Hi Joe, yes the Shark was and is a great board, especially for experienced riders or for winning magazine tests. Unfortunately for beginners/intermediates, it is not the easiest board to learn to gybe on, with the wider tail. So if a regular sail size is 8.3 and the focus is on early planing, then a Gecko 135 or 148 would be the better option for your buddy. If you like the Shark and want to update one day, try a Blast 147 or a Jag 135.