RealSurf Surfers' Forum

Took the kids to the beach this morning and was playing in the Shorey on my 5'4" JD, thinking about volume. Since November, with all the lower body work I've been doing in the gym, I've gone from 76-78 to 82-84kg ( all arse lol ), and also have only been surfing once or maybe twice a month. If i put my dims ( 36yo X 82-84kg surfing 1-2 a month ) into a volume calculator, they usually recommend something like 38-42 litres. Most of the boards I see at that volume are huge. With my longer boards ( which I like ) it doesn't really matter, but with my knee coming on strong I'm looking at something in between my 5'4" and my 7'0", a bit more sporty and not too wide. Either a semi fish like the cv2, or just a beefed up shortboard, like a Dylan sumo/mollusc. A cv2 around that litreage is 6'3 X 21+ X 2 5/8 which just seems huge, and would lose the whole loose fishy feel for me. A sumo-mollusc of similar is around 6'3" 6'4" X 20 5/8 - 3/4 X 2 5/8, which is bit more stretched out and less chunky.

The JD is 21 1/2 X 2 1/2 and while it's got 80's style flat deck and thick foil, also has decent depth concaves and concave deck. It paddles and catches waves ridiculously easily.

Be good if more shapers did demo boards, it would make it easier haha

surfing once or twice a month?

how do you manage that? Isn't it like starting all over again when you get out there?
Not taking the piss , serious question.

steve shearer wrote:surfing once or twice a month?

how do you manage that? Isn't it like starting all over again when you get out there?
Not taking the piss , serious question.

No not really, fitness is lacking but pop up is fine. Timing of turns suffers definately. Bigger boards it's not as much of an issue but the little board can be tricky.

Jesus, I didn't surf for 9 months after the knee injury, but after 2 surfs with my knee full of wire I was ready to get off the longboard and down to a 7'er. And I'm a late to surfing intermediate.

If I was surfing once or twice a month I'd have a nice mid-length and ride that. Catch a few, have fun. In which case, whatever volume you need to have fun on.

no way you can improve performance surfing that infrequently. Twice a week is minimum for that.

steve shearer wrote:If I was surfing once or twice a month I'd have a nice mid-length and ride that. Catch a few, have fun. In which case, whatever volume you need to have fun on.

no way you can improve performance surfing that infrequently. Twice a week is minimum for that.

Not looking to bust airs or radical manoeuvres Steve, just a more responsive board than my longer ones. Basic bottom turns and cutbacks.

Good, responsive mid-length does that fine.

Depends what kind of surfing you want to do, and in what kind of waves I guess.

What about a baked potato?

steve shearer wrote:Good, responsive mid-length does that fine.

Depends what kind of surfing you want to do, and in what kind of waves I guess.

What about a baked potato?

My JD is based on a sweet potato, and for fat/gutless waves up to head high is way more fun than a longboard. I guess I'm specifically thinking of decent shaped beachies from chest to a little overhead, with steeper drops, where too much length gets in the way. Bigger than that I surf my bigger boards happily

well I have been surfing three times a week pretty consistently for the past 10 years.
And I'm quite sure my performance if anything is getting worse.

Never had a board yet that's had metrics written on "volume". But comparatively I'd be riding something like 35 litres for grovel/average surf, and 32 litres for good punchy surf.

Hatchnam wrote:Never had a board yet that's had metrics written on "volume". But comparatively I'd be riding something like 35 litres for grovel/average surf, and 32 litres for good punchy surf.

You surf much more than I do hatchy. That's one important variable I think. When I surf a lot i tend to end up wanting to surf smaller boards. Last few years I haven't surfed a lot at all, and I have 7'0", 7'4", 8'0". Before that I'd surf a fish in most waves from waist to a little overhead.

Not surfing more ( gym still a priority, and paying off nicely ) but as my knee is more able to tolerate harder turns, it'd be nice to jump on something a bit more sporty.

Still got the fish? That would do the job?

Nah Steve, its gone now. The JD I mentioned above has replaced it, though it's better for smaller fatter waves. Fish lit up in good shaped beachies and I would love to surf one at a point break ( left hand of course ), but after the injury it didn't get used much. I always thought it went best in better shaped waves, not as a groveller.

Are you going to keep the bargearse when your knee is better?
Don't get a board for Big beerfan if you're going to drop a lot of weight.

Fwiw I am 76kgs and went UP to 30l when I was swapping to weekend warrior status.

alakaboo wrote:Are you going to keep the bargearse when your knee is better?
Don't get a board for Big beerfan if you're going to drop a lot of weight.

Fwiw I am 76kgs and went UP to 30l when I was swapping to weekend warrior status.

Once I can stop doing so many deadlifts and squats, yeah I can do some cardio and will most probably lose a bit. Always had mid lengths so they'll stay.

McCoy nugget?
In xf epoxy.

Miller something?

(Someone said nugget so I had to say miller ...)

The nugget would need to be like 5'7 or so, they pack tonnes of foam. Always wanted to try one though.

Millers look good too, v skate could work well.


Saltman those incut fish do my head in haha.