Is height ever a factor? Board sizing question

[prjwebb]

HellRazor is aimed for the better end up the spectrum but sounds like it works well in smaller stuff too. I wouldn't expect miracles in junky waves though.

[iggy]

After reading about the feedback and videos on youtube I'm wondering if I should get a 5'8 dominator instead. So the new question is: dominator or hellfire?
Let me recap everything to give the guru's a bigger picture.

About me: 6'0 155 lb 70.3kg (I usually wear a 3/2 since I only dawn patrol at 530am and its cold)

Skill: I'd say intermediate, I'm definitely not a beginner but I'm no pro. Here's the only video/gif I have of me surfing. This was about 1.5 years ago and I haven't really been going that much since then. (please don't make fun of me)
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

Surf: mainly going to be beach breaks < 7 feet. High and low tide really mess up the waves here in orange county so it could be racy fast sections, or super mushy peaks.

Current boards: 5'6 AKA retro fish it's too much volume but its fun to mess around on (I sold the rest of my boards to get new ____ firewire)

What I want it to do: I want wave count with more short board performance than the fish. I only get to surf before work for maybe 1.5-2 hours so wave count is big. I'd love to get in early, and have a board easy to paddle. I mean i could see myself getting another firewire eventually but at least 9 months +.

1) Should I start with a dominator instead of a hellfire? Nev seems to rave about the hellfire as its a newer refined version of the dominator... does he still ride his dominator?
2) If I do go dominator should I go 5'8 so I might stand a chance in bigger surf?
3) Will the hellfire catch as many waves as the dominator?
4) Any other recommendations?

Again thanks for everyone's input!

At this point I would go Dominator to cover a more ample spectre.5'8" looks about right

[mralexchang]

how well would a 5'6 hold up in say head high surf (6ft)? I'm assuming i could just pop some larger fins in?

[iggy]

Wave count?? 5'8" will be slitghtly better but for sure the 5'6" will hold on to with the appropriate fins

[Herzalot]

Mr. Alex...all I can say is it's easy to go too big on a Firewire. the difference between the 606 Dominator and 604 Dominator was night and day for me. I'm 6'4" tall, 210lbs. The 606 Dom was a corky, floaty pig. The 604 allows me to catch a ton of waves, but it actually performs in the wave instead of floating and skipping over the surface. Your photos show a competent, balanced surfer IMO. At your weight, 5'8" max!

I surf the same waves as you - and the Dom seems fine, although I've only had it out four times. Get something (Dom, Hellfire or SF) the right size and love it - don't get mired in what you could've and should've bought.

I have a 606 Dom for sale brand new - 1 surf! Tell your large friends (gotta be about 230lbs I'd say).

[Wandi]

I'd recommend a 5'6
Nev recommended me a 5'8 and it feels perfect as a small wave board and waves up to a solid 4ft back
I'm weighing in at 80 kg
Looking at where you live you should sus out some Demo boards
The Hellrazor could also be a good 2nd board option
Good luck

[mralexchang]

First off i want to thank everyone for chiming in and helping me out.

I actually reweighed myself and it turns out i'm actually weigh 150lb (68kg) Not that its a big difference but i poped it into the calculator and it says my range for volume is 24 to 28. As i progress i only imagine that i will require less and less volume. I actually decided against a hellfire and now getting a dom/spitfire (leaning toward dom). The big question now is will a 5'4 be too small, it says it has a volume of 25.7 but i'm 6'0 tall? I know that originally i wanted something that'd get me into waves easier which I hope the 5'4 would do. But i could get a 5'4 dominator for 200 dollars less than a 5'6. My thinking is that 200 dollars saved could go toward another firewire in the future, something a little big bigger for those head high days?

I know the 5'4 will get me in trouble on those bigger days but the extra 200 will save me some money and i'd be able to get something else later on to handle the big stuff. I'd just be shooting myself in the foot until then. If only the 5'6 or 5'8 weren't so expensive =p

[prjwebb]

At 6ft tall the 504 is going to be too short in the rail in my opinion. I think you'll be constantly bogging the rail without sufficient length to drive through turns. The 506 will feel short even I think.

[iggy]

First off i want to thank everyone for chiming in and helping me out.

I actually reweighed myself and it turns out i'm actually weigh 150lb (68kg) Not that its a big difference but i poped it into the calculator and it says my range for volume is 24 to 28. As i progress i only imagine that i will require less and less volume. I actually decided against a hellfire and now getting a dom/spitfire (leaning toward dom). The big question now is will a 5'4 be too small, it says it has a volume of 25.7 but i'm 6'0 tall? I know that originally i wanted something that'd get me into waves easier which I hope the 5'4 would do. But i could get a 5'4 dominator for 200 dollars less than a 5'6. My thinking is that 200 dollars saved could go toward another firewire in the future, something a little big bigger for those head high days?

I know the 5'4 will get me in trouble on those bigger days but the extra 200 will save me some money and i'd be able to get something else later on to handle the big stuff. I'd just be shooting myself in the foot until then. If only the 5'6 or 5'8 weren't so expensive =p

Too short length wise in my opinion

[Herzalot]

I think 5'4" is probably too short. It's not $200 saved if it's $450 wasted. One good board will do for most conditions where we surf from waist to slightly overhead.(assuming you are surfing from San-O Bluffs - Trails - through maybe Salt Creek and everything in between). Sure you can subdivide it into ten boards if you want, but that only leads to existential angst about whether or not you brought the right board, then, the right fins, then the right set-up. Keep it simple. Get a Dom or Spit in 5'6" and ride the hell out of it.

Hmmmm, I just plugged in your numbers in the volume calculator and they are recommending a 5'4" in Spit or Dom. Maybe that is enough. Sounds short to me, but my original advice said it's easy to go too big with a Firewire. Good luck - glad I could help ;-).