Surfing Waves

I am looking to buy a new surfboard. I used multiple calculators for my skill level, (Guild factor), weight, height, etc.

So multiple calculators say that roughly 28-29 liters would be my IDEAL board based on everything given.

This being said even though I am just a beginner, I look foolish sometimes but I can definitely ride the face of waves occasionally.

I am currently riding a 7"4 x 21.5 x 2 * 5/8 which is probably around 45 liters, and I do have a board that is 6"2 x19.5 x 2.5, and that is probably around 33-35 liters.

That short board is very hard for me to ride. Yet, all of the recommendations say to get a even SHORTER board. The calculators and charts say I should get something that is around 5"8, but I am very nervous because how would I ever be able to ride such a thing given my current skill level.


By the way, I am 5"5 and 130 pounds. According to charts if I am a beginner I should be surfing on a board that is 32.5 Liters.

So I am just asking, should I even follow this advice at all and get a board that is recommended, or should I just stick with my 7"4 until I get really good? I just think that I might get good faster if I used a recommended board but I am nervous about spending 300 bucks on something that is out of my league.

Those volume calculators are notoriously inaccurate. Ignore them.

You'll improve quickest on a big board with plenty of float so stick with your 7'4 for now.

The calculators tend to over emphasise age ie if you are young then they drop the volume massively. Also remember that fitness level is fit for surfing not running around an oval.

The FireWire one is perhaps the most useful but, as DBB says, why not just stay on your current board. Also volume is not everything- what about rocker and rails and fins and outline and concaves...

fatalis wrote: According to charts if I am a BEGINNER I should be surfing on a board that is 32.5 Liters.
I do have a board that is 6"2 x19.5 x 2.5, and that is probably around 33-35 liters. That short board is very hard for me to ride.

So I guess you are not even at the BEGINNER level then ?

Look here, if the "official workout lifting chart" at the gym says you should be able to lift 200 lbs. for your age,height, weight and experience, but you can only lift 75 lbs., should you force yourself to lift the heavier weight ? No, that's just foolish and dangerous. Same for surfboards. Ride what's comfortable and works for YOU.

fatalis wrote:I look foolish sometimes but I can definitely ride the face of waves occasionally.

Sort of a Non-statement. Either you Definitely ride the face of the wave or Occasionally ride the face of the wave.

fatalis wrote:I just think that I might get good faster if I used a recommended board but I am nervous about spending 300 bucks on something that is out of my league.

If you're only riding white water mush going straight to the beach, then a smaller board is out of your league. Get good at choosing the right wave, paddling, popping up and bottom turning so you can start trimming across the wave ALL the time BEFORE you move down back to your 6'2".

Don't know what data you inputted to the the volume calculator, but all I tried ( rusty, firewire, lost ) showed 40-53 liters. Which makes the 7'4" you currently riding a good match. Maybe you got messed up with lbs. vs. Kg. ?

Even lbs. vs kg would skew in the larger direction rather than smaller.....

I got the same results in the CI Calculator....don't know which calcs the OP used but the data Wchan pulled up seems a lot more reasonable.

Even boardcave which sizes small spit out 43-53L for your specs. I think you need to be a little more brutally honest; the fields for experience and fitness make a difference in the calculations.

Even if the OP fibbed on the answers, you still don't get near 28 liters. ( somethings a bit Fishy.......... and not the type with swallow tails )

If you change skill level to 'beg/intermediate' it comes out at 29-32in good waves

When I use Boardformula for good waves, I must exaggerate my level and fitness to get around the volume I'm actually using (33.8l) at the moment.

Or I really am an Inter/advan with excellent fitness

Yeah.....our version of good waves is a high standard.....factors in as well.

Lost calculator for shortboard gives really low volumes (30L for a 130lb novice rider) BUT it only takes your weight and skill level into account plus the skill level starts at novice... which probably means lower level intermediate. http://lostsurfboards.net/volume-calculator/

saltydog wrote:Lost calculator for shortboard gives really low volumes (30L for a 130lb novice rider) BUT it only takes your weight and skill level into account plus the skill level starts at novice... which probably means lower level intermediate. http://lostsurfboards.net/volume-calculator/

That's website is helpful thanks