Surfing Waves

Hey everyone, first post. Anyways, I'm shopping around for a used board and I'm confused about dimensions. I'm somewhat of a beginning intermediate surfer. I usually surf 3-5 foot waves at Newport Beach, California, and I can ride and bottom turn consistently and am learning cutbacks. I'm 5'5" 115 pounds. I consider myself athletic and I picked up surfing extremely easily, even with my 6'4" x 18.5" x 2.25" Al Merrick FlyerII as my first board, which I still ride. One problem with this board is that I find it really hard to duck dive with. I've practiced it for a long time but it seems like my weight just won't submerge it enough. It also takes a while for my weight to sink the board completely. I want to move down to a smaller board that I can have an easier time duck diving with and can keep even as I get more advanced. I was thinking along the lines of a 5'9"-5'10" board, but there are several 5'8" boards for sale that are really nice. One example is 5'8" x 18.25" x 2.125". Is this too small for me? If so, what size board do you recommend? Thanks in advance.

Doesn't sound like you weigh much so a thinner board might be better for you. The thicker the board, the more 'corky' it is. It take much more weight to get a thick chunk of foam underwater than it does a thinner chunk of foam. Going to a thinner board would be good for you if:

1. Your so light that your body weight wont sink the board halfway underwater anyway.
2. Or you don't mind the paddle out half sunk like that...tis part of surfing really.
3. Or you surf steep enough waves that you don't need any corkiness.

Thanks for the response. So do you think 5'8" x 18.25" x 2.125" would be ok for me even though i am losing length and width as well?

http://www.sbsurfboards.com/

got this link from another post a few weeks back. Check out the "board selector" menu they've got it down to a science.

scsurf wrote:http://www.sbsurfboards.com/

got this link from another post a few weeks back. Check out the "board selector" menu they've got it down to a science.

I filled in the free sticker bit just for something to do. Got back from France on thursday only to find the guys had posted me a couple of free stickers from across the pond. How cool is that

im the same height as you and i ride a 5'10. but i weigh like 50lbs more than you tho so you could get away with a 5'8. remember its gonna be a whole lot less stable than the 6'4 you are riding.