One can NEVER have too many boards. All can be justified until the 'minister of finance' chucks the **s. Then you find ways to make new purchases appear like old boards so she does not realise

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Glasssssy said..

thedrip said..

What do I do with a 35 board collection?

One can NEVER have too many boards. All can be justified until the 'minister of finance' chucks the **s. Then you find ways to make new purchases appear like old boards so she does not realise

They KNOW! They always know! They just pretend they don't, and play dumb. That is something they will always hold against us.....waiting to be used if needed at some time in the future. :/

I am can get away with a board every nine months or so. I am very very lucky that my wife recognises they all go different, it's my only physical activity, and if I am not surfing I am an unpleasant sod.

Also gym membership plus shoes quickly gets close to a surfboards price anyway. That's what I tell her anyway. The new one is $1400. Ouch.

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mitchmcm said...
The 6'8 is 20"3/4 x 2"11/16. And it wasn't to bad yesterday, just a bit all over the place

Great dimensions. Your surfing will leap forward with that.

Next board, don't sell it, but get a full grovellor or a gun - the mal will grovel but I was thinking a fish thing. Then you will have your three board quiver and its refinement from there. Everyone needs a board for small, medium and big waves.

It feels really nice. Now I just need some powerfull waves! The longboard has really helped with my pop up speed alread. And that sounds like a solid plan