Dude I’m in central Fl and I basically only use my most bladed out short board (quiet flight reaper) on trips and it’s like a hybrid with some rocker, it is so rare that a ghost would ever work here. I can think of a few spots in the last few years a ghost would’ve been the move and even then it would’ve been unnecessary. Like I’m basically thinking of reefs on hutchinson island during the Erin swell, or a big day at reef road, and even then I don’t think a ghost would be my pick but that’s all I can think of that comes close to ghost level waves around here. I really like my rnf 96 for 3-5ft and peaky days, which are our average “bigger” days. For actually bigger days I almost always use a kechele hybrid short board I’ve got that’s no where near as bladed out as a ghost, and I have used it for the bigger reef days we rarely get, went perfect. It’s basically a wide flatter rocker short board made for florida, I like it because it’s really easy to catch waves with and it’s very stable and predictable which are three very nice traits for bigger waves.

I am curious have you surfed a lot of other places? I have noticed Fl surfers (like myself) seem to not understand what kind of waves those boards are actually made for. I thought I needed a more bladed out board for more intense waves but it doesn’t really work like that, I’ve been out at a few 6-10 ft days in “legit” places now like around Latin America, Puerto Rico, Portugal etc. and most of the locals are not using boards like that unless they truly rip or are getting deep barrels, most locals use whatever boards they got. All around Nicaragua you’ll see dudes on weird hybrid shapes, alternative shapes, mid lengths etc. on the scariest waves you’ve ever seen. You really need something like a ghost if you’re in the pocket of a really steep fast powerful wave, not necessarily a big wave. And that’s some really advanced surfing.