If you could only have one surfboard, what would it be

[Little]

Everyone in these forums seems to own a dozen surfboards each. I only own three, and 80% of the time I ride the same board. Surfing the Northern Beaches, I reckon I could happily exist with just the one board and just hang on a bit tighter on the 10 - 12 big days we get every year. I know it's fun to swap around and change things up but if you could only legally own one board, what would it be?

[WANDERER]

My 7'2" Frank Latta Skipp Hybrid, ebay $315 bought near new;
7'2", 21 1/4" wide, 2 3/4 thick, nose 14 1/4", tail 14 1/2". Rounded pin, single to deep long doubles, stacks of foam, speed to burn, goes good in the big and the small, a definite allrounder. The Length is excessive, I could probably be happy with a 6'10 of the same style, but as noted I bought it off ebay and at the time I was probably close to 10 kilos heavier than I am now.
I'm goin to the USA for six months in June, this will be the board I take with me as I'm confident of it working in most conditions that I come across.

[bohdidontsurf]

Really good thread, but I wonder if it has been done before? Anyway, this is difficult to answer. I have a bit of a quiver going now and whilst some boards are similar they all ride differently. As I have built up my quiver I find that I really appreciate it when I use the right board, it just makes surfing for me so much more fun. On the odd occasion I end up with the wrong board, it can just make it fun, i.e too small a board for the conditions, but it can be a super bummer too. Today I rode a 5'10 snub nose that a year or so ago I would never have ridden and I loved it. Stupid light, quad (of course) and a bit of flex via the carbon rails. Given the sucky, windy, bumpy conditions it felt very good and fun. But, if I had to give them all away I would keep my 6'2 x 19.25 x 2.5 Stretch quad. Good in up to 8ft (maybe more?) and will still fly down the line and cut hard on 2ft. Any less than that forget it.

[diggerdickson]

my 6'6 quad by mark, no need for me to even thing about it.

[Little]

Wow, already such a wide variance. The reason I'm curious is all the talk in these forums lately re Kelly's board at pipe, Mick's this one, Taj's that one....it will be interesting to see how wide preferences actually are in the real surfing world. I've been having a great time on a Webber Minifish lately but I've yet to take it out/risk it in some size. I'd probably stick with my Simon 6'8" TPF3. I'm 95kg and it seems to paddle okay and still do all the stuff I can manage in most conditions.
Wanderer, I'll bet you're happy with that deal! $315 and it looks to go pretty well in the pics.

[Chillin]

Pretty interesting board choice. Just as an aside, my mate has a Wavecraft trifin that is a similar shape, now you've got me interested in have a spin on it. My choice of a one board quiver would be about a 6'4" roundtail, single to double, 19' wide and 25/8thick. A wide-ish nose and not too much entry rocker, the tail would be a bit pulled in to keep it in when the going gets ballsy. Murray Bourton makes something similar and im keen to have a closer look at one.

[channels]

6'8" channel bottom, I have a variety of boards floating around but for all conditions from 2 foot to 8 - 10 foot this would be the board. All of my choices have drawbacks ie too long, too short, conditions they can and can't handle. Couple this board with a 6 foot right hand point break and I'd be a happy guy.

[mustkillmulloway]

one board

have be my murry burton /pipedream kirra classic single fin

circa mid 70's

i learn't on it, goes pretty shi compare other designs these days

but i could never give her up

[astro]

When I was 14 it would have been a 6'8"pin/single fin at 16 a 6'1" flyer swallow twinny at 18 a 5'10" square tail thruster and now at 47 a 9'2"Mc Tavish Original with channels up the front and the most massive doubble concave under my back foot.It fckuen flies...

[Wingnut]

I've ordered a 7'0" Widowmaker from Josh Dowling, this would be the board I would take with me everywhere for most situations.

[Grooter]

My 7' V-Skate

Works in pretty much everything and does it well from small 2 foot waves right up to 2.5 metres on the face which is about my limit.

Doesn't look as good as this now, few dings here and there which gives it a bit more character

[buzzy]

At my current weight I hope my new (yet to be collected) 6'9" x 22" x 2 7/8" Miller Waterskate is the be all and end all. I'm guessing as it approaches 6' it'll go less well but it'd cover 95% of conditions well.

Prior to gaining weight my favourite board was an Outer Island 6'6" x 20" x 2 5/8", which wasn't so great when it was 2 foot or under, but up to 6 foot was great. Too fat for it now.

[Surfin Turf]

Easy .... a 7S of course ... just read the ad's it's the only board you will ever need ...

however if I had to ride only one board and given that I would want something that would actually perform ...

I would choose something that would perform well when the conditions were good where I live ... ... something like ... 6'5" ,19.5", 2 3/8 rounded pin, double concave, mid amount of rocker, thruster ... and it would be new , none of that retro cr@p for me ... ... a few different fin sets would allow for fun in most conditions where I surf, but would work well when it gets larger and you want something appropriate under your feet ...

[Natho]

My magic board is a 6'0 x 18 1/4 x 2 3/16 rounded square

Shaped by Simon Anderson, XFC rocker.

I could very easily use this as my only board 90% of the time. It's a board that just works in everything. Close to the perfect all round rocker.

[mustkillmulloway]

Easy .... a 7S of course ... just read the ad's it's the only board you will ever need ...

however if I had to ride only one board and given that I would want something that would actually perform ...

I would choose something that would perform well when the conditions were good where I live ... ... something like ... 6'5" ,19.5", 2 3/8 rounded pin, double concave, mid amount of rocker, thruster ... and it would be new , none of that retro cr@p for me ... ... a few different fin sets would allow for fun in most conditions where I surf, but would work well when it gets larger and you want something appropriate under your feet ...

listen

1...frock off with all the emotions

2...i'm the one who puts shit on global around here

[Nick Carroll]

I don't want to live in Little's evil one-board-only nation.

[steve shearer]

sounds like something Chairman Mao would pull off during the cultural revolution.

But if I did it'll be close to what Baddy and Rusty Miller ride now.

8ft "speed shape"...basically a pulled nose and pintail mal setup with 2+1 fins.

Van Straalen makes 'em.....aussie all rounder he calls em.

Can ride one foot to 10foot plus.


Or a surf mat.

[Deesee]

Considering that the majority of surfs i have is in below average beach breaks, the one i'd keep is my 7'0 x 20 1/2" x 2 3/4" fun board. Catches plenty of waves and is pretty loose for its size. If the waves were always good, then my 6'2" would be the one (but the waves are never always good).