"Shortboards"... More fun, or simply logistics?

[Muscles]

They're all fun. Ride what you want to ride. Who gives a fuck what anyone else thinks? I have a 8'0 fun board that I like to take out sometimes and it is a great time. I like to ride everything and found that trying different things keeps me coming back for more. Some guys like to go hump waves on a performance board and think they're Kelly Slater when in reality they're middle aged dudes who look ridiculous.

Some older guys just get over riding a shortboard. Get older and get injured enough and it suddenly won't be fun surfing a shortboard if all it means is constant pain and effort. Surfing is supposed to be fun.

But, to answer your question. I ride an old guy shortboard that is 7'0 x 20.5 x 2.88. Fits in my car and can paddle well.

 

[92122]

It sounds like you want to surf a shortboard like a bodyboard, which will never happen especially if your going straight to a shortboard like you did.

if you want to pull into close out barrels late like a body board just ride a body board.

you’ll never recreate that feeling or ability on a shortboard.

That isn't what I meant. Not trying to recreate anything from the BB'ing days, it was just a point of reference of things you are able to do easier / better on a smaller board, like duck dive, or flip it and go late on a fast breaking wave.

I didn't go straight to a shortboard, I rode an 8' and 7' 6" for years before stepping down to a 6' 6" then a 6' 2" and now a 5' 10".

 

[92122]

IMO, the type of waves you have on offer locally or the amount of time you have to chase waves greatly influences what board you'll be riding.

TLDR; Ride a SB if you have to waves for a SB, otherwise, ride what suits the waves you have best.

Agreed, and I'm a small wave guy so the majority of the time I should be dragging out my 7' 6" (I have never and probably will never own a true 9' longboard) but I guess that's the point, there are times when I don't want to deal with a big plank and just end up grabbing my small wave 'shortboard', even if it means less waves ridden. Just being able to throw it in the car / truck and lock it up inside if you stop somewhere is nice. Anytime I drag the big board out you pretty much have to go to the beach and go straight home to drop off the board.

 

[rowjimmytour]

Agreed, and I'm a small wave guy so the majority of the time I should be dragging out my 7' 6" (I have never and probably will never own a true 9' longboard) but I guess that's the point, there are times when I don't want to deal with a big plank and just end up grabbing my small wave 'shortboard', even if it means less waves ridden. Just being able to throw it in the car / truck and lock it up inside if you stop somewhere is nice. Anytime I drag the big board out you pretty much have to go to the beach and go straight home to drop off the board.

Looks like you need either a bigger car or some racks

 

[Muscles]

Agreed, and I'm a small wave guy so the majority of the time I should be dragging out my 7' 6" (I have never and probably will never own a true 9' longboard) but I guess that's the point, there are times when I don't want to deal with a big plank and just end up grabbing my small wave 'shortboard', even if it means less waves ridden. Just being able to throw it in the car / truck and lock it up inside if you stop somewhere is nice. Anytime I drag the big board out you pretty much have to go to the beach and go straight home to drop off the board.

I have a 8'0 model of this board:

T&C Surf -Mini Tanker

Catches anything. Turns well off the tail for what it is. Fits in my little Scion XB with no hassle. I'm not sure what you mean when you say it is harder to move around compared to a shortboard.

 

[One-Off]

Looks like you need either a bigger car or some racks

I was gonna say. It takes no more effort to throw a 9-3 in the back of my van than a 6-0.

 

[Swallow Tail]

Ease of duck diving should not be a fvckin goal... seriously - WTF.

 

[sdsrfr]

people ride shortboards because they can.

those who cant to ride shortboards do so anyways do it because they think they look cool, or some other excuse, like it fit in their car or they cant duck dive something bigger.

once you learn to surf you also learn to duck dive, and that includes much bigger boards, as well as how to tie them to the roof or their car, etc.

funny how that seems to work itself out only after putting in the time to learn to surf. I personally like adult learners on shortboards. Glass slipper 2.0.

 

[Chocki]

Never didn’t have a good time on a single fin short board. Started on one as a kid because the dude at Surfer’s Supplies said so. Pretty sure Rick Hamon shaped it for SNI. Litmus came out and I regressed back to childhood. Wasn’t too long ago you could get some sick vintage ones for minor dolares.
One time I smoked a bunch of weed and watched some Joel(Fitz) and Rasta vids and decided they were capable of way more than what the dudes in 70s could do with them and landed the dankest floater with a 30 year old board.

