How many surfs before you ditch a board?

[Hazrus]

For me, it depends on:
A. How much I paid for it
B. How much I can get by selling it

If A >> B, I'll persist.

The recent example for me is the DHD Eclipseturd. I bought it off Gumtree/Marketplace for a good price and knew I could probably recoup it. I gave it 4 surfs, and mainly that was because my magic twinny was getting a finbox repair at the time (that's another story).

 

[waxfoot]

For me, it depends on:
A. How much I paid for it
B. How much I can get by selling it

If A >> B, I'll persist.

The recent example for me is the DHD Eclipseturd. I bought it off Gumtree/Marketplace for a good price and knew I could probably recoup it. I gave it 4 surfs, and mainly that was because my magic twinny was getting a finbox repair at the time (that's another story).

This is good point, and one reason why buying an off-the-shelf board from a name brand is a good option -potential resell value. I made my Great White call quite early, knowing that I can capatalise on Firewire's marketing of that anus flavoured lollipop.

 

[sh3]

2-to-3.

I usually know the first, but give it a second try. Sometimes I'll give it a third just hoping it'll work.

If I know it's not for me, I try to sell it fast before it looks like crap and won't sell. Almost always brutal on the pocketbook, though.

One time that didn't work out was with my Chilli, some years ago. I tried to sell it because I thought it was a dog. Wouldn't sell. After 3 months, I waxed it up and took it to a strong and solid beach break. It was a dream board there. Totally turned me around and I kept it much longer.

Point is, I like boobies.

 

[ChaseTMP]

1 sesh with my go to fins, another sesh with another set, if it doesn’t go with a third set/third sesh it’s out. There are times when a bort is so inconceivably bad that it doesn’t it doesn’t get a second chance.

I bought a JS Air 17X that I literally felt like I was sarfing switchfoot (and I can barely pump switch). I thought I was being punk’d. The bort looked great, felt great under the arm, and I was going ass over teakettle on almost every wave.

Prior to the Air 17X I had a Combat and Fat Fish 2 that were amazing in the early aughts. I was on Tavarua in 2003 and grabbed one of Dingo’s repaired JS’ that was in the graveyard, curious to try one (I think it was before they had good US distribution) and it went well and started me on the JS program for a while.

The Air 17X was the quickest I knew I hated a bort, followed by a FW Vanguard.

 

[Goodfish]

For me, I usually think it's something I'm doing wrong rather than the board...so I persist and persist. I usually only buy fancy-looking, expensive customs that I have to ship here, so once I'm in, I'm usually in for the long haul. That said, I sold my Parallelogram after about 6 months because it stabbed me on my first session and it just felt too wafer thin for most of the conditions I was surfing it in. Also, I knew I could sell it for a good price. I'll give another one a go eventually...

 

[GromsDad]

I've been pretty lucky over the years. Made most of my own boards for the past 35 years and it was just a progression working off of a magic Natural Art from 1990 and evolving from there. I've bought plenty of boards off the rack too but I'd only buy it if I was fairly certain it was going to work. The only complete dud was a Hypto Krypto I grabbed off the used rack. That board was just terrible. I rode it one time and sold it on Marketplace. It was like brand new when I got it so guessing it didn't work for its first owner either.

Funny story on the Hypto. Rode it. Listed it on Marketplace for $150 more than I paid for it off of the used rack. The board's original owner saw the listing and called me and basically had a temper tantrum on the phone because he had it on consignment and the shop sold it to me for the number he told them would be the least he'd take. In the end I sold it for $100 more minus the trac pad I put on it.

 

[teeroi]

Over the last 15 years the only trouble I’ve had with a boar is a hpsb that Wade made me that had a lot of nose rocker. 5+. It was hard paddling into waves. But once I was able to stand up it was a good boar. The steeper more cupped out wave the better. I talked to Wade about it and he lowered the nose rocker and put a little more foam under my chest. It was still an effort to paddle into waves but much easier with the changes.

Support your local shapers, build a relationship with them. Give honest feedback about your ability and the waves you surf and the dud rate goes way down.

 

[trifish]

I think it depends on the board. If its something in my wheel house, I should be able to tell after a few sessions. Different design or fin setup? I give it more time to rewire my brain.

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

Some boards I get a feeling one way or the other first few pumps but I try to really put them through the full set of paces. Fins, variety of surf, etc.

