board while progressing

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Firstly I love the website and have read through all the reviews and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! Amazing work Benny!

I’m looking for a surfboard to progress to the next stage of surfing. I’m currently not really a beginner anymore, but certainly not a competent intermediate. I started with a 6’10 board with 47L of volume from a victorian (AUS) shaper (http://www.triggerbros.com.au/surfboards/the-stubby-trigger-bros-surfboards/). I’ve also spent plenty of time on a 7’6 mini mal.

I then cheap bought a 6’3 fred rubble (33L) and found the jump to be very difficult, I can stand up on it, but I’m finding that my wave count is low and I’m not really doing anything on the wave, therefore my improvement curve has really flattened out. I also am finding that I can’t use the 6’10 in bigger surf because it’s a pain to duckdive.

I’m looking for a board that will help compliment a beginner moving into intermediate that will help me progress to the bigger waves and the next step in my surfing.

Any advice would be great, thanks so much!

(note: I surf a lot of smaller victorian ‘protected’ point breaks, anything up to 6ft)

[Anonymous]

Hi shebbbo,

I have been in a similar hole with boards recently. I can only recommend what worked for me: the DHD Black Diamond. I have it in a 6’4″, approx. 38L. It is on the all-rounder “list”. I’ve tried a number of boards on that “list”, but I found the DHD BD paddles way more easily, allowing me to get into waves just that fraction earlier, giving more time to look down the line and stay in the faster, higher section of waves and generating lots of speed. I have found it turns well, in part because I have more speed and I can still duck dive!

I think transitioning between boards is potentially a difficult and frustrating process (not to mention expensive) – there are so many options. I do think persistence helps. When you find “that” board, it makes a huge difference.

Unfortunately, what might work for me may not work for you.

Good luck and keep going.

Cheers,

Roger

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for your reply roger.

I actually ended up going with the Hayden Shapes – Hypto Krypto. I would say it’s a similar shape (pin tail, low rocker, wide point pushed forward…)

But seeing your post has further confirmed that I made the right decision, I went for the 6’2″ @ 38L too. It’s a little wider and keeps speed easily. I’ve been really happy with it for 3 main reasons.

– it gets me on to more waves
– i get onto waves earlier so i have more time to pop up
– i stay on the wave for longer, even if I’m not in the right position on the wave.

Big thanks to Benny and his reviews, I’ve loved learning about all the complexities of surfboards and very happy with my decision.

[Author]

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