Long-bored

I'm not a longboarder but yes wider is better when dropping length. I weight about 185-195 depending on how much brew I drank the night before and I've ridden a 5'2" mini simmons and I'm an average surfer. The mini-simmons is about 21 and a half inches wide.

I've ridden a hull that was 5'8" 23 inches wide and that thing can catch a ripple made by a long boarder farting on the outside.

I have a 5'9" mandala fish that I got sometime back that rides well in the right wave (needs some juice to get it going) .

You should consider talking to a local shaper. skys the limit going that route.

I ride a 5'10 gary hanel fish that works really well for me. It's a little thinned out though, I think if it was more of a traditional fish I could go down to like a 5'8. I weigh 185 for what it's worth. Personally though, I get a little frustrated riding it in crap surf, I really think it's a misconception that a fish is for junkier surf. The fish design really comes alive in fast hollow surf in my opinion. I might look at a single fun egg type board if I was you. Maybe some thing in the 6 foot range. Don't go too long or it's gonna feel like a fun board.

I'm gonna second what @fishyfish is saying in that a swallowtail fish quad or twin is not really an ideal small wave board, they work great in a variety of waves (mushy, or fast) but its best if at least 3ft plus for a swallow tail fish. You need a fat-short shortboard or mini-simmons like board. I ride a 5'6" X 22.5 mini simmons, a 6'0" X 21 egg like shape, or a a 5'8" X 22 quad kneeboard that I stand up on (very floaty). BTW I'm 6'4" and 175 lbs, so these boards are much shorter than I am tall. The advantage of going shorter is that the turning radius is reduced and the boards swing around quicker ....Lost has some interesting models in that genre if you just want some ideas check out the boards in the post modern fun section of this link http://www.lostenterprises.com/surfboards/models. If you can get an idea of volume that boards you can paddle or surf well have that might be helpful-some website like Lost, Firewire, and Surftech list volumes on boards. I would think that 40 Liters would float your really well.

For determining a volume baseline this reference chart comes in handy. For the waves you want to ride you will want a good bump in volume from your baseline. I've been eyeing the Lost Uber Plank for a while, I like the fact it has a little flip in the nose because when making the drop at OB even on small days it seems to me that some rocker in the nose is needed.

I surf the FCS 6 3 I weigh about 185-190 and I surf it in everything up to 10 ft after that I have a 7ft Al Merrick Flyer that is fun and thats about it . I got the diamond tail for me its magic. Get in early and the tail and rails are thin and tight so it doesn't slide out on a vertical wall. I am in love with this board. Its helped me position to get barreled. Its magic.

http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/quiver_boards.php?boardid=el_fuego

If you are driving 100 miles each way, bring a 9'6" performance longboard, an alaia and a handplane. If you normally ride longboards and funboards, don't expect summer to enhance your shortboarding skills. Make the most of it and then drop in size in the fall. The alaia and handplane will give you plenty to learn and grow on!

Problem with boards over about 20" is they get slappy when it's sloppy, which is pretty much all summer. Popouts ride faster than glass of the same length (weight/flotation), so maybe look into that. One answer to a long commute board choice issue is bring the quiver.

There's a lot of mini-simmons inspired shapes out there right now that are f-u-n. I tried a Vernor and would buy one if I had the $$$.