New surfer and new Mini-Classic board concerns/help

[3Crows]

I am now 66yo, 5-10, 165 (okay sometimes I grow to 175 in the winter), in shape, life long triathlete, cyclist, swimