Wide Surfboards

bluemarlin04

Michael Peterson status
Aug 13, 2015
2,565
2,383
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Anyone ever surf wide surfboards?

I think it’s a good discussion and here is my personal journey into wide boards.

First saw a kneeboard on craigslist that was 24.5 wide. It was a good price and I liked the shape. Bought it and had the fin moved back to normal and surfed it a bunch. The 24.5 was great. It was fast, responsive, and could catch anything.

From there I got a custom shaped fish that was 24 wide and again it was epic.

Both these boards were close to 60 liters at 6’4

Then it happened. I saw a 80 liter SUP for sale. It was 7’6 x 26.5 x 3 and I was looking for something to surf when I got to the north east where it was freezing and I would need extra float. Figured if I was going to be wearing rubber that was he’s h the extra float would be nice.

I decided to take this board out and surf it like a regular board in longboard waves. It’s extremely light since it’s carbon but I was a little concerned 26.5 would be difficult to paddle with my arms. Turned out fine.

That board opened a world of possibilities. It was fast, responsive, and caught EVERYTHING. I started surfing it at my local and got a few weird looks til I could catch the wave from way out and pump down the line and cutback before anyone on a shortboard could even catch it. It can’t go completely vertical but it can do full hacks. It’s shaped like a HPS it’s wider and longer. I ride it as a quad plus trailer.

Anyone else ride super wide boards? I think there’s a whole world of possibilities for high volume shapes if don’t correctly with the right shaper.

Pros
Lots of paddle power
Can surf longboard waves
Can surf good waves early

Cons
Not as high performance
Needs to be shaped right
 

retodd

Duke status
Feb 23, 2009
16,757
2,177
113
Had a romanowski knee board that was 24.5 wide . Vee bottom with belly channels and glass on quads . Very fun in mushy waves . Impossible in hollow waves

Had a Rawson that was 8-0 × 24.5 x 4 . EPS with some fancy vacume bag glass job . Board was maybe 7 pounds . Again it was rad to surf in small mushy waves . Worthless in any kind of steep surf

Contrary I have to Mini sum style grovler boards . 21 and 21.5 wide with 18 inch tails ..... can be surfed well in all kinds of surf .

Even with longboards. Had a 24 wide nose rider and it was very stable on slow mushy surf but I can catch waves just as easy on my 21.5 wide log



 

bluemarlin04

Michael Peterson status
Aug 13, 2015
2,565
2,383
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I’m just interested to see if anyone else likes wider boards? I see a lot of mention of volume and people thinking the lower the better
 

racer1

Tom Curren status
Apr 16, 2014
12,922
14,982
113
Honolulu, Hawaii
I've had a few boards around 22" wide, all around 5'6" (I'm 6'1 and 190).
All had to be quads. Really fun.
I don't see any drawbacks unless it's hollow, but even then you can make it work if it's a quad.
 

bluemarlin04

Michael Peterson status
Aug 13, 2015
2,565
2,383
113
Racer1 said:
I've had a few boards around 22" wide, all around 5'6" (I'm 6'1 and 190).
All had to be quads. Really fun.
I don't see any drawbacks unless it's hollow, but even then you can make it work if it's a quad.
I tried the 26 inch wide one as a thruster. Rode like complete Garbage

I think it has to be quad with those widths


I have seen a couple Lyle Carlson boards on his IG that are quite wide
 
Jul 20, 2008
142
44
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I've had a Dewey Weber Feather Fastback 7 x 23 x 3 1/8. It's a single fin. I used a 9" flex fin. One of the funnest boards I ever had. I Had it for 10 years and surfed the crap out of it in anything up to a few feet overhead. The pin tail allowed it to hold in fairly good waves despite the enormous size of the board.
 

bluemarlin04

Michael Peterson status
Aug 13, 2015
2,565
2,383
113
My DD is a 6’4 x 23.5. Works really well imo.

I see a guy surfing a lot on a 25 inch.

I think the fins start to play a big role the wider it gets
 

SrPato

Miki Dora status
Jul 12, 2005
4,962
1,220
113
San Buena Ventura
I acquired a 6'6" x 23" x 3" Dave Johnson quad/tri fin squash tail from a friend this summer. He's a big guy at 5'10" about 230 lbs. The board has concave from nose to tail with little v between the fins. He didn't connect with it at all but being 6'1" & 190 lbs. it works wonders for me in small waves. It glides so effortlessly into just about anything waist to chest high. I've had it out three times now and today was the most fun. Peaky chest high lefts with some fun shoulders to carve off of. I never thought that a vessel of this size would be so easily controlled but I could really dig in on bottom turns and carve on the face. So far, it's great groveler and has opened my mind to wider, higher volume boards.
:wave2:

 

Retropete

Phil Edwards status
Jan 20, 2006
5,962
4,401
113
Sunny Coast Qld Australia
rts265 said:
26.5

LMAO this has got to be a troll.
.
Post the exact same thing on a Sup forum and the response would be:
"I know it's narrow but it's still good."
My 10 year old has a 7'6" x 26" soft sup that he paddles in the river. I keep thinking I have to take it for a surf when it's small to see how it goes.
 

retodd

Duke status
Feb 23, 2009
16,757
2,177
113
https://orangecounty.craigslist.org/spo/d/long-beach-custom-blair-big-guy-89/6961914121.html

Blair seems to always be making these giant boards

I think the OP is on to something with fin placement . the Blair boards always have them a bit more OFF the rail , must be something to do with rail to rail transition
 

jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,042
8,981
113
Central California
I went 19" wide on a board I ordered last year.

I thought that was pretty wide.

No downsides whatsoever.

All in all, I like it!
 

000

Duke status
Feb 20, 2003
26,018
7,171
113
i thought 19.25 was as wide as i could go for "ripping"

then i got a 5'6"x 20.5" for $50... and it worked well
got back on my old 5'8" x 19.25".... and now i cant surf it for sh!t

i think i am officially converted to "wide" boards (for me thats over 20")