Surfing Waves

I am an intermediate surfer and surf a few times a year. I bought a 6'5" 18 3/8 W and 2 1/4 thickness shortboard. I weigh 185 so by some charts I found online I should be wanting something in the low to mid 30s for volume. Unfortunately my board doesn't list the volume on the board. I wish I could upload a picture to show the shape of the my board. Does anyone know a way other than submurging my board in water to estimate it's volume. Or can anyone roughly tell by the dimensions what I am working with?

I do catch some waves but notice others can paddle less and catch waves further from the peak than me. Could be my muscles are not conditioned like people who surf more but I will surf a week straight and still notice the same thing.

Thanks for any advice.

one sort of accurate way is to google the dims and find a similar surfboard. So, for example

http://www.csasurfboards.co.nz/the-step-up

which has a board with your dims that is 29L

Now this isnt entirely accurate, as (for example) the width and thickness only measure the widest and thickest point. Your board has a long narrow nose, whereas the board linked may have a more rounded nose or bigger tail etc (and noting that the linked board is a step up board, so for bigger waves where there is a lot of power)

That said, the volume is only part of the story - as mentioned, the outline of your board is pretty aggressive. What rocker does it have? If its a 1997 board that was in the middle of the the thin highly rockered boards (and Al Merrick was at the forefront of that). So its hardly surprising you have difficultly in catching waves; indeed being able to catch any waves on an 18 3/8 board at 185lb and a casual surfer is actually quite impressive

in summary - if you arent surfing almost every day, and dont have years of experience, the board is way too narrow and thin for you

Before this board what size board would you normally surf “a few times a year”?

Even if you weighed 145 lbs that board would still be inappropriate for mere mortals.

Sadly that board is not helping you much at all, it is made for performance waves in skilled hands.
Narrow board accented rail curve, low volume, made for powerful waves.
Requires being closer to a steeper peak for take off not a prolonged paddle into the wave.

I invite you to consider something at least 7'6" and around 21" wide for the full profile of the board.
Why, because this will allow you to catch more waves, meaning more improvement in skills.
As an occasional ( which is what you are) that should be your goal.

Personally I wish surfers of ordinary level ( which truly most of us are) would only use volume on the car sound system driving to the surf.

Under a lot of circumstances I believe it is jus a marketing ploy.

Cgd5054 wrote:I am an intermediate surfer.
I weigh 185 so by some charts I found online I should be wanting something in the low to mid 30s for volume.

You need to be totally honest with your surfing level/ability. The Rusty calculator says 36.71 L for an "intermediate". But it says 44.05 for a "Intermediate/Beginner". Depending on the wave size/conditions and the frequency of getting to surf, I would go with more volume in your case. ( of which I think volume as a guide is wrong to follow )


Your board is way to narrow. You should be looking over 19" wide.
If you need to ask if you board has enough volume, then it doesn't. If you're catching waves, carving turns, enjoying surfing......... then the volume should be about right.

Thank you all, this makes so much more sense now. I am going to get a new board which suits my skill and size better. I'll save this board for the hurricane in 15 years that ill be surfing.

No problem, you are hardly the first person to make that mistake.

As jaffa said, a good funboard is probably your best option. Something that lets you pick up waves easier and get time surfing