Surfing Waves

Hey, I have just started surfing and I bought my first board about three weeks ago. It cost 280 aus dollars and its a 7 foot 22 inch wide Sidways "bullet". I surfed with an 8 foot beginner board and it was way to easy. I assumed a 7 foot would be hard to learn on but not impossible. With this said, I am having quite a bit of difficulty getting up on it. I can get up about every third wave but its very wobbly. I really don't want to have to buy a completely new board so what do you guys think? Is it worth sticking it out? I feel like the board is wide enough (it would be nice if it was heavier, it's very light comapred to the foamies beginners ussually learn on). Im nearing 6 foot 2.

When you say your 8ft board was too easy, what do you mean exactly? Bottom turn, top turn, floater, cutbacks etc were a bit boring?

There's no such thing as a beginner board (I don't really count foamies as boards), There's short, long, mini-mal, fish, fun board, egg etc but all of these can be ridden with varying degrees of success by anyone. A good surfer will rip on all of them. A beginner will do better on the bigger boards, and struggle more as the board size decreases.

3 weeks isn't that long at all, it can take months to learn to surf properly and years to become competent, but you can learn on the board you have. It will just take longer than say, a 9ft board. I can't recommend starting on a 9ft board enough though. You will have a lot more fun, and get better a LOT quicker. Then gradually move down......

...or........wait for it...... don't move down. An often overlooked option. Your goal shouldn't be to get on a small board as soon as possible, it should be to surf and have as much fun as possible.

garbarrage wrote:Your goal shouldn't be to get on a small board as soon as possible, it should be to surf and have as much fun as possible.

This quite probably the most important thing ever said on this forum It should be added to every post where a person is asking should they go to a short board

I do try to add that to every post. I'd suggest to all beginners to have a flick through my post history. My first post on here was something along the lines of struggling after moving down to a 7'2 "is this board too short", next stoked post was after buying a 9'4. Great surf in poor conditions, first time I'd actually ridden a wave. Before that all I'd managed to do was shoot the line, outrun waves etc.

The first time I hit the lip was on a 9'4, as was my first floater, cutback. The feeling of relief of actually progressing, and freedom to actually ride the wave can't be described. To this day I'd rate that choppy day as in my top 3 best surfs ever.

I'm riding shortboards now, but thinking of moving back to longboards as my time is limited. Bigger boards = more waves = more fun.

Cheers for the replies guys.

I actually went for another surf this weekend and I felt alot more confident on my board.

Another surf another growth in confidence, continue the progress

jaffa1949 wrote:

garbarrage wrote:Your goal shouldn't be to get on a small board as soon as possible, it should be to surf and have as much fun as possible.

This quite probably the most important thing ever said on this forum It should be added to every post where a person is asking should they go to a short board

This is what profile signatures are for

Still going to keep the oath of the Trollminator.

garbarrage used it, he should claim it.

In the interest of efficiency....

Lachlandudley33 wrote:Cheers for the replies guys.

I actually went for another surf this weekend and I felt alot more confident on my board.

It does sort of work that way... good days and bad. Some days I can compete for waves with the best other days I can't take off on a sitter. Put the time and effort in and you will get better on any board. Might take a bit longer and involve a lot more frustration but it is possible.

Hang on a minute

Cool!! Now, can you make it flash?