Laird vs big’ish Hokua?

Hi guys,

I currently own a 10’6” Laird. It’s a great board in the right conditions, really brilliant fun on small clean peeling days where it just noserides for days, and it actually turns exceptionally well for such a big board if you get back over that thin tail. But I do find it a bit of a handful in fast breaking beachies which I tend to ride 90% of the time - it is a big of a big lump of a thing to bring around quickly, and that big nose can tend to hold you up in the lip a bit in stiff offshores.

There is an older 2013 Hokua 9’5” for sale locally at a good price. I am wondering if this would work for me as a bit of a 'cruiser' board in smallish average waves, but one that still has a bit of rocker and will turn OK?

Please note – I’m not expecting short-board style performance!! I guess I am after some of the positives of a big board such as early wave entry, stability & being easy to paddle, but with a little less of the drawbacks I mentioned about the Laird. (if I want a shortboard style session I’ll grab my sons 8’5” Mana, or a real shortboard).

I am 40, 5’11” & 78kg, and have been surfing for around 30 years.

Do you reckon the ‘big’ Hokua will fit the bill?

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damo666 said..
I am after some of the positives of a big board such as early wave entry, stability & being easy to paddle, but with a little less of the drawbacks I mentioned about the Laird.

I think you want the opposite of an Hokua: fast rocker and compact: short and wide at the tips
- fast rocker and wide tail & nose for a really early wave entry, and glide in any kind of wave
- short length for nimbleness in fast beachbreaks (the problem of classic noseriders like the Laird in beachbreaks). If you do not want to struggle too much you may keep some length, but I wont go over 8' otherwise it will be a handful in hollow sections.

This means something like Simmons, Minions, Fishes, .... But an Hokua or similar board will have too much rocker: slow wave entry and you need to drive it aggressively to get speed.

+1 for the 9'10" hokua. Used to have one of these and had it out in well overhead barrelling waves. Only problem I had was slowing it down so I could actually be in the barrel

I owned a a Hokua 9.5 and 9.0 and the 9.5 will do it, but like colas says, it need some steep part to get some speed.On fast waves they shine, but on short beaches boards like colas discribes and the Pocket rocket or Airborne are the bomb.A friend of me got a AST PR of 5y old and it rocks in those conditions.