Reality check

[Lakookaracha]

which can be lined up and walled but not steep at all, and I ride it in junky, short period when tide+sandbar = very soft that loves to back off, mush out, reform....

It does the job for me in all those conditions. In the long period, the shortboard wouldn't get in and down the line fast enough - it tends to be walled and you need to get in early and get a high line going and keep speed. In the short period, it gets into the very gutless waves and holds speed well when doing cutbacks.

Decent approximation of the conditions I’m talking about, but with 6’ faces that are inviting me to do a roundy on, but also laying the trap of the mid turn bogged rail…

Appreciate the reply

 

[Lakookaracha]

Ive had a TP Stoked as well and I felt similarly about it in mushy reef waves that sound similar to what you're describing. In small, punchy beachies it went great.

I have a spot at home that is pretty much never surfable on an true HP thruster but it can be super fun on the right board. Its usually chest high+ when I surf it and even when its good its just got this funky flat transition at the bottom of the wave that makes it so hard to do proper turns on.

A fish can be fun when its clean but it rarely is and when it gets overhead its a pretty big playing field to paddle a 5-10 around in.

A longer twin is probably my favorite. 6-4 to 7-2. Album townsend pretty much always felt good out there. Mine are not super wide like many off the rack mids. 6-6 x 19 3/4 × 2 9/16 are the dims for the shorter Townsend RP I think.

Havent ridden a Moonstone but everyone seems to like them.

Longer boards are so nice for that early entry behind the section but the penalty comes when you go for cutty's and whatnot. If you dont often ride longer boards there is a learning curve but I think its worth pursuing. The skills transfer pretty directly over to step ups and I think can help your shortboarding as well by smoothing out your style.

I tried the Mid6 at the mushy reef and it just felt like too much rocker. Even at 7-0 it didnt get in that early or highline sections very well and I cant remember how wide it is but it felt kinda wide. HP mids so far for me have not been great.

As much as I like the long twins for their versatility and ease, i do sometimes want to ride something a bit more rippy at this mushy wave when its decent.

The sharpeye disco and disco cheater have been fun but they get overwhelmed once the waves get bigger.

Another excellent reply, thanks!

How big of a fella are you, and does your 6’6 Townsend feel like you’ve hit that sweet spot?

 

[Aruka]

Im 6-3 180

For me I think 6-6 to 7-0 is kind of the sweet spot for mid twin types. Ive gone shorter and just doesnt feel like it has that early entry that sets up the whole wave.

I like twin fins but I think the fin setup is secondary to the low rocker and wide up front outline for making the most of bigger mushy waves.

If I was wanting to go shorter than something like 6-4 for a head high+ mushbuster I'd probably go quad. Little more fin to push off for speed generation.

Low rocker, extra volume, tail not too wide. That would be my general thinking whether you go midlength or shorter.

 

[oeste858]

I don't think you need to go too long, just a little bit of a cheat (XL dims) that's a good paddler.
in those kind of slopey conditions, I've had good luck with Hawaiian gravelers like Pyzel Gremlin and Akila ConFish.
Hard to imagine Pyzalien2 wouldn't work tho.
R. Smoothie was an old faithful too.
Maybe a stretched out plasmic / vesper? both pack a lot of foam and the bonzer channel definitely helps generate speed.

 

[nolibos]

I had a lot of success in these types of conditions with my Freak Flag Bean Bag with MR twin fins and very small side bite rear quads.
A friend of mine rocks a 7' CI mid in the mush.
Now I use a 5'10" Pyzel Astro pop.

 

[Duffy LaCoronilla]

5’8 twin keel fish.

 

[Goofy_Footed]

get a 6'6 x 20 x 2 1/2 Album Moonstone

If you’re looking for a longer rail line, this is your answer. Except I’d go a little shorter and narrower. Moonstone doesn’t need too much width. I have a 6’2 x 19.5 x 2.4 that comes in around 33L and it goes insane in bigger mushy beach break. Gets in early, cruises through mush, does full speed wraps and hitting the lip feels so good on a longer board.

 

[Maz]

Was gonna say Mid Strength, but you no likey. Hmmm.
close to 7’, low rocker, probably quad. Try to get on a few - friends, demos, etc.

 

[trifish]

+1 on the moonstone. Mine works very well in those conditions

 

[jkb]

There's really only 1 answer.

5'8 GMM2

And I'm not even joking. Thing rips the sh!t out of head high mush.

 

[vanrysss]

+1 to moonstone but I think a long fish in general should fit the bill.

 

[sdsrfr]

My custom moonie is 6’3x19.75x2.44 works well as has been mentioned.

CC Wolverine as piqued my interest based on my success with the lane splitter.

my 5’5 plasmic and 5’9 flare does well in this kind of surf too. just look at what shapes are commonly ridden at the machado mile.

older shape but my og lost ss2 ate up these kinds of waves too.

 

[Maz]

CC Wolverine can certainly do that job, but Long Phish might have better low end.

 

[Lakookaracha]

Very much appreciate all the responses.

Currently going down the panda hole about twinzers.

Will be reading up on the other suggestions as well

 

[oeste858]

going down the panda hole

 

[JDJ]

Patterson has some fun looking mid lengths. I would look at those. Eric Christenson is also great and insanely underrated for alt boards, long fishes, and mid lengths, and you’ll pay 40% less than Album.

 

[teeroi]

My response is call a local shaper. Whether it’s a big name brand or an underground duu. They’ll know the spot you’re having the boar built for and if they’re any good can make you a custom for it. Ask the shaper what fins to run too.

Keep us posted cause nothing the erbb loves more than back seat driving and second guessing a shaper. Haha.

 

[tedshred]

I feel your predicament. Wave is big enough to get speed but too flat faced to really lay down a carve on a short board. Grovelors feel to short and wont hold rail for an elongated carve. Common for early season OBSF when we get good conditions but sandbars are out to see and not focused enough on one bar.

As a die hard HPSB thruster guy that just hit 40 I feel like I should have board for these type of waves but nothing works too well. Was thinking the CI M23 looks good. Longer rail with width to keep momentum. Thruster setup to keep familiar shortboard feel. Anybody have one?

 

[sdsrfr]

I feel your predicament. Wave is big enough to get speed but too flat faced to really lay down a carve on a short board. Grovelors feel to short and wont hold rail for an elongated carve. Common for early season OBSF when we get good conditions but sandbars are out to see and not focused enough on one bar.

As a die hard HPSB thruster guy that just hit 40 I feel like I should have board for these type of waves but nothing works too well. Was thinking the CI M23 looks good. Longer rail with width to keep momentum. Thruster setup to keep familiar shortboard feel. Anybody have one?

I have an old 6’4 m13 swallow. Those rockers are so dynamic. My buddy’s favorite board to borrow for blacks, waist to oh.

if I find a m23 used I’d have a hard time passing it up. would be a good vacation board for up there.

 

[jkb]

A Hydrodynamica CyberSim would be another board that would do really well in head high mush. More glide than a stubby shortboard but super easy to go rail to rail. Tail is wide to float through weak sections when going straight but the tail foil is thin so you can do a proper rail turn without the board going flat. Way more high performance than it initially looks.