Surfing Waves

Hello everybody!

I'm a new surfer, I started few days ago with some lesson on a longboard and I can stand, now I would like to buy a surfboard (I was a snowboarder too). I'm here in Australia for 3 or 6 months more and my objective is to stand on a shortboard and it doesn't matter how hard it will be! But as a new surfer I don't know which is the correct size for me. I think as a beginner is better for me something bigger and thicker but I'm not sure.

Have somebody some advise of me?

I weight 137 lbs (62 Kg) and I'm 5.7ft (173 cm) tall.


Thank you!

you will progress much more quickly by starting bigger, ie a 7'6 funboard or something and progressively getting smaller as you out grow the board. You need a high wave count to learn quickly and Jumping straight on a classic shortboard shape will leave you frustrated and going nowhere.

Ya, I agree. Get a funboard, and once you find yourself wanting to do sharper turns and tricks that you can't do on it, it's time to try a shortboard. That's what I did at least...

Yep, maybe I'm gonna do like you said... But I cannot spend too much money for now (so maybe I cannot buy a funboard and then a shortboard) eheh I would like but... Thank you for your advice! And what about try a shortboard 7'6 (if exist)? Maybe a bit thick?

Thank you all!

I was in the same position as you when i started and i have to say i wish i had followed my own advice! Its something people say and you think aw well i don't have the money sure i'll just buy a big shortboard/ fatboy flyer and it'll be fine.

I was in the same position of not having much money to spend and i bought and surfed a 7'2 funboard (too small for me at 6'5 and 100KG) for a while and then bought a 7'2 big guy shortboard which catch's waves ok but was too quick a step down as i was barely even riding across yet.

If i was to do it again, without question i would buy/ rent/ borrow a medium sized mini-mal (for you something like a 7'6) until i could ride across and perform very basic turns on maybe 1/2 of waves i catch. If money is tight this could be the most banged up 2nd hand board you can find as long as its water-tight.

Then jump down to a biggish shortboard but with a more fat-boy flyer shape. If you don't have the cash for more than one board this shape will be better in a wider range of conditions and will prove better value than a standard shortboard.

So I could buy a shortboard around 7' with wide shape and thick but it will be hard? Or as an alternative a funboard, a minimal or a evolutiva. I think I'm gonna see what the second hand shop could offer me and then I'm gonna think about it. But is a "big" shortboard good for "small" waves too? I mean, If the waves are not perfect it's possible to surf equally?

[Sorry for my bad english ]

That is the problem, a big shortboard/ fatboy flyer shape will be much harder to catch smaller waves on and balance on as a beginner. Where as it will be better in bigger stuff than a mini-mal/ funboard. But to be honest you should forget about bigger stuff until you are good at the basics of quick pop-up, riding across, basic turns, pumping etc.

Basically you need to get to the point of doing all the stuff above and getting to that point will be at least 2 or maybe 3 times quicker on a bigger funboard. It is of course possible on a fat boy flyer but definately harder and much longer.

As for the long term if you can only see yourself owning one board for the next few years then a fat boy flyer is a good compromise as it will work in a bigger range of conditions. Myself i have an old beat up 8'6 mini-mal and my 7'2 fatboy and i wish so much i had listened to advice and got the 8'6 at the start.

That said as soon as you catch your first proper ride across your priorities in life will dramatically shift and as garbarrage replied to a post recently

best advice really would be to stop surfing now before it ruins your life.. right now you are just weeks away from spending all your time praying for swell, and then praying for the wind to be right when the swell arrives. your girlfriend will leave you, work will start thinking about replacing you with someone who gives a flesh about the job, and your family will start to think you are on drugs....
welcome to surfing!

I like your last paragraph, but I'm """""""" lucky"""""""" , I'm in Australia for at least 3-6 months and my girlfriend is not here, I don't work, I'm just a student, and my family is far away, so I've time for my prayers . So what about fat boy flyer size?

Thank you!

P.S. Pardon my ignorance, but how can I understand that I'm looking at a fat boy flyer?

How long is a piece of string? I may call a fatboy flyer what someone else calls a shortboard and someone else will call a gun etc its a sliding scale.

You should call into a local board shop and they will give you some advice. For me a classic shortboard has a very narrow nose and has its widest point at the mid point of its length, it'll also be narrower less than 19 and thinner usually nearer 2 inches. A fat boy flyer will be physically bigger ie around 19 or bigger inches wide and maybe 2 1/2 or thicker. It will also have a pointed but wider nose with the widest point closer to the front at around 1/3 of the length.

As said its a real sliding scale, the bigger the better at the start and don't want to sound like a broken record but beg or borrow a min-mal or funboard for a while first if there is anyway you can.

as Said call into a local shop or shaper who will be better at giving advice and explanations than me!

I guess I'll be the one to play devil's advocate.

I'm 5'8" at 145 lbs, similar stature to yourself. I've been surfing for one and a half years, paddling out once a week. As of now, I can consistently stand up and bottom turn while also mess around with re-entries and cutbacks.

From day one, I've been surfing a 6'4" / 19" / 2 3/4" CI Flyer. This board is a great beginner shortie because of its thickness and width. I have found it easier to catch waves on than my friend's 7'6" Tuflite step-up.

There are plenty of people like you and I that feel confident (or in-over-our-heads) in our skills and potential to progress. And of course, there's going to be many people that tell us otherwise.

I say, if you really want to take the plunge, go for it. Just know that you will need plenty of patience and determination to make a shorter board work.

Thank you all. I bought it! I've 2 days for test it and decide.

Bye bye thank you a lot again!!!

jonathanderick wrote:I've been surfing for one and a half years, paddling out once a week. As of now, I can consistently stand up and bottom turn while also mess around with re-entries and cutbacks.

From day one, I've been surfing a 6'4" / 19" / 2 3/4" CI Flyer. This board is a great beginner shortie because of its thickness and width. I have found it easier to catch waves on than my friend's 7'6" Tuflite step-up.

There are plenty of people like you and I that feel confident (or in-over-our-heads) in our skills and potential to progress. And of course, there's going to be many people that tell us otherwise.

I say, if you really want to take the plunge, go for it. Just know that you will need plenty of patience and determination to make a shorter board work.

Hey jonathanderick, excuse me for asking, but it seemed relevant to the topic of, i guess 'patience' when taking the plunge with, i suppose a board that one finds more 'challenging' .......

And what I wanted to find out is how far away from the beach you live?

As someone who does not have a car (thinking about getting one for the purpose of surfing...) I am currently restricted to a 1.5 hour return bus journey to get to the beach (which includes one bus change and is very stressful). This could potentially challenge me to the point of burn out and, seeing as I now feel fully qualified and competent to invest my time engaged and pursuing surfing, rather would like to hear what your have to say.

Thank-you.

P.S I wish you the very best of enjoyment in pursuing surfing, Worldsheep

Worldsheep wrote:Thank you all. I bought it! I've 2 days for test it and decide.

Bye bye thank you a lot again!!!

Let us know how it goes!!