Surfing Waves

Hi all,

I am a novice surfer (although nearly 30...) and having spent many happy hours thrashing around on a swellboard in Cornwall this summer I'm finally ready to buy my first shortboard and wetsuit when I move down there next spring.

What I would like to know firstly is if I can I go strait out there and buy a shortie, or if I have to buy a mini-mal as a couple of people have suggested?

I also need to buy a wetsuit, some boots etc that can cope with the chill of Feb/March water, what type of suit and things do I need?

Lastly, I wonder what sort of budget I should give myself to ensure I'm getting good quality gear? Or failing that, what's the lowest price I might go to while still avoinding the cheap crap that will fall apart on me?

Cheers in advance,
Jeff

Best thing is to get the best you can afford :) no point buying crap or you will end up spending more buying it again when it breaks/fails

Hi JeffB...

Ok, umm, you don't 'have' to buy a minimal!! I know the temptation to buy a shortboard is hard to resist, but riding a shortboard is so Very Very Very Very different to a swell board.
Really, you won't believe it, it's like learning to surf again. I surf a 7'2 minimal and a 7' funboard, and I'm kind of ok on those now, so I took el_timmo's shortboard (6'3) out to have a go on, and I could not believe how difficult it was. Paddling is difficult, sitting on the board is difficult, catching a wave is difficult, getting up on the board is difficult (although i did get up on it a few times, yay me!)...anyway It was like i'd never surfed before! and i knew if i carried on surfing it and never surfed my minimal again i'd probably end up with ridiculous technique..or I'd just not enjoy surfing all that much.
I was actually offering to give the board away in the water to anybody who looked competent and was surfing a minimal, i was desperate for an easier board to surf!

So there's my input about that, but it's a personal thing, just take out a shortboard and see how you get on I guess, take out a minimal, see how you get on, then chose which one you'd rather own.

As for cornish water in february, definitly a 5'4 suit. And gloves. And boots, about 6mil i wear, c-skins. A hat too perhaps, I certainly will be! Expect to pay about £150 for a suit and £30 for boots..

I'm just thinking about my ughly winter suit..so thick, I don't wanna wear it!! In a month or two though....

My 1st setup cost £500 and for that I got:
7'6 bic (epoxy) minimal
O'neil 5/4 Psycho 2 wetsuit
O'neil gloves + split toe boots
Board bag
oneil hood
Leash
couple of blocks of wax

Flogged the bic for £200 on ebay when I was finished with it.

my winter wettie was £180, and my funboard was £350

My winter wettie was £250..beat that (dont i look stupid) but I did get it for £225

When I sterted out I bought my set up for £284 from fistral surf
Summer 3mm Wetsuit
Bic 7'3 mini mal
Animal Board Bag
Leesh

Buy what you can afford but also try to get something decent so it works well and lasts long. You get what you pay for.

When it comes to winter surfing you cant really risk it and be cheap, its a big splash out at first but it makes a big difference and feels great surfing in freezing cold conditions and not feeling it. You have to spoil yourself a bit on winter suits.

well i bought a 6.6 noard and a wetsuit with leash, wax and bag for 516$
the wetsuit was 80 (on sale, its a 4/3 quicksilver syncro), board was 330$ (on sale, normal price 450$) bag was 40 (50% discount for buying the board at the same place) leash 5 (50% off again) and we got wax free. All the equipment is great!

My cousin's shortboard, a Richenberg (a 6'5" made by a Florida shaper) with traction pad and leash cost $504, a pricey birthday gift we all chipped in for. My 7'2" Premier cost about $450.