Shortboard Room

Speaking of shorter boards I picked up a Greedy Beaver Firewire on special recently. Took it out for first time in cross-shore point waves at the tail end of TC Oma when it was back to 3-4' at my local faux pointbreak (its a bit sad compared to Noosa/Snapper/Burleigh etc, well a lot sad but hey it's my local).
I'd demoed a 6'4" which paddled into waves easily but felt a little too pulled in at the tail. Apparently doesn't hurt up-sizing them so went way up and grabbed the second longest they make at 6'8". If riding a board callled the "Greedy Beaver" it ain't because one wants to be sitting around as someone elses marker buoy.
Rode it with a set of Futures seaworthy controllers on the point and it actually felt pretty good the first surf as it was a bit hollower. The next day waves were fatter and so the front keels were giving too much hold on rail and so I put in some Christensen Quad fronts and left the seaworthy rear quads in.
Had a really fun beachbreak session at 3-4' with lefthanders running along like a point break and the odd great righthander. Normally don't bother much with lefts as its my backhand but the beaver went so well I kept looking for them. Fin combo went so well. Mix of drive and pivot.
So if you've been eyeing one off give one a shot.
Reminds me of my much loved Takayama scorpion but with more performance from the modern bottom and slightly wider tail and more rockered nose.

Same design brief I reckon. Good paddler and easy wave catcher with a planshape that lets you move forward to exploit the planing area there and step back on the tail if you want to turn harder. Forgiving and easy to surf. A board that doesn't have weird quirks and so doesn't make you look bad.
Still has really good speed across the wave face and easy to lay into turns so its not boring to ride given its neutrality.
The size I have is a chore to duckdive but as long as there's a break inbetween sets its no worries.
I'm a foam pig when it comes to boards but I was riding a 6'1" Firewire Evo as a board to get me back into things since I'd had a long break due to my back condition. That Evo was one of the few boards where too much foam was a liability in trying to set a rail in turns.
The beaver has the same amount of foam (49L) but the extra length and planshape/rails make it a board that over-sizing still works on.
The scorpion/wombat/beaver/weiner/micro mal (last 2 DVS's) are a worthwhile part of any surfers quiver who want a board that does the above...just some of them do it a little better than others.
The shorter ones go pretty well for the rippers too judging by the videos on the net.

Mind surfed the CRAP outta this... But on my mid-length

Yes Mick I love that shape very nice.

Since we re calling a 6'8 greedy beaver a shortboard, I have liked the look of a 6'10-7 oh one these for a while: www.realwatersports.com/collections/christenson-nautilus

anyone ridden one?

Rode this zinger this morning. Fastest quad fish I've ridden and turns easily at full speed (and I've ridden a lot...proper fish not pseudo shortboard fishes). Took a bit of dialling in with fins. Stretch quads in large and hit the nail on the head.