Oversizing the sweet potato disadvantages?

[jkryan]

What are the disadvantages to oversizing a sweet potato?
I have been considering the sweet potato for a while but, I'm having a hard time with wrapping my head around riding a 5'4 or 5'6.
I currently ride a 9'0 Takayama and really would like to change it up. The SP appeals to me for it's small wave ability and size. Traveling around with a 5'10 or 6'0 is a lot easier than my 9'0.

I don't have any interest in the addvance.

Good shape
Intermediate ability
6ft 175lbs
Surfing on the East Coast

[prjwebb]

I think the 5'6" would be plenty. If you go too big they get a bit awkward to turn as you need to surf over the tail and then reach the sweet spot for the front foot also.

[jkryan]

Thanks for the feedback. 5'6 still seems crazy short since a 6'6 is the smallest board I have been on before. My thought process on going a little bigger was to help with the transition from the longboard. I was thinking with going bigger I would be able to paddle faster and catch more waves. I knew I would sacrifice some of the turning ability but, when your usually dealing with a 9'0 X 22 X 2/7/8 the donwnside of going from a 5'6 to a 5'8 -6'0 was an after thought.

[prjwebb]

yeah i guess compared to a longboard it's still going to feel pretty free. i wouldn't go huge though. have you felt one in the flesh? they do pack a lot of foam! you could always do some cross stepping haha

[Goanna]

My mate got a 6 footer for the same reasons. He loves it. He was warned about the size but really wanted to ride it like a longboard so it hasn't been an issue for him.

[jkryan]

I have checked the SP out a few times and even 2 times last week. Everytime I go in thinking 1 thing and come out thinking another. Even considered picking up a mini simmons in 6'2-6'4 range but I keep coming back to the SP.

Goanna thanks for the feedback. To me it seems that most people want to go as small as possible with the potato family. I want to go small without the risk of getting something that will require a huge learning curve due to the wave quality where I live.

[hawaii_boi]

What are the disadvantages to oversizing a sweet potato?
I have been considering the sweet potato for a while but, I'm having a hard time with wrapping my head around riding a 5'4 or 5'6.
I currently ride a 9'0 Takayama and really would like to change it up. The SP appeals to me for it's small wave ability and size. Traveling around with a 5'10 or 6'0 is a lot easier than my 9'0.

I don't have any interest in the addvance.

Good shape
Intermediate ability
6ft 175lbs
Surfing on the East Coast

jkryan,
I too used to ride a 9'0 ITP Takayama and thought a 5'2 or 5'4 spud was waaaaay too small, BUT I was wrong! If we were the same height and weight, i would recommend the 5'2 but since you are 6ft, the 5'4 definitely...don't go bigger than that. I currently ride the 5'4 and it has tons of float. I catch waves knee to head high. The only advantages a longboard has over the spud is it can catch a wave way before it breaks and when you are trying to ride every bit of the ripple to shore! haha!

disadvantages to oversizing: you can't duck dive as deep and you can't bury the rail as easily because of all the volume.

ALOHA!!

[jkryan]

Hawaii_boi
Looks like you know exactly where I'm coming from. I checked the dims on the 6'6 I have ridden and it is exactly like the 5'6 but a foot shorter.
Thanks for the feedback

[iggy]

jkryan,
I too used to ride a 9'0 ITP Takayama and thought a 5'2 or 5'4 spud was waaaaay too small, BUT I was wrong! If we were the same height and weight, i would recommend the 5'2 but since you are 6ft, the 5'4 definitely...don't go bigger than that. I currently ride the 5'4 and it has tons of float. I catch waves knee to head high. The only advantages a longboard has over the spud is it can catch a wave way before it breaks and when you are trying to ride every bit of the ripple to shore! haha!

disadvantages to oversizing: you can't duck dive as deep and you can't bury the rail as easily because of all the volume.

ALOHA!!

Ditto

[fokaiHI]

i basically did the same thing. i was challenged by my cousins to surf v-land all winter, so i stopped longboarding. i went from a 9'0- 7'6 fun- 6'8 JK shape- 6'6 SF- 6'0 fish, 5'10 VG all since sept '12. its all about the paddle. if ur comfortable paddling the line up on a 5'4, then no problem, but if u want to catch waves and learn at the same time, it wont hurt to go a lil bigger. the resale of firewire is high, so u can definitely downsize quickly.