What is a good shortboard setup for me?

Question

Im 6'1 and 165lbs..Kinda lanky. I surf a 6'0 flyer with a swallow tail most of the time. I want something thats good in sloppy surf and can be really responsive. Is a fish a good option? or a quadfin setup?

Answer 1

I suggest you check out a local surf shop (surf shop. not a bathing suit store that sells surfboards) and get some good advice from folks who know the local breaks. A 6' swallow tail is pretty much a 'fish' depending on the overall shape. Wider tails work better in sloppy surf, so a wide tailed fish would be a good choice. I surf a custom made fish in lots of east coast slop, and do pretty well. I have a fish/hybrid about ten years old that I don;t ride anymore, but it was great in the mushy east coast stuff, too.

Answer 2

6'4" would suit you well, try out the boards in the different conditions.

Answer 3

I am 6'1 and 85kgs (187 pounds) I have owned (and made) many boards over my 12+ years surfing. I currently own a 9'6 longboard, a 9'0 longboard, a 6'4 shortboard, a 6'0 quad fish, a 6'2 quad fish and  a 6'3 quad fish. My point is I have a wide range of boards to reference when forming my opinion. And my opinion is NOTHING beats a quad fish in sloppy surf. My best one is the 6'0, it is 20 1/4 wide, 2 3/8 thick, with a widish fish nose and a wide swallow tail. It has high performance shortboard rails. This boards surfs knee to waist high slop easily, and makes rubbish days fun. However when the surf turns on it still excells, holding mega speed through long cutbacks on head high right hand point waves, and generating huge speed easily, while still turning sharp and responsively. To top it off it has better stability than a thruster due to the fact youve usually got more fin in the water than a thruster. Go a quad. If you get a good one (go with an experienced shaper who has made many quads) you will never look back.

Answer 4

a fish is cool but a 6'0" is kinda short. you should be riding a 6'4" or something around there I would go with something alittle wider but real thin