Should I get a Hellfire??

[tallkook]

After posting glowing reports on my 6'8 Dominator (http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/f/...-in-good-waves), I am now considering swapping it out for a 6'8 Hellfire for an upcoming trip to the Maldives. After getting the Dom, I got a second Firewire (6'5 El Fuego) which I love in most conditions I encounter here. I have been taking out the Dom when the waves get bigger, but I'm beginning to think that it is limiting in these conditions as it is primarily designed for smaller waves.

Interested in peoples thoughts on the 6'8 Hellfire instead for when the waves get a bit bigger and good. Would a quiver of 6'5 El Fuego and 6'8 Hellfire be a good combo (or at least better than the Dom and Elf) for this trip and generally for east coast Australia?

My stats are in the signature below. I think I may have a board buying problem, but for now I'm just going to ignore it.

[buzzy]

I think it would be a great combo. Presumably you're finding that the El Fuego is covering waves as small as you want to surf. If that's so the Hellfire would be an excellent step up board, and would probably have you covered from chest high and up.

You could possibly go a little smaller in volume, but I know you feel comfortable on around that 45 litre volume mark and if that's so then go for it!

[X-Man]

I am your weight and a few years older (46). I took a 6'2" Spitfire and a 6'4" Hellfire to the Mentawais in April. We had waves that were head high to double overhead. I road the Hellfire 80% of the time and had a blast. The thing that stuck out to me is that he waves were so clean and had so much push that I felt like I needed less volume than at my home break (Trestles). The hellfire handled the bigger/steeper/hollow waves great. Tallkook, I would go with a 6'6" Hellfire, or maybe even consider a 6'4" for your trip. BTW, I rode the SA3's in my Hellfire and the Rusty quad set in my Spitfire.

[Fritzkat]

Tall kook, go for the 6-6 Hellfire, I ride the 6-4 and have seen the 6-8 and the 7-0, they looked like too much foam for the type of waves youd want to ride them on.
6-4 is spot on for wave 1.5 overhead, a 6-6 would take it another step higher, I just feel the 6-8 would have too much foam for you and you would miss the boards potential to be ridden shorted and thinner. We have similar weight and height.

[iggy]

Yeah Fritzkat has a point there, on bigger conditions the extra volume might get on the way!

[surfgumby]

Tallkook, I'm also from the East coast of Oz & I agree with Buzzy in that the Hellfire will compliment your Dom or your Elf very well as it loves the waves once they become a bit bigger with more push!

This thing goes like a rocket, paddles well, gets in early & making the drop is a given!

I reckon either the 6'6" (you can consider going with a bit less foam as you use this board when the waves are pumping) or 6'8" if you like that bit of extra volume!

Even the 6'8" will be less volume than your elf & heaps less than your Dom!

I ride a 6'6" but am a tad lighter & shorter than you, I bust my Hellfire out whenever the surf gets around the 3'+ mark with a bit of power, under that I use my 6'6" spit which has a similar volume to your elf!

For me the Dom & Elf are for a similar wave size range although they do surf differently!

I think the Hellfire will cover your upper range in a fast sweet performance driven way!

My 3 board quiver is going to be a 6'2" Potatonator (on order) my current 6'6" Spit & my 6'6" Hellfire!

[Chris]

Good stuff everyone.

Hey tallkook, how does the 608 Dom float you? Of you like that volume, the. I would certainly stay with the 608. Think 606 if you are preferring the volume of the El Fuego. Keep in mind, due to the Hellfire's shape, slightly larger lengths will work better in better surf due to the board's shape and rocker.

Cheers

[tallkook]

Thanks everyone. Chris, the Dom at 608 has loads of float and is certainly a handful to duckdive at times, but catches waves like a champion and rides great too, as I posted in the Dom thread. Guess I was just thinking Elf plus Hellfire may be a better quiver to cover all conditions. I don't have any trouble catching waves on the Elf and can ride it in most conditions. But I really think when the waves get bigger and steeper I would prefer to be on a longer board than 6'6 and a board with enough volume to paddle in early, rather than trying to make late drops. The Dom does all this, but I'm wondering if the Hellfire would actually be better suited once up and riding.

I've got a traditional fish that covers tiny, the Elf covers chest high to 1.5x overhead, I ride the Dom in anything bigger. The Hellfire would replace the Dom. Still leaning towards 6'8 if I make the leap.

Loving the sound of your quiver surfgumby, Potatonator looks sensational.

[tallkook]

OK so I've cleaned out the quiver and have the funds to redistribute. Still have the 6'5 Elf so looking for the second board for the Maldives. Was pretty well set on the 6'8 Hellfire, then started reading about the Spitfire and thought maybe the 6'6 would be the one.
How performance driven is the Hellfire? Is it enough of a hybrid to have a bit of forgiveness or is it just a full on speed machine? Is the Spitfire too close to the Elf to consider having both?
Sorry for all the questions and thanks.

[buzzy]

By all accounts the Spitfire surfs very much like the Dom. So the Spit @6'6" will basically surf like a 6'6" Dom.

I haven't surfed a Hellfire but if it was me I'd be looking at that for differentiation from the existing boards. In better waves with more size you won't need extra volume - that's more for the smaller end of the spectrum. At your size a 6'6" Hellfire will have ample volume and the +\- 2" would be barely noticeable. You'll be up and planing into good waves in ample time on that size board. I haven't surfed it but I'm sure you'd find it amply forgiving.