Does the TJ Pro Model have enough volume for me?

[TTWAVES]

I am tempted to just buy the TJ Pro Model at the local store. I really like the shape and bottom contours on the TJ Pro Model, but I am doubting if it has enough volume to float me. I weigh about 185lbs and am 6'0 tall and am an advanced longboarder (high performance longboarding) who has surfed for over 10 years (I am 43 years old - in excellent shape). I see that the Taylor Jensen is a big guy, but he also is a professional surfer who surfs that board like a shortboard. I have surfed low volume longboards with heavy rocker before and found that they were so hard to paddle. I had to catch waves in shortboard territory for them to work - it made me wonder why I was even surfing a longboard. Those were PU boards though, and I was thinking that the EPS foam on the Firewire could be more buoyant and maybe that I could surf such a low volume longboard as the TJ Pro model. I plan to surf this in chest to well overhead waves - point break/reef break conditions (not on beach breaks) - so I need to paddle.

My last high performance board was 9'0 x 22 x 2 7/8 - EPS. I just snapped that board and need a new HP Longboard. I already have a couple of noseriders, so this is more for riding off the tail in better waves.

I could just order the Flexflight 9'R 3 (3" thick) - But maybe that is too much volume for me. (10 extra CC than the TJ Pro)

Also - I surf a 4/3 mm wetsuit year round, so that needs to be factored into my weight. I am 185 pound without the suit.

There are no Firewire Longboard demos in my area.

What do you think?

Thanks -

TTWAVES

[Chris]

hey ttwaves, i hit you on one of your other posts. have a look!!

Thanks!