need advice buying my second surfboard!!!!

[twizlstikz]

hey!! i have been surfing for a few years... but on and off, so i havnt advanced very quiclky, lol.
i have more time now, so i can go nearly everday.
i want to get a better surfboard, because i feel i have outgrown my old one, plus its crap. its a 7ft foamy, and leaks...lol. its pretty narrow and has an almost pointed end. its dodge.
i can stand easily, and keep my balance, i have started to go across waves, but my board doesnt turn very well.
i do have trouble catching waves on a shortboard, i have tried my friends, its very thin and narrow, and i cant catch anything on it! im not a great paddler.

i was thinking like a McCoy or something really thick to make it easier to catch waves... but i dont think i can afford one.

i a girl, and pretty small. i am fairly strong, and am planning on improving my fitness.

what kind of board would be good for me???

[pkbum]

argh darn it why does it have to be a girl. just joking, just get a used shortboard and keep practicing on it. It's gonna be hard at first, but once you paddle more and often, you'll get the hang of it. Oh and get a used shortboard that isn't dinged or has pressure dent. just my 2 cent.

[twizlstikz]

thanks!!

[justloafing]

I think it all depends on what you want to surf (short or long board or any where in between. I think the length of your soft board is ok since you can ride it. But your not a strong paddler so a nice 7 ft, wide and thick say 20-22 inches wide by 2 3/4's to 3 inches thick with out a lot of rocker. Yep the foam boards don't turn well from what I have read about them. Sounds like you have done every thing you can do on that board and time to move on.

pkbum said get a shortboard and that is fine. But from what you describe it might be frustrating for you as far as paddling and you have not turned yet. You don't want to get a board that gets you frustrated but one that you can ride right away and one that will still let you do things that you want to do and you can grow into(experience wise).

[pkbum]

the only way you can become good at paddling is to paddle more. If standing up is your priority then my advice might not be the best. But if you wanna improve and start using a shortboard, I think this might a good time to start right now.

[justloafing]

the only way you can become good at paddling is to paddle more. If standing up is your priority then my advice might not be the best. But if you wanna improve and start using a shortboard, I think this might a good time to start right now.

Agreed totally in what you say. I was just trying to wipe out some of the frustration factor. I'd hate for her to get a shortboard and can't catch a wave because she is not a strong enough paddler and decides to hang it up.

[Old Guys Rule]

Justloafing is on target here. It sounds like you are still in the very beging stages still. I would be looking at a fun board. Once you are ready to progress further sell it and get a short board or do as I do keep it and add to the quiver.

[pkbum]

the only way you can become good at paddling is to paddle more. If standing up is your priority then my advice might not be the best. But if you wanna improve and start using a shortboard, I think this might a good time to start right now.

Agreed totally in what you say. I was just trying to wipe out some of the frustration factor. I'd hate for her to get a shortboard and can't catch a wave because she is not a strong enough paddler and decides to hang it up.

Yeah that is something to worry about. Many of my friend gave up on surfing because they started on a shortboard.

[twizlstikz]

so you guys dont think im ready for a shortboard then... whats a fun board??? when will i be ready for a shortboard. how do you know????

[justloafing]

Here ya go
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funboard

It is sorta what I explained above on the next board I thought would help you.

Are you ready for a short board? Not in my opinion but you could prove me wrong A short board you need to do quick or fairly quick turns on. Since you have not really learned turning yet a shortboard IMHO would not be a whole lot of fun yet. Fun is the name of this game

When and knowing your ready to go smaller is up to you. I would say when you learn on the fun board to: Catch waves with ease, make nice bottom and top turns, staying in the critical part of the wave and trimming your board for speed because shortboarding is all about speed. Plus with a shortboard your going to be only able to surf bigger waves like chest high(may be stomach) and higher. So get used to bigger waves. How long it takes I can't say. If your in the water a lot maybe a year or two before you would have fun.

Now I am not saying you can't go get a shortboard but from what you have described you would have a shorter learning curve if you went for a funboard. And whats the rush

[billie_morini]

I thought a fun board would be good for my wife to learn on. She wasn't catching as many waves with it as I thought she should and she could never stand up. I put her on my longboard and the difference was like night and day. So, I tried her fun board and found a) it didn't paddle anywhere as easy as my longboard, b) in order to catch waves with it, the waves had to have more power in them than the easy waves offered, and c) it wasn't as stable as my longboard. Realitive to item c, it was like the board was on a rotissairie spindle funnung from nose to tail. The damn thing wanted to rotate or spin along its lenght. due to the challenge, I have mastered this fun board, but I bought my wife her own longboard and am back on mine. The fun board often gets left home.

