New-ish Surfer - Board Advice

[SkiFree]

Hi!

I've been surfing on and off about once a month or so for the past two years mostly borrowing other people's boards. Its come to that time for me to buy my own board and I could use a little advice if anyone has it for me.

I've read what is seemingly 8 million articles of everyone giving their 'best' advice. "Shape is everything!" to "Don't worry about shape! You're new!". While this is all so much fun to just guess and gamble I'm trying to narrow this down to a more 'educated' guess.

(No the guy on craigslist isn't going to let me borrow his board before I buy it.)

Okay, I get it. "Buy a longboard." But the reality of the matter is the vast majority of my surfing is going to be in Venice / Santa Monica with 1-2 ft beach breakers and not large point swells. This is leading me towards buying a shortboard and just dealing with it.

I'm an avid skater, skiier, water snow and anything thrilling. I'm 6'4 200lbs.

Right now I'm leaning towards a board that is 6'6" x 19 3/4" x 2 5/8" squash tail that I believe is probably around 37 volume. (The seller cannot confirm the volume and this is based on research / estimates.)

Is this a rideable board for a semi-beginner. Do I absolutely have to start with a true longboard? Is the volume not enough? I'm getting a lot of mixed opinions from friends who "know alot about surfing ..." (We shall see.)

Advice is appreciated!

Thanks,

Kyle

[drowningbitbybit]

1-2 ft beach breakers... I'm 6'4 200lbs... 6'6" x 19 3/4" x 2 5/8"...

Is this a rideable board for a semi-beginner?

No.

At your height and weight on a 2ft beach break, that wouldn't work for an experienced surfer, let alone a beginner (and you are a complete beginner, not a semi-beginner).

A longboard will get you going quickest, and be the most fun. A shortboard at this stage will just be plain ol' misery and frustration. You don't necessarily need to go full long (although at 6'4 you probably should), but forget about shortboards.

Also, if you're surfing 1-2ft... then you need a longboard.

[waikikikichan]

I'm an avid skater, skiier, water snow and anything thrilling. I'm 6'4 200lbs.

Right now I'm leaning towards a board that is 6'6" x 19 3/4" x 2 5/8" squash tail that I believe is probably around 37 volume.

In Skating you don't need to catch the ramp or propel the board with your hands. Snow skiing you don't need to catch the mountain. Water skiing not much fun without the boat pulling you. Surfing YOU need to catch the wave. YOU are the motor.

19 3/4 is too narrow. But a board is better than no board. But since you're head strong enough to "deal with it", then go ahead. But of all the boards you borrowed, which size and shape did you do the best on ?

[SkiFree]

Of the boards I've tried I actually had more difficulty in some of the largest most "traditional" longboards as I found them to be more "clunky" and difficult to control.

I have found that a wider fatter tail instead of a point has typically served me much better than some of the other styles. I'm not tied to any particular brand or board or size I just have had more success with a 7 something footer than an 8 or a 9.

My friend suggested 42 or 44 volume is the surfboard of his that I like.

If those dimensons aren't going to work for someone my size than what will? (P.s. I'm not going to waste my money buying a new board as a beginner. I'm shopping craigslist mostly for this and when I type in surfboard I'm lucky to find one as large as 6'6. Mostly top out at 6'1 or are immediately at 8'+.

[Big H]

Look harder; check surf shops and pick over their used racks. You need a bigger board than that at your size. It just flat out won't work for 200lbs in small waxes that you are describing. ..,,especially as a beginner. 8ft+ is where you probably ought to b anyway.