Surf Ski Classification Question

Surf Ski
BRX Surf Ski
Ocean Ski
Carbonology Atom
SOT Ocean Kayak
V14
SES
SOT Sea Kayak
(never had either)
S18S
V5
Camel Ski
(Horse designed by a committee type, will refrain from nominating)

Just clocked 2 years since first "ski" (or kayak for that matter) and reckon I misdirected a few dollars and days on various craft

1m "waves" upwind
BRX goes over like a hydraulic press
Atom goes over a like a pothole

"downwind"
BRX & Atom boats pick up runs that you can't "feel" in the "kayaks"

small to flat
Atom shines downwind, "kayaks" may offer something in pushing through "nuisance" chop

Anyone else share these sort of observations, or am I jumping to newbie conclusions?

From another recent discussion, it would seem that others have similar observations:

I also see a similar effect in modest waves. When I'm on the wave the guys in the V12's tell me "now stop paddling, relax, and let the wave carry you" and it just doesn't work: the moment I stop paddling the wave passes me. And I can see how their boat stays on it. I know exactly what they're talking about but I need much taller & steeper waves for it to work.

which is the reason in my case for this:

He also sounds, like me, to be someone on a budget and/or at least price conscious. Unlike many on this platform that buy multiple skis every year.

then there is this:

Of course the big O, at 100kg plus, seems to go just as fast (if not faster) on the short skis which defies all logic and theory. But then he could surf a telegraph pole.

leaving aside the discussion of stable vs tippy, narrow vs wide, large vs small blade - I am just putting it out there so that it hopefully help someone, that if I had started with a paddle and ski that suited my type of waves, I would have got to where I am now (having fun every session regardless of conditions) a lot quicker and cheaper...

I use a jantex alpha (parallel blade), a carbonology atom (lighter, narrower, tippier boat with plenty of volume in the tail to surf) for flat to small upwind, a brx slsa spec (heavy duty boat with plenty of rocker & volume everywhere) for small+ upwind (and naturally the return downwinds)and I'm pretty much done.

But I learnt the hard way on skis that stuck their nose deep into the steep chop, that only kept up with the waves when you paddled as fast as the wave & that had zero water feel transfer for perception; sore shoulders from a wing with too much bite, sore wrists from too much feather & too large a grip.