Apologies - SP sizing advice for someone coming down from longer boards...

[JerryHT]

Hi,

43 years old, 5'8", 81-85 Kg, intermediate long boarder but finally got the hang of a "shorter" board (7' McCoy Nugget) after quite a while, above average fitness, getting in more than once a week. Living in old South Wales (UK) so not powerful waves. Not used my longboards for a few months and don't really want to go back to them when it gets tiny. I like the high wave count from long boarding but prefer the speed and manoeuvrability that the Nugget gives me.

Would a Sweet Potato suit me on smaller days when I would normally go in on a mal?

The Firewire volume guide is pointing me to the 5'8" to 6'4" range, depending on the time of year (I'm heavier after Christmas!) and ability (how good was my last session). After reading quite a few threads under the SP section, I'm still undecided. Most seem to suggest going smaller than I think I could manage. No local shops seem to stock Firewire so a trial is out of the question. Noticing lots of Firewire boards at my local breaks but they're mostly Dominators.

Thanks for any advice / guidance!

[prjwebb]

I think the 5'8 would give you plenty of stability whilst still being manoeuvrable. Not sure if I'd recommend going much bigger than that though.

[buzzy]

A 7' McCoy will be over 3" thick - most likely 3 1/16" and 21 to 21.5" wide. Looooooots of foam. Dropping to a 5'8" will feel like a huge difference. It's really hard IMHO to recommend a specific length as your current board carries so much foam relative to your weight. Can you demo somewhere? If possible try to demo the SP in a few different lengths. I'm guessing though you'll feel more comfortable on a 6'0" to 6'2".

[JerryHT]

Thanks both for such quick replies.

Yes my Nugget is wide (21 1/2”) and thick (3 1/8”). Volume is 54 putting it between the 6' and 6'22" SP models. Forgot to mention it's a Tufflite as well!

I'll keep scouring the beaches for SPs and beg someone to try theirs. Nearest Firewire stockist is getting some demo Baked Potatos next month...

[buzzy]

If the volume on your nugget is between the 6'0" to 6'2" SP then moving down to a 5'10" to 6'0" won't be too much of a stretch. You may even find the 5'8" ok. If I was going to pick a length for you based on what you've said without demoing then I'd say the 5'10" should be fine. 46.8 litres is ample at 85kg, probably more than you need, but it will still be a reasonable drop from what you're used to.

Far better to demo though if you can. A BP would give a good feel.

[iggy]

Agreed with PRJ, the 5'8" will have PLENTY of volume for you, volume wise you could even go shorter but given you're coming down from a longboard you should keep some length.
I'm 85Kgs and had a 5'6" and sold it to get a 5'2" which floats me plenty .The 5'6" felt too corky for me

[onshoreandmessy]

Where in South Wales are you? I,ve got a 5.4 that u can have a go on at white sands, Pembs, I'm 13.5 st and it has far too much volume for me, and it's up for sale, I rode a mates 5.0 and it was perfect for me, but it is too close to my dominator range wise, which I prefer.

[simonzz]

Another view - I´m 48, 78 kg, 5´11 and have been attempting this surfing lark for over 30 years and (in my day) may have scaled the dizzy heights to the extent of being deemed mediocre.
I too have had a 7´ McCoy Nugget and only recently sold my 6´8 Nugget. By comparison my 5´8 SP feels like a toothpick ( to me). I believe that the heavy glass job in the Nuggets not only provides their longevity but also their paddling momentum which manifests itself as near longboard wave entry with its attendant raised wavecount. My downside was that I found them almost as dull.
On those occasions when I have successfully negotiated a takeoff on my SP (how I ever used to ride shortboards I´ll never know) the beast just lights up and I revisit the delights of roundhouse cutbacks with no loss of speed and generally kidding myself that I know what I´m doing.On other occasions such as last week when there was frost on the beach (I too live in old South Wales) and I´m hampered by a 5/4, boots, gloves, etc, I find it all too much effort and then my flotation is provided by a 6´4 x 22 x 3 quad. Can´t help wondering what FW board would be closest to this.
Anyway that´s my nuggets worth (sorry). If you´re ever in Pembs you are welcome to take it for a spin