Oh, the funboard is 8ft and the longboards are 9ft. The shape and additional float the longboards have are what make the difference

[twizlstikz]

I thought a fun board would be good for my wife to learn on. She wasn't catching as many waves with it as I thought she should and she could never stand up. I put her on my longboard and the difference was like night and day. So, I tried her fun board and found a) it didn't paddle anywhere as easy as my longboard, b) in order to catch waves with it, the waves had to have more power in them than the easy waves offered, and c) it wasn't as stable as my longboard. Realitive to item c, it was like the board was on a rotissairie spindle funnung from nose to tail. The damn thing wanted to rotate or spin along its lenght. due to the challenge, I have mastered this fun board, but I bought my wife her own longboard and am back on mine. The fun board often gets left home.

Oh, the funboard is 8ft and the longboards are 9ft. The shape and additional float the longboards have are what make the difference

im not sure if you were replying to my post or just commenting on fun boards... but my current board is 7 ft long. i dont want to get a longer one.... i can stand up fine on the 7ft one. its too easy.

[twizlstikz]

Here ya go
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funboard

It is sorta what I explained above on the next board I thought would help you.

Are you ready for a short board? Not in my opinion but you could prove me wrong A short board you need to do quick or fairly quick turns on. Since you have not really learned turning yet a shortboard IMHO would not be a whole lot of fun yet. Fun is the name of this game

When and knowing your ready to go smaller is up to you. I would say when you learn on the fun board to: Catch waves with ease, make nice bottom and top turns, staying in the critical part of the wave and trimming your board for speed because shortboarding is all about speed. Plus with a shortboard your going to be only able to surf bigger waves like chest high(may be stomach) and higher. So get used to bigger waves. How long it takes I can't say. If your in the water a lot maybe a year or two before you would have fun.

Now I am not saying you can't go get a shortboard but from what you have described you would have a shorter learning curve if you went f
or a funboard. And whats the rush

the funboards sound exactly like the one i have at the moment. it is 7ft and is not shaped like a long board. it doesnt have a very round nose or anything.
i have outgrown that board. it doesnt turn well enough.
i want a better, harder one. and if i go any shorter then it will be a short board. even if its only a couple of inches.
i dont really want to buy another board which is really similar to the one i already have...

[billie_morini]

twiz,
foam boards and fun boards are not the same. About your foam, you said, "...its crap. its a 7ft foamy, and leaks." My advice to you does not concern a foam board. It does, however, indicate that a (fiberglass) fun board (or fun shape, if you prefer), should be avoided based on the information you have provided.

In your original post, you also said, "i do have trouble catching waves on a shortboard, i have tried my friends, its very thin and narrow, and i cant catch anything on it! im not a great paddler." This information points to the need for advantages associated with long boards.

You seem certain you want a short board, so hopefully you will receieve some useful suggestions. You have tried some boards that belong to friends. Another way to try different boards wihtout buying the wroing one is to rent them. Rent different ones on different days. If you think you can't afford a McCoy or whatever interests you, buy a used board.

[isaluteyou]

comparing a 7ft foamer to a shortboard is like comparing a kangaroo to a grizzly the only simularity is that they are animals if you catch my drift .

However if you are stuck on the shortboard buy a second hander.

[twizlstikz]

twiz,
foam boards and fun boards are not the same. About your foam, you said, "...its crap. its a 7ft foamy, and leaks." My advice to you does not concern a foam board. It does, however, indicate that a (fiberglass) fun board (or fun shape, if you prefer), should be avoided based on the information you have provided.

In your original post, you also said, "i do have trouble catching waves on a shortboard, i have tried my friends, its very thin and narrow, and i cant catch anything on it! im not a great paddler." This information points to the need for advantages associated with long boards.

You seem certain you want a short board, so hopefully you will receieve some useful suggestions. You have tried some boards that belong to friends. Another way to try different boards wihtout buying the wroing one is to rent them. Rent different ones on different days. If you think you can't afford a McCoy or whatever interests you, buy a used board.

sorry if im being a bit slow lol.... but i dont really get what your saying. do you think i should buy a longer board than the one i already have, but fiberglass???

[twizlstikz]

i tried out my friends 6ft 10 today and it was really good. i could catch waves easily and stand up even in the whitewater. it has a wider nose and base than a regular shortboard... and i think its a 'fun board' i really liked it. i found a 6ft 8 one i really like, its the same thickness and width as my foam one. just 4 inches shorter and slightly more streamlined.
thanks for the advice, but i think im gonna get the one i found...

[twizlstikz]

hey! just wanted to say i bought a shane 6'6" stingray and i love it! its got the same width as my old board, about 2/3 of the thickness and is only 6 inches shorter and pointy. its great, its so easy to catch waves on, nearly as easy to stand up on, but i got the hang of it after about 2 times, and is so much more maneuverable than my old one! and its so much easier to handle in the water/ carry around, and it looks hot!! lol. thanks for the advice everyone!

[The Fafanator]

^ I would have bought a 6'10"+ if I was you, or the same lenght but the same thickness of your old one.

[silversurfer]

I know i was in your exact situation then i bought a 6'6 fish surfboard, 21" width, 3"thick,17 " nose and tail then its a swallow tail and it moves alright....trust me a board like this you'll easily stand up and have a ton of fun.