These are usually alts and the final exam is generally a fun thigh-stomach+ day with a back-to-back vs the Sub Driver or Baby Buggy or similar.

Others I can tell aren't ideal but they're pretty good and I feel like extended use helps me get really specific on the next one. I had a local grovel shape, first pump I could feel it had more tail rocker/performance and less straight line speed than I wanted out of the board. But it still went good, just not amazing like the next one.

Tried upsizing a Bean Bag by going longer in stock dims and the upsize went good+, but a fair bit was lost relative to what was gained. This informed a custom that, even underfinned due to increased width relative to length, I got one good section to line up and felt how it went and knew I'd struck gold again.

 

[MathDebater]

After reading everyone elses responses I agree, with thrusters and more traditional fish I can tell by the 3rd wave if it's the one for me but with anything else it doesn't feel as immediately apparent. The last two boards I limped along on for a while both had some brilliant moments but I couldn't reproduce them with any sort of regularity. Those moments were enough to keep me trying but overall the boards just didn't work for me

 

[jkb]

10 sessions.

I like to ride them in varying conditions to see if there's anything redeemable about them. More often than not, I find something I like or figure out how to make them work better. Some of my best boards have required a little extra time/effort.

Part of my motivation for this is that I don't get free boards nor am I made of money so getting rid of a board after 2 sessions is an expensive mistake. The used market isn't quite as easy for guys in the 160lb range.

Also, I'm of the opinion that taking the time to figure a board out makes you better/more versatile.

 

[ReForest]

Next question... what defines a good board?

One that you love to ride everyday?
Or a board that does exactly what you want it to do in certain conditions (mushy, hollow, big days, etc.)?

Is it real possible to have a board that does well in any condition?

 

[oeste858]

Next question... what defines a good board?

One that you love to ride everyday?
Or a board that does exactly what you want it to do in certain conditions (mushy, hollow, big days, etc.)?

Is it real possible to have a board that does well in any condition?

depends how broke you are! For most of my surfing life I had one boar (at a time) I would ride in all conditions: squash thruster 0-2” above my height. At some points I would have a 6’4-6’6 RP thruster stap too. Made it work in everything because I didn’t know any better and didn’t have other options. I don’t wanna think about how much better a couple of those years would’ve been if not for those stupid glass slippers!
I think it’s actually pretty rare to find one boar to work in anything, mostly due to the rocker for me. Closest I’ve found that work for me in the most conditions are P2 and Insanity. I wouldn’t say those are my best or favorite ones, just most versatile.
Probably as a response to the previous 30 years, I’ve tried different specific designs as much as I could the past few years… to learn what they do and how well/not they suit my style (at this point) and the waves I surf (I’ve become much more realistic about the typical conditions I get). I’ve tried so much different stuff, I feel like I can tell really quickly if it’s gonna work, a few waves. I’ll probably try it 3 sessions, max. If I persist more, it’s because I like the idea of a boar and am stubborn enough to think I should be able to make it work. A Lovelace twin comes to mind as the last real dud I couldn’t click with (the rails).
Now a good boar is one that does exactly what I want in certain conditions at the 2-3 spots I typically surf. YMMV

 

[Pyzelsurfboards]

OG Lost rocket I hated from the get go, but I was 15 years old and the amount of froth I had getting it I had to keep it going for years and lie to myself (also was a broke hs kid); forced me to get back on my first board, a surftech Byrne TC fish which was one of the best boards I've ever had. Fug the pop out police.

My buddy accidentally bought a firewire pyzel slab for cheap in a silent auction. It was the biggest POS board I've ever touched. No one liked it at all. I think he just left it at the beach and didn't try to sell it. Unlike any other pyzel I've seen. Glad he dropped that collab

Haha- that sums up my feelings about FW

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

depends how broke you are! For most of my surfing life I had one boar (at a time) I would ride in all conditions: squash thruster 0-2” above my height. At some points I would have a 6’4-6’6 RP thruster stap too. Made it work in everything because I didn’t know any better and didn’t have other options. I don’t wanna think about how much better a couple of those years would’ve been if not for those stupid glass slippers!
I think it’s actually pretty rare to find one boar to work in anything, mostly due to the rocker for me. Closest I’ve found that work for me in the most conditions are P2 and Insanity. I wouldn’t say those are my best or favorite ones, just most versatile.
Probably as a response to the previous 30 years, I’ve tried different specific designs as much as I could the past few years… to learn what they do and how well/not they suit my style (at this point) and the waves I surf (I’ve become much more realistic about the typical conditions I get). I’ve tried so much different stuff, I feel like I can tell really quickly if it’s gonna work. 3 sessions max. If I persist more, it’s because I like the idea of a boar and am stubborn enough to think I should be able to make it work. A Lovelace twin comes to mind as the last real dud I couldn’t click with.
Now a good boar is one that does exactly what I want in certain conditions at the 2-3 spots I typically surf. YMMV

