Looking for my first shortboard, need advice (:

[caligirl_love]

Hey guys, so I'm a 14 (almost 15) year old girl and I live in San Diego, CA. I currently ride an 8 foot foam board. I feel that I am ready to transition to a shorter board because I have the basics down and would like a more maneuverable board. One issue I have is that when the surf is messy, I have trouble getting out past the breakers because i feel like my board is too big and the waves can really throw me around out there, so a board that I can duck dive with is important. I would consider myself pretty atheletic, I swim nearly everyday and i also longboard skateboard. I am 5'3 and 98 lbs. I am looking at a pesce semi-fish double winged board that is 6'2"x20.5"x2.65". Would this be a good first shortboard? Or is it too big? If not, how long would a good size be? There is also a Pesce semi-fish single-winged board that is 5'10"x19 3/4"x2 3/8". Let me know what you guys think!

[tony g]

If you want to duck dive and you only weigh 98 lbs, both those boards may have to much foam to easily duck dive. If you need the float for other reasons you have to decide what is most important to you. Do you want stability and floatation, and an easier time catching waves, or do you want a higher performance shortboard that is easier to duck dive? If I were in your shoes I would go down to your local surf shop and demo a few different boards and see what works best for you, before making a purchase. Another option is to buy the fish, but also pick up a used high performance shortboard. You can usually get really good deals on small used boards at some of the surf shops around the San Diego area.

[caligirl_love]

hi Tony, thanks for the advice! I will look into finding a good local surf shop to try out some boards. I was thinking that maybe a shortboard with slightly wider and thicker dimensions and maybe 5'8 in length would be a good compromise between easy duck dives and wave catching ability. I'm not worried much about paddling so much because I'm pretty fit and a really strong swimmer.

[tony g]

Yes it is a difficult question because you have to take peoples surfing ability and fitness level into consideration when trying to give advice. since I don't know what your ability is the only good advice I can really give is to say go and try out some different boards and see what you like best. I hope this helped you. I think being a strong swimmer gives you a huge advantage.

[caligirl_love]

hi Tony, your response helped me a lot. I know that for my first shortboard I will be going for a used board. I have my eye on a 5'8"x 18 1/4"x 2 1/4" linden board. I am definitely planning to try out boards at a surf shop, but I am just wondering if this board would work, with good duck-diving ability, and reasonably good wave catching ability.

[garbarrage]

There's a big difference between an 8ft foamie and an 8ft hard board, and the difference between an 8ft foamie, and either of the boards you describe will be huge, strong swimmer or not. I'd strongly advise trying a board of similar dimensions to the one you are aiming for before parting with any hard earned. The boards you describe won't be anything like you presently think they are. That's not to say that you won't rise to the challenge and eventually progress on them, just that I think you should have an idea of what you're letting yourself in for before buying one.

[caligirl_love]

hi garbarrage, I will definitely be trying out a board of that size at a surf shop. thanks for your input! would a board of those dimensions float me?

[IB_Surfer]

Right now the surf is smaller so it's a great time to transition, that way you get a chance to get used to your board before the big stuff comes around.

The board you listed sounds ok and linden sounds good, but you are making kind of a big step in size. The 5'8 is the right size, and Linden is a great shaper, but maybe not at your ability. I would start with something a little bigger until you get better.

I know you are worried about getting out, but I would rather catch more waves than make it out and just bob around. So I suggest going with a 6'2 x 19 x 2 3/8 as a transition board, then buy the 5'8 next year once you got shortboarding down. I'm not saying you won't be able to surf the 5'8, but I think a 6'2 will be more fun as a learner board.

Hope that helps

[caligirl_love]

@themathteacher thanks for the great advice! I think it would be better to start out on a little bigger of a board. about what time of year does "the big stuff" cone out? I would like to be sure to get lots of practice time before then (:

[caligirl_love]

@themathteacher one more question, I have a used board I was looking at that was a pesce fish/shortboard hybrid with dimensions 5'10"x19 3/4"x2 3/8" would this board be better? it is a little shorter than the size you recommended, but it is also wider which would add stability.

[IB_Surfer]

yes, that would do for learning and when it's not too big, you'll need a quiver eventually LOL.

The big stuff here is usually November, although south facing beaches catch some of the south, depending where you go. I was at Imperial Beach this morning and it was overhead and walled, but surfed Ocean Beach yesterday and it was much smaller and tamer.

Last advice: if it feels right pull the trigger, the worse that can happen is that you are wrong, and if you are, you buy a bigger board and save the smaller it for when you get better. So go for it!!