Surfing Waves

tiki fish
Length: 6'4 ft
Width: 20 1/2
Thickness: 2 5/8
Fins: FCS

i am a relative beginner to surfing meaning i have had about 5 private lessons. not trying to sound bigheaded but i picked it up very quickly so obv have some natural ability. im 16, 5'11 and 175 pounds and was just wondering if this board was ok to be my first board. in the long run i want to be a very agressive surfer with maybe some tricks in the inventory. any advice is welcome
thanks, josh

with your age, yeah, it's likely you can pick it up a lot faster than others. but your size, i'd probably say you'd want to start with a 6'8"/6'10" shortboard

yh, i did think that might be the case. does it matter what sort of weight it is, because im a gymnast and so it is all useable muscle, not sure if thats needed in surfing though?

you asking if your weight will make a difference even if you are muscular and not fat? if so then yea it still will because float in the board more than fitness.

the board can't tell a difference between 175 lbs of muscle or 175 lbs of flab. it's like the 'which weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead?' you're still 175, and most likely that board won't float you/ride like you'd like. also, it depends on the conditions. but the right conditions for a board of that size for you will not be ideal for learning

ok, well what size board would you recomend? i have my heart set on a fish or large shortboard even if it is harder initially.

joshie_f wrote:i have my heart set on a fish or large shortboard even if it is harder initially.

So you're dead set on any board thats "short"?
Even though a fish is a completely different board to a short board, is ridden in different conditions, in a different style, and it suitable for different surfers?

Perhaps you should use your head as well as your heart and gets something thats suitable for where you surf, what you surf, and how good a surfer you are.

The aim of surfing is to ride as many waves as you can, as well as you can.
The goal is not to ride the shortest board

just ride the 6'4. doesnt matter what you're starting on, if you're persistent you'll get it eventually. best to get a bit of a piece of crap board for your first though, you'll put all sorts of strange dings into it and if its a new board it'll make you cry. give it 6 months then blow your cash on something that you will still destroy due to newbie mistakes but it'll be nice riding it before it's wrecked.