 

[SrPato]

Due to injuries, crowds, and work; I've surfed very little this past year. Mentally, this has hurt me because I've been surfing regularly for the past 42 years and have felt a tremendous loss in my life. Lately I've started turning this around and have been getting wet as often as possible. One thing I've discovered is that my short board skills have greatly diminished during this time so, I've been riding my mid lengths to gain the strength/stamina required to ride my short boards once again. I miss the feeling of having the ability to tuck into tight spots, snapping off the lip, pumping at mach speeds etc. so for me, shortboards can be more fun but don't necessarily have to be more fun. Cruising on a mid length or L.B. can bring just as much satisfaction in a very different way. Much the same as we live our life on land, cruising along and not stressing over the small stuff can be rehabilitating and even rejuvenating for the soul. Shortboards can be more fun in the right conditions and if you're in the right physical condition. Just don't forget that there are other ways to enjoy the surf that may be just as rewarding.

They're all fun. Ride what you want to ride. Who gives a fook what anyone else thinks? I have a 8'0 fun board that I like to take out sometimes and it is a great time. I like to ride everything and found that trying different things keeps me coming back for more. Some guys like to go hump waves on a performance board and think they're Kelly Slater when in reality they're middle aged dudes who look ridiculous.

Some older guys just get over riding a shortboard. Get older and get injured enough and it suddenly won't be fun surfing a shortboard if all it means is constant pain and effort. Surfing is supposed to be fun.

But, to answer your question. I ride an old guy shortboard that is 7'0 x 20.5 x 2.88. Fits in my car and can paddle well.

I hear you brother. At 55 I’ve accumulated enough injuries that I can be selective in what I surf. Lately it’s a 8’ Aipa Sting. But I still like to ride my 7’5” Widowmaker and 6’4” twin keel fish. It all depends on conditions and how I’m feeling at the time.✌

 

[CutnSnip]

I was gonna say. It takes no more effort to throw a 9-3 in the back of my van than a 6-0.

9'0 longboard is stashed t the parents house and only comes out for san-o days.

i dont think its logistically possible to get it out of my apartment and to my car.

 

[kpd73]

It sounds like you want to surf a shortboard like a bodyboard, which will never happen especially if your going straight to a shortboard like you did.

if you want to pull into close out barrels late like a body board just ride a body board.

you’ll never recreate that feeling or ability on a shortboard.

May I suggest a Mini Simmons...?
and may I further suggest the Twinzer fin configuration.

 

[Chocki]

Due to injuries, crowds, and work; I've surfed very little this past year. Mentally, this has hurt me because I've been surfing regularly for the past 42 years and have felt a tremendous loss in my life. Lately I've started turning this around and have been getting wet as often as possible. One thing I've discovered is that my short board skills have greatly diminished during this time so, I've been riding my mid lengths to gain the strength/stamina required to ride my short boards once again. I miss the feeling of having the ability to tuck into tight spots, snapping off the lip, pumping at mach speeds etc. so for me, shortboards can be more fun but don't necessarily have to be more fun. Cruising on a mid length or L.B. can bring just as much satisfaction in a very different way. Much the same as we live our life on land, cruising along and not stressing over the small stuff can be rehabilitating and even rejuvenating for the soul. Shortboards can be more fun in the right conditions and if you're in the right physical condition. Just don't forget that there are other ways to enjoy the surf that may be just as rewarding.

I hear you brother. At 55 I’ve accumulated enough injuries that I can be selective in what I surf. Lately it’s a 8’ Aipa Sting. But I still like to ride my 7’5” Widowmaker and 6’4” twin keel fish. It all depends on conditions and how I’m feeling at the time.✌

Flip side of the coin for me a lot of the time was what I call the one board to rule them all factor. If I’d have had more free time x tasty waves I’d be all over the place with what I rode. But since I didn’t, it definitely helped my surfing to be on the same board all the time.

 

[Senor Sopa]

Flip side of the coin for me a lot of the time was what I call the one board to rule them all factor. If I’d have had more free time x tasty waves I’d be all over the place with what I rode. But since I didn’t, it definitely helped my surfing to be on the same board all the time.

9 footer, in the car, low profile all the way. Notice the broken leash from today's meager session. If you look super close, you can see a hint of green leash string in the left pocket. Wetsuit in the bucket, two towels and a coat. This setup works super good 95% of the time here in Encinitas. Oh yeah, some melted wax on the bumper for bonus stock.

 

[hugh shackman]

i've been surfing a lost rnf retro for a few months and find that it takes almost a full session to get readjusted to a normal shortboard, which was unexpected. weirdly i have 0 issues going from a log to a shortboard but with a fishy shape it affects me more

 

[SurfFuerteventura]

Keys to continuing surfing a HPSB:

1-) forget the squats n deadlifts, i mean don't stop them, but you catch waves with your upper train. pull ups and chin ups boi. If you can do 10 of each, you're good paddling a HPSB.