2009-2011 I only rode a CI Pod and a Wizard Sleeve (with a handful of surfs on a 9’6 gun). Never been happier.

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

I had a custom J7 with a wide nose and very narrow tail (modeled after CI Deep Six). Board was total dog. Simply didn’t work. Shaper made exactly what I wanted so can’t blame him for it. Tried to sell it but everyone who looked it turned it down. Sat in the garage for a couple years. Then I had a conversation about fin setups with a couple local legends, guys that you’d listen to about anything surfing, and the idea of putting AMTs in front and nubsters in the quad rears came up.

Tried it on that board and it became one of my all time favorite boards. Still have it. Haven’t ridden it in a decade. Probably dead now.

Dug it out from under the deck today. Really chippy compared to what I ride now.

For those that know J7 boards it’s a Whatever up front and a XL1 tail. Rocker is pretty mellow but continuous. Single - double - flat. Knifey rails. AMTs up front and nubs in the rear - all plastic.

6’1.5 x 19 x 2.5

 

[jkb]

Next question... what defines a good board?

One that you love to ride everyday?
Or a board that does exactly what you want it to do in certain conditions (mushy, hollow, big days, etc.)?

It can be both but what are you after?

Do you want a board to ride in almost everything or are you ok having a few specialty boards?

Is it real possible to have a board that does well in any condition?

You can get close. I end up riding 3 boards 99% of the time (groveler, daily driver that doubles as my hpsb, step up). Or if you really want to go minimalistic, you could do a 2 board quiver where your groveler doubles as your daily and a longer hpsb doubles as a step up.

I recommend starting with a 5'8 GMM2.

 

[PRCD]

Next question... what defines a good board?

One that you love to ride everyday?
Or a board that does exactly what you want it to do in certain conditions (mushy, hollow, big days, etc.)?

Is it real possible to have a board that does well in any condition?

any thruster from a competent shaper is a good board unless you’re advanced/pro. I think switching boards too much actually holds you back because it enables you to blame your equipment or at least wonder if it is. Just this week I figured out a few things I was doing wrong and riding the same board in all conditions helped me figure it out.

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

any thruster from a competent shaper is a good board unless you’re advanced/pro.

Using this criteria I must be advanced/pro. I’ve had plenty of competent (the most competent) make HPSB that didn’t work for me and I’ve got many from same shapers that were great - magic.

I think switching boards too much actually holds you back because it enables you to blame your equipment or at least wonder if it is.

I disagree. But I do understand the argument.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Over the last 15 years the only trouble I’ve had with a boar is a hpsb that Wade made me that had a lot of nose rocker. 5+. It was hard paddling into waves. But once I was able to stand up it was a good boar. The steeper more cupped out wave the better. I talked to Wade about it and he lowered the nose rocker and put a little more foam under my chest. It was still an effort to paddle into waves but much easier with the changes.

Support your local shapers, build a relationship with them. Give honest feedback about your ability and the waves you surf and the dud rate goes way down.

This.

For most guys I think it's style of rocker or type of wave or a combo of both that makes or breaks a board.

Once your shaper knows what rocker layout you like it removes a huge variable and really opens up the possibilities for doing what you want to do - get better boards that fit your surfing.

When the rocker variable is lifted there's a lot more certainty. Then you just order a board for a certain type of wave, the shaper takes care of all the nuances.

And your surfing will probably improve because you're consistently on the style of design characteristics that work for you.

Alternatively you can blow a bunch of money on boards that end up not working, likely even making the same mistake multiple times because a certain style of rocker probably doesn't work for you.

I don't have the time left in my surfing years, or money, or the waves (even with 4 days a week open to surf), or the talented freeflowing muscle memory for fooling around with a bunch of different boards with a bunch of random characteristics.