Thanks for sharing! It is helpful to know your experience. I will be heading back to the water next week and will be more mindful of my wave count, making sure I am catching enough waves before switching boards. I'll also check if the board's volume is making it too difficult for me to get on the rail. But yes, I was not planning on going down to a shortboard, but rather something closer to 6'8 and around the 40-43L.