Surfing Waves

I've been surfing for about 9 months now on a 7'2, 22' wide board. I usually make it out a couple of times a week but I am starting to feel my board is a bit big, especially in larger surf as I can't duck dive and usually get pounded.

As a surfing I am still a beginner but possible progressing a bit faster than usually since I have been a beach lifeguard for a number of years and I am use to paddle boarding in surf. I can pop-up onto my feet, get a line and steer a bit on waves. I still need to get onto my feet a big faster in steeper waves as I still get trashed sometimes. I feel a smaller board would enable me to steer a bit more sharply and might generally be a bit more comfortable.

I am about 5'9 (or 176cm) and weight about 145 pounds (or 66 kilos). Should I stick with the board I have for a bit longer or is it time to move on to something smaller and if so what size would be good for me? Any advice would be appreciated.

Sounds like it time to down size to me. Are you planning to buy off the shelf or get a custom board shaped?

KS

not 100% but I could definitely go for a custom board. i want something that suits me well and that I can use for a few of years. hopefully i'll progress to a decent level before i need board # 3.

the other thing is that i'm living in japan right now. the surf is great but my japanese isn't so i can't exactally go into a shop and start talkin about boards... and even if i could they are all ridiculously over prised hear... i am talking almost 3 times what they cost at home.

Ok in which case i would recomend a board around 6ft 6 by 19.5 x 2.5 with not too much rocker and either a rounded pin or a swallow tail and if you can look for one with fuller rails.

KS

definitely go smaller. i actually thought that surfing got easier when i started surfing smaller boards, but then i still can't longboard to save my life. you can catch more waves on a bigger board, but you will learn to SURF waves better on a shortboard since they're easier to maneuver.

my husband and i both surf 6'0 x 18 1/4 x 2 1/4. he's about the same size you are. works good in waist high to double overhead waves. might want to try a funboard that's 6'6 - 6'8 as a stepdown board first. a round nose fish is another option if you want to go shorter. i've got 5'2 and it paddles better than my 5'10 & 6'0.

smallwavegrovellerchick wrote: i've got 5'2 .

I'd like to see some photos of this board if possible?

KS

sent some pics of a couple different 5'2"s to you in PM

thanks for the advice guys

im 6 foot 1 and i use a 6'2 board made by peter mccabe