Bigger people always need bigger waves.

[TallDude]

As I was out surfing the other day I notice these fly weight ladies surfing all the little inside stuff. I'd take off outside on a bigger wave and ride it till I hit the inside section. I'd have to paddle my brains out to catch the next section, but these ladies would take two strokes and away they go. Their boards were about the same size as my board, but I'm at least twice their weight.
So isn't telling a big person that he or she should go as low of a volume board as he can, may just be killing their fun by basic physic's? Wouldn't they need a bigger wave to have a smaller board perform as well as smaller person performs on a smaller wave?

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

 I know what you mean weighing in at 240   I don't surf well on very small stuff once it hits chest to head high then I can surf  on knee high stuff   I just don't seem to fit.

[standuped]

So isn't telling a big person that he or she should go as low of a volume board as he can, may just be killing their fun by basic physic's?

Ah... YES...  Hey but don't tell anyone.  let 'em all waste their energy staying upright, and getting there asses beat in the impact zone because they can't paddle up, out and over white water.  More waves for me.  Just watched a guy this morning tuck his paddle under his belly and try to prone paddle through some fairly makeable stuff and just got worked over.   Like throwing all the benefit of having a paddle away.   

[stoneaxe]

I've gone as small as I ever will and started back up. 10-4 feels good right now.

[Weasels wake]

The same with small people,,,, just the right scale~

[SUPcheat]

Some of the people I generally hail and become friendly with out there are lighter than me.  They see me catching fewer waves, and sometimes call them out to me, even the surf instructor. They feel sorry for me, but I am generally fine, because I try not to be a hog and know that waves have to have a certain minimal energy to catch me.

I just tell them that my board and my weight means I am going to catch fewer waves than them, though the Prowave is not a bad entry board at all, in fact, it is very good.

Yeah, smaller ladies on even modest long boards can line 'em up all day and surf them when mushers and ankle biters.

I suppose I should borrow my neighbor's 10'6" Pearson Laird Arrow for the small days.

[SCruzSUPr]

I've gone as small as I ever will and started back up. 10-4 feels good right now.

I know that at 9'5" the Speeed ain't exactly a 'potato chip' in the eyes of you accomplished surfers...  but I think I've gone as small as I ever will, as well.  Airline limitations forced me to expand my quiver.  That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[bts]

There is a reason why ASP pros weigh around 160#  A bigger body takes more energy to move.  I really can't do anything on a wave smaller than waist high.  Might as well ride a big board, at least I'll be able to catch the wave.

I've tried a couple boards in the 8' range and just could not generate any paddle speed. Fine on a wave, but I really had a hard time catching anything.  Not for me.

[supdiscobay]

That's not true.  It comes down to what you want you want to do.  If you are bigger and its small, use that small board and take off late.  On small days who cares if you fall doing it.  As you do it more, you will get better at it and then maybe try it on a big day and really put some excitement in your take off.
All bigger boards do is limit how you turn on a wave.  If you want to go straight or just roller coaster the face, a bigger board is fine. If you want to bottom turn and top turn then ride the small board, take off late and go for it.
Bigger people don't need bigger waves, they need bigger boards.

[TallDude]

Bigger people don't need bigger waves, they need bigger boards.

That's what I'm realizing as I go a little longer. I surf an old C4 10'6 x 28 x 4" the other day. The board was super heavy, but it got me onto everything I went after. The rail to rail was surprisingly good for the weight. I could throw it around pretty good on little waist high stuff. I got me thinking...

[stoneaxe]

Bigger people don't need bigger waves, they need bigger boards.

That's what I'm realizing as I go a little longer. I surf an old C4 10'6 x 28 x 4" the other day. The board was super heavy, but it got me onto everything I went after. The rail to rail was surprisingly good for the weight. I could throw it around pretty good on little waist high stuff. I got me thinking...

I have that same board. Haven't surfed it for a long time. It's tippy for me but when it's glassy its fun. I need to take it out next swell and see how it feels now.

One of the things I love so much about the 10-4 Foote is that despite the width its got pretty refined rails. It's far easier to sink a rail on it than on either my 9'er or my 8-4. I can't whip it around as fast as the 8-4 but close and faster than the 9. I have to be in with the shortboarders on the 8-4 and with the longboarders on the 9. The 10-4 gets me outside and has the speed to get me on far easier.

[K-541`]

 All waves are not equal I've ridden waist high on a reef and had no lack of power but waist high wind swell beach break gutless! My motto big small I ride them all.