Naish 8'3"... What's next?

[NahoonSUP]

Hi all! I've been riding a Naish Hokua 8'3", 100 liter for the last year and am now looking for a smaller, possibly faster, definitely looser board. As I live in East London, South Africa, I don't have the option of demo on any new boards. From the reading I've done, it appears that the short Raptor/Hypernut/Papenoo shapes seem quite popular? I seldom surf larger than 5ft waves and conditions here are usually typical beach break waves.

So my question is, should I step down to a smaller surfboard shape or an even smaller Papenoo shape to get to the next level of faster, harder and more vertical turns? Or, at 73kg, am I already on my optimal board?

Please forgive the rather broad spectrum question, but I honestly don't get exposure to new products here, and out of town vendors just convince you to buy what they have.

[anonsurfer]

So my question is, should I step down to a smaller surfboard shape or an even smaller Papenoo shape to get to the next level of faster, harder and more vertical turns?

Yes, absolutely. 

Or, at 73kg, am I already on my optimal board?

No, you are not on your optimal board. At 73kg on a 100L you are at a guild factor (GF) of 1.36 L/KG.  You will notice big jumps in "performance" as you drop down to GF=1.2 (88L), then GF=1.1 (80L) and lower.

[NahoonSUP]

Thanks anonsurfer, I hadn't heard of guild factor before. So at my current GF of 1,36 l/kg, would it be a quicker progression to a GF of 1.1, by doing it in two stages as you indicated (1.2 then 1.1), or raise kook status to the max by jumping straight to GF=1.1? I'm no spring chicken, but still a very fit 52 year old.

[anonsurfer]

Jumping right to 1.1 GF would be a challenge but not impossible.  You'll see a big jump in performance going down to 1.2 GF (88L) so maybe try that first. 

[NorthJerzSurfer]

id stay away from the Hypernut if you have a fast beach break.  I have found that a fast beach break with hollow waves (under 5ft) which is generally what we have here in NJ calls for a traditional surf shape.  (I own the hypernut- and it only comes out at High tide on larger (because mine is low volume) fatter waves)

Show me someone get barrelled on a head high wave on a HN that isnt a point break and i'll disagree.

[NahoonSUP]

Thanks for the replies guys! So with your help I've decided to keep the learning curve, well... just that, a curve, by stepping down in size by increments. I'll stay on surfboard shape, rather than an ironing board shape, cos it's what I know. When I see pros riding the latter as their go to board, I'll consider changing.

@NorthJerzSurfer , do you find your hypernut not as agile in beach break conditions? I'm guessing you prefer it for fatter waves because it keeps up speed through longer carves? Is it not as "slashy "?