Surfing Waves

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie here! I need some advice on what board to get. I'm a 5'8", 115lb female. I started on an 8ft longboard. I got bored on that and it's SO hard for me to turn - it's very, very thick though I honestly have no idea how thick.

So this summer I borrowed someone else's board. It's a 7'4" shortboard. So it's still a very big board but I LOVE the manuverability of it and I honestly feel like I can get up so much easier on it. I love everything about that board! Unfortunately I have to give it back. So now I need to decide what to buy. I'm an beginner to intermediate surfer. I can get up easily, I'm working on riding the face of the wave, sometimes I get it sometimes I end up in the whitewater, I can turn (nothing spectacular but I can steer and turn).

My biggest problem surfing is am definetly lacking in the arm strength for paddling to catch the waves (As you can see from my height and weight I'm lanky, LOL!) I can paddle out fine but paddling to catch the waves I cannot do like the guys I see!!

So what should I get?? I asked at a local surfshop and also some friends and they all suggested a fishie board in the 6'6"-6'8" range. I don't know why I'm reluctant to get that after being on a shortboard. Will it steer as easily? Will it be as fun? For me there is just no comparison between my longboard and the shortboard (even if it IS a long shortboard, KWIM?) But I'm at the same time I'm afraid to spend and get a too short shortboard I'll be horrible on.

So what would you recommend? A fishie or a shortboard? What size?

Thanks so much!

Go to a local shaper and he can recommend a good board for you. it might help if you video or maybe even pictures. Where are you located i'm sure someone can recommend a shaper near you.

board selection really depends on your abilities and general surf conditions of your area. as miami said, find a local shaper and ask for their advice. if it's small-ish, mushy stuff, a mini mal will do just fine, except for the really really small days, when only a log will really catch the waves. a retro fish would work too, but they're kind of awkward for beginners

If you liked the big shortboard that you borrowed then i recomend you stick with something quite simillar with one difference. Get your self one thats nice and light. This will help you with your paddling for waves.

KS

So what I’m getting is that the longboard is too bullky to maneuver and you want as much bang for your paddle, yeah?

Try a mid to high 6-ish egg. Sometimes it’s called a “fun board” but basically it is a shrunken down longboard with a tri-fin configuration. The smaller shape should address the maneuvarbility issues and the wide width and typically thick nature of these boards should give you the biggest bang for your paddle.

kitesurfer, I could be wrong but I’m not sure light necessarily translates to easier paddling. I always thought it was the bouyancy (thickness, width) of the board that makes paddling easier.

Thanks guys! Yup, you guessed it I want as much bang for my buck as possible with the paddling, although if the waves are good it's not an issue, more like when they're slow weak waves, that's when my paddling can't hack it.

Now I still don't know what to do! I never even thought of a custom board. You know, I could borrow a friends funboard. I never thought of using a funboard, I thought since I was on a shortboard I was sort of "beyond" going to a funboard....thinking it was going backwards, KWIM? But I definetly think I'll borrow one and try that out.

BTW, since I last posted I have finally mastered surfing the face of the wave well. HOORAY!

If I traded my long shortboard for a shorter funboard, will I lose any of the steering ability? I LOVE how this board maneuvers and thought funboards didn't turn as well, it seems everyone I see is on a shortboard.

One more question though....since I love the board I'm borrowing so much right now, would it look really strange if I just stuck with a longer shortboard?? I mean would other surfers look at me and think holy cow that board is WAY too long for her???

Darn, I just wish I had money to get multiple boards!

Thanks!

Linda

This site has a cool feature - its a board selector. You dont have to get a board from them obviously . . . . but its a good tool

http://www.sbsurfboards.com/surfboard-selector/

groovygirl22 wrote:Hi everyone, I'm a newbie here! I need some advice on what board to get. I'm a 5'8", 115lb female. I started on an 8ft longboard. I got bored on that and it's SO hard for me to turn - it's very, very thick though I honestly have no idea how thick.

So this summer I borrowed someone else's board. It's a 7'4" shortboard. So it's still a very big board but I LOVE the manuverability of it and I honestly feel like I can get up so much easier on it. I love everything about that board! Unfortunately I have to give it back. So now I need to decide what to buy. I'm an beginner to intermediate surfer. I can get up easily, I'm working on riding the face of the wave, sometimes I get it sometimes I end up in the whitewater, I can turn (nothing spectacular but I can steer and turn).

My biggest problem surfing is am definetly lacking in the arm strength for paddling to catch the waves (As you can see from my height and weight I'm lanky, LOL!) I can paddle out fine but paddling to catch the waves I cannot do like the guys I see!!

So what should I get?? I asked at a local surfshop and also some friends and they all suggested a fishie board in the 6'6"-6'8" range. I don't know why I'm reluctant to get that after being on a shortboard. Will it steer as easily? Will it be as fun? For me there is just no comparison between my longboard and the shortboard (even if it IS a long shortboard, KWIM?) But I'm at the same time I'm afraid to spend and get a too short shortboard I'll be horrible on.

So what would you recommend? A fishie or a shortboard? What size?

Thanks so much!

How long have you been surfing for? Just wondering.

Not too long, a solid 4 years. Before that I surfed (aka, wiped out on friends boards) periodically. I'd say this year and last year are the first years I've been decent. I know I'm probably (definetly) not as good as most people on here but boy do I LOVE it! I feel addicted to it. Like I'm actually in a bad mood if I intend to surf and there are no waves!

Right now I'm at the point where I can ride the face of the wave (all the time as opposed to only some of the time) and turn well, but I can't do anything fancy-shmancy. Wish I could!

I apologize b/c I don't know the surf lingo either...

groovygirl22 wrote:Not too long, a solid 4 years. Before that I surfed (aka, wiped out on friends boards) periodically. I'd say this year and last year are the first years I've been decent. I know I'm probably (definetly) not as good as most people on here but boy do I LOVE it! I feel addicted to it. Like I'm actually in a bad mood if I intend to surf and there are no waves!

Right now I'm at the point where I can ride the face of the wave (all the time as opposed to only some of the time) and turn well, but I can't do anything fancy-shmancy. Wish I could!

I apologize b/c I don't know the surf lingo either...

No worries, I just started surfing 2 weeks ago. Doing it almost every 2 - 3 days and have to drive an hour and a half. But I love it. I am just starting to catch the waves correctly with my 7'6" and hope in a couple of months (if I keep surfing this often) to be able to move to a shortboard. We shall see.

I bet you'll be able to! I think my getting better was/is so slow b/c I only get to surf in the summer. The rest of the year is boring life....kids school, cold weather, etc!

You might want to make a long term plan. Do whats best for you right now like your friends board. (don't worry about what what others may think when they see you with it. It's not about that at all.)

Once you master that, then progress to a smaller board in a year or so if you desire. It wouldn't hurt to save the bigger board for your quiver for those small or mushy days

scsurf wrote:You might want to make a long term plan. Do whats best for you right now like your friends board. (don't worry about what what others may think when they see you with it. It's not about that at all.)

Once you master that, then progress to a smaller board in a year or so if you desire. It wouldn't hurt to save the bigger board for your quiver for those small or mushy days

That's exactly what I have in mind. Once I progress enough to move to a shortboard, I think I could go ahead and save my 7'6" for small wave days and my new board for bigger wave days.