Progression help needed

[mcavarano]

Hi all I am looking for some advice and all of my searching hasn't really turned up anything helpful.

I have been surfing on the east coast of the US for about 10 years however most of that was 1-2 weeks a summer and that was it. This year I am attending grad school about an hour and a half from any break in New Jersey. So I want to get better and move to bigger waves. Most of my surfing over the years was done in a max of chest high surf maybe some shoulder high here and there. (2-4 feet?ish). All those years I rode a 7'10 NSP fun board. It was great to learn on and still never fails me. I am able to pop up with ease and ride down the line. I can not do much of a turn which is due to, I think a combination of board size and how small most of the waves I have been in. So coming into this season I was determined to get onto a shorter board.

I picked up a cheap tooth pick, paddled out on a day surfline called as 3-5 feet. This board had no volume which robbed me of any confidence paddling for waves. I sat outside and only went for a few unsuccessfully. Eventually I got to the point of popping up, misplaced my foot went down an bam, snapped board.

I reevaluated and determined i needed something with more volume. So I found a used NSP 6'8 hybrid that felt great. Had it out on a few 3-4ft days and after initial adjustments was having no problems. A few weeks later headed into a 4-6 with 8+ sets day. Needless to say I was very nervous. Got sucked over the falls on a massive cleanup wave, which actually boosted my confidence because that was about as bad it was ganna be and I survived. So I paddled back out but just couldn't commit to a wave and ended up getting pounded again which resulted in a buckled board. I know both of the boards breaking were my fault, I hesitated and put my self and board in a bad spot.

Just today I took my old board out on a 3-4ft day to try and get some confidence back. Had a great session. But I'm just not sure where to go from here. I would like to get a smaller board similar to the shorter NSP and I would really like to get comfortable in overhead waves (4-6+), but I am not sure how to do it.

Due to the drive I can't surf everyday, so I try to make the trip on the best(often that means bigger) days. But I am now rather gun shy about anything over like 5 ft ( shoulder high)

What do you recommend on a shorter board for the bigger waves? I don't want to spend a ton and go right out and snap it.
Also how do I get comfortable in bigger waves, when I only get a chance to surf them every so often? My previous attitude was paddle out even if you just sit out there and try to get used to the bigger waves, but now I am wondering if I should be approaching it differently.

Thanks in advance I am open to any and all advice

[oldmansurfer]

There are lots of people who can answer better about appropriate boards but just let me point out that a new board isn't going to teach you how to surf. You haven't learned to ride 7'10" yet probably because you aren't surfing all the time. When you lay off surfing you skills drop back and the first part of what you do when you start back up is getting back to the point of skill. So if you want to surf you can learn on the 7'10" board but you need to go surf more often. I go out in much bigger waves than you and haven't ever broken a board but my boards are custom made to be strong and designed to work for me. That might be an option but you would need to find someone who is good at custom making boards for beginners.then let them tell you what you need and make it for you.

[waikikikichan]

All those years I rode a 7'10 NSP fun board. It was great to learn on and still never fails me. I am able to pop up with ease and ride down the line. I can not do much of a turn which is due to, I think a combination of board size and how small most of the waves I have been in. So coming into this season I was determined to get onto a shorter board.

I bought the same 7'10" NSP Funboard for my wife to surf the beach break here in Japan. She normally rides a 9'0" when we're at reef break in Hawaii. The 7'10" turns perfectly fine. You just need to learn to put your back foot over the tail pad ( which it comes stock with ).
Don't go shorter until you can turn that 7'10" backside.

[mcavarano]

Thank you both, that is probably the blunt truth I needed to hear. It did occur to me yesterday when I was out that with the longer fun board I could take off earlier when the wave wasn't as steep. I think part of my apprehension with the larger waves was that because I was on a smaller board the takeoff was much steeper, so I think taking the longer board out on a bigger day might help.

Any advise on what to do with getting comfortable with larger waves? Should I just get out there no matter what. Within reason obviously. My feeling is if I sit out a larger swell it is doing me no good at all but if I go out an snap another board I will be rather unhappy.

I guess what I am looking for is how other people dealt with getting over the apprehension of bigger waves, whatever that size was for you.

Thanks again you have renewed my determination to get better.

[Onelove]

Crazy to have broken 2 boards. Just keep surfing. Push yourself. Don’t worry about your board breaking.

[BoMan]

I guess what I am looking for is how other people dealt with getting over the apprehension of bigger waves, whatever that size was for you.

I ride a 9'2" longboard and angling the takeoff made a big difference with improving my confidence on bigger waves. It's easier to commit when you are looking at a beautiful wall than it is when you're staring down a scary drop! Here's a helpful video...

[oldmansurfer]

My advice to to try to do small steps and work your way up in size but maybe because you don't surf all the time that option is not as viable.

[mcavarano]

I will give that video a watch, I was just watching another one of their videos about turning.

To the point about not surfing that often, I have the ability to surf 2-3 days a week with my schedule but the real issue is the inconsistency in the waves.

And yah the board breaking has me puzzled, they were used boards so I don't know the complete shape but like I said above I think it was user error on my part.