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Advice on size for first time build

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SupScott:
Hi,
I’m looking for advice for a first-time build for surfing the rare waves of the Irish Sea. My local break in Dublin is usually only knee high mush, from short period wind swell. It'll maybe get waist high on an even rarer good day. I’m 6ft @ 180lbs, 41yo and I’ve been riding a 10’7 inflatable from Decathlon for the last 3 years. It’s 32” wide, 6” thick @ 310L. I’m well beyond beginner level now and need a hard board to progress, the inflatable can be retired to days with the kids.
Not much 2nd hand market here for surf sups and a self build has been in my head for too long, probably from lurking on the Zone!
I want something that’s just as good in the small waves coz that’s my bread ‘n butter. I’ve surfed a friend’s hard board of similar length and width with only (only ;) ) 170 litres so I don’t mind stepping down in volume from there.
Would anyone with more experience like to suggest a shape/size/volume for me? I reckon a classic longboard shape would go well, but not sure on size. Not really interested in flat water cruising. Need to keep it simple too as it’s my first build  :)  Long term plan would be to build another board more performance oriented if this goes well. High hopes, eh!

Thanks
Scott

burchas:
Welcome to the zone SupScott :)

I can’t say I envy you with the amount of information coming your way.
If you’ve been lurking on the zone for a while, you’ll know what I mean ;)

It sounds like you already know more or less what kind of board you’re looking
to have, longboard style, 10-11 foot, 150-170 volume.

Maybe you can narrow down the answers you’ll get by what kind of features,
Shape wise, worth considering and what style riding most interests you.

If you could demo more boards that seems like a good fit for what you’re looking
To have, I think it will help you a lot. I know it did for me before I went with my shape.

surfcowboy:
Lol Burchas. But it’s true, we have tons of info here. ;)

I’d offer that making a mid length or short board like a fish first is way easier and let’s you mess up a few materials instead of a lot of material on a 10’ longboard SUP.

In good news a 10’ -11’ small wave board can be super easy to shape. Glassing is more of a challenge. Another option to learn is to make a small boogie board or something to learn to glass. I made 2 handplanes and when the second one turned out good enough, I started a board.

Good luck, I’m 99% sure you won’t follow this advice but that’s also fun. Hopefully you’ll end up more to the BigGreen/magentawave side and less like the guy who made those giant flat water molded boards out of like $1000 worth of resin and glass that we’ve yet to see completed. (If that guy reads this, please post up. There’s no shame in trying something. I built a foil that I’ll likely never surf but man, I learned so much and I’ll bet I surf my second foil.)

Can’t wait to see your second board man. Building is super fun.

PaddleSpot:

Hi

Did you look at Atuacores website for a pre-shaped blank and the supplies ?

https://www.atuacores.com/surfshop/127-mod%C3%A8les-sup-paddle

SupScott:
I just got my hot-wire cutter working in the last couple of days so I'm gonna try shape my own from builders merchant's EPS sheets. I hadn't come across Atuacores but I'll take a look at their other equipment and see how they compare with local suppliers.

I'm mostly looking for a board that glides well and catches the small stuff. But also want to be able to throw in turns if the waves are big enough. I guess my style (if I have one) is suited to longboarding. I get across to the Atlantic coast a few times a year so I'd like it to be usable when waves are head-high, which is as big as I've taken the inflatable into.

Thanks surfcowboy, I'm a bit over-methodical so I'll probably try shape a rail and concave bottom on some scrap foam first :)

Thanks,
Scott

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