Surfing Waves

Hi all,

I'm a beginner surfer with a few lessons under my belt, and I just bought my first board. I'm 6'1 and 72 kg (159 lb), and the board is a 7'9 mini mal hard board. Having used it 10 times or so I think I bought the wrong one, because I'm terrible on it!

The guy who I've been surfing with has an 8' foam board, and I can catch green waves on this pretty much every time (always popping up ok, and sometimes riding along the face of the wave instead if straight down).But on my board I haven't been able to catch a single green wave properly! If I'm in what feels like the right position when paddling I pearl every time, either before popping up or right after. If I move back then the nose is too high and the wave passes under me. It's really frustrating!

So what should I do? Stick with my board til I get the hang of it, or buy a more appropriate sized board (if so, what)?
The other thing to note is that my board is a weird shape - concave bottom and hardly any rocker (see pic). Maybe that's why I'm having so much trouble with pearling?

Any thoughts or advice would be really appreciated, thanks guys.

Jay

Get rid of that board, something is very wrong there , rocker makes me think it has been left out in the sun, go longer somewhere between 8ft and 9ft , go hard , should be OK to progress then.

Usually I say 'it's you not the board' but I agree with jaffa - the rocker looks almost upside down (with the fins up like in your photo it should have a slight curve highest in the middle but it's looks like it's lowest in the middle or at best totally flat). Do you have any other photos (maybe one directly side on with the fins down and one closer up from the side showing the front half of the board, fins down) - reluctant to tell you to buy a new board just from a single photo, albeit that the photo isn't very promising

Learning on a 7'9 isn't impossible and it's a better choice than many make; but something over 8ft will be easier. But if the board isn't 'defective' then you can keep trying

That said, if you aren't confident with your equipment it tends to get into your mind and make a hard task (learning to surf) even harder

That board is for interior decorating, not surfing. It might make a nice coffee table. I'd recommend buying a Wavestorm.

Can't tell from the photo, but is the construction more plastic and hollow. I once tried this prototype board that had similar rocker. It didn't work at all.
Who or where did you buy it from ?

Maybe it was broken in half and reattached with a bend?

Sounds like you know what to do, get a board like his Nd put yours to the side for now. You want to learn and stand up and have fun. Do that and then try your board again later. It just might not be a good board altogether. I get new boards shaped and every now and then, I don't like the board just shaped. You need to test but for now, buy a board like your friends and keep learning to stand up and ride. Good luck

wonder if you can "fix" it by flipping it, spreading the chairs further, then putting a bag of sand on it in the middle and leaving it outside when it's warm for a few days.

just an idea.
that middle inverse rocker is whack.

pmcaero wrote:wonder if you can "fix" it by flipping it, spreading the chairs further, then putting a bag of sand on it in the middle and leaving it outside when it's warm for a few days.

just an idea.
that middle inverse rocker is whack.

If it is a plastic shell board or epoxy it might work, could be interesting if plastic memory rebounds in middle of a ride

Put the fins on the other side maybe?

....at some point you need to cut your losses...

Big H wrote:....at some point you need to cut your losses...

One thing about buying the wrong board is that you learn a ton about surfboards from the experience. Here's the board buying rule I would take from the board Souffle posted.

Never buy a board that has a nose that dips below the level of the surfboard's fin box.

Thanks all for those replies, cleared up my confusion completely. Will put that board aside... or in the trash and get something with a normal shape in the 8-9 foot range.

Really appreciate all the advice!

Cheers

Jay

Where / who sold you that defective board ?

If you didn't know the defect then, how are you going to know what is or is not "normal" for the next board ? You were duped once before.

How about posting of a board you interested in before you buy it.

souffle wrote:Thanks all for those replies, cleared up my confusion completely. Will put that board aside... or in the trash and get something with a normal shape in the 8-9 foot range.

Really appreciate all the advice!

Cheers

Jay

If you trash it keep the fins, ( they don't screw right through do they?).

souffle wrote: Will put that board aside... or in the trash and get something with a normal shape in the 8-9 foot range.

I'd keep that board because there might be a day when you've got all your surfing chops together and you'll pull that board out and fondly remember the day you took it out for a ride.