2-) the gut factor. Unless you are Hilldo, king of the gutback, keep it to where you can see your pepis, man parts.

3-) the lumbar area. Avoid injury here, if you cannot arch properly while paddling on take off?

All that said, why does the erBB hate alternate shapes so much?

I know fully well, thanks to injury in the lumbar area, that HPSB's are out unless it's beach break with a short paddle out. Thus, I treat my boards design in thirds...

1st third, nose, appropriate for getting in early.

2nd third, the mid-section, appropriate for paddles, long long long very long paddles.

3rd third, the tail, appropriate for all business when on you feet, narrow, squirly, pintails with sharp rails with edges that grab and bite into the wall of the waves and V bottom to get the fat mid-section to not resist when laying them on rail.

Works for me, I get tons of waves, can surf outter reefs, have volume for size, or can just surf the middle trimming when it's smaller.

 

[Muscles]

Surfers are weird and a lot of them are concerned about image.

Few months ago we had a cold front that brought the temp in Hawaii way down. Dawn patrol temp became lower 60s. It was cold enough to need a spring suit in order to be comfortable. I put one on and my friend says "I can't wear a spring suit in Hawaii, that's something kooks do". I just shook my head and watched him shiver the whole time he was out.

 

[sdsrfr]

this thread is about people who cannot competently surf short boards but do so anyway. not to be conflated with people who don’t ride short boards nor those who could previously ride short boards competently but are aging.

I got no judgement on those unable and riding appropriate craft in an appropriate manner, nor those pushing their comforts to try something new. It‘s the stubborn duu who can’t surf for chit but insists on riding a 6’2 7S and texting his 20 bros it’s firing on the way to the beach meanwhile he will sit inside the takeoff zone and paddle like a windmill every 10th wave.

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

Some opinions -

Growing up in the 90s and riding those elf shoe narrow boards in small surf, spending years having to be exactly in the hook at exactly the right time and paddling your ass off was good mental conditioning.

Four limb drive isn't a thing on shortboards the way it is in bodyboards. Flutter kicking a shortboard might help you stabilize a little, you might gain a couple feet, but nothing like swimfins, or the way the explosion bubbles destabilize the longer board.

Duck diving is important. The longboard world champ lives here. Most chest-head high days he's riding a bump squash mayhem thruster. Because you're not punching up onto the sandbar and across the first part on a board you cannot quickly duck dive 5 second period pieces of slop, and you must duck dive head high waves cleanly, retaining momentum, every 8-10 seconds the second part. The rips aren't strong enough, the sandbars too broad and featureless, the period too short, the coastline devoid of shelter. Nobody is ever out the back on logs those days. Ever.

I force a shortboard in thigh-waist high dogshit semi-regularly, especially this time of year with trips on the horizon. Everything that causes a bog in thigh high Jax Beach that you sharpen up your practice on is potentially a beating saved in Mainland Mexico, and I'm not interested in getting shut down because someone for whom the height of surfing is climbing and dropping at chest high Playa Negra/Rincon PR and who thinks length of ride and lack of effort are the most important criteria disapproves of what the next person is doing at a C-grade spot in a public park. Take it the Pier. Or better yet, Malibu!

 

[92122]

those who cant to ride shortboards do so anyways do it because they think they look cool, or some other excuse, like it fit in their car or they cant duck dive something bigger.

once you learn to surf you also learn to duck dive, and that includes much bigger boards, as well as how to tie them to the roof or their car, etc.

funny how that seems to work itself out only after putting in the time to learn to surf. I personally like adult learners on shortboards.

this thread is about people who cannot competently surf short boards but do so anyway. not to be conflated with people who don’t ride short boards nor those who could previously ride short boards competently but are aging.

I got no judgement on those unable and riding appropriate craft in an appropriate manner, nor those pushing their comforts to try something new. It‘s the stubborn duu who can’t surf for chit but insists on riding a 6’2 7S and texting his 20 bros it’s firing on the way to the beach meanwhile he will sit inside the takeoff zone and paddle like a windmill every 10th wave.

A bit aggressive here. We don't all start as rippers. But continue to shame if you must.

I'd like to see anyone duck dive a well overhead thumping beach break wave after wave on say a 45L+ board. I can practically guarantee I'd beat them out to the lineup.

It's not about racks or a bigger vehicle either. I don't want my boards cooking on a rack outside if they don't have to. And it's nice having more room for people and other gear when I go to the beach.

I like Casa's response.

More fun, logistics, designs meant to better handle more critical areas on the wave, more areas to explore on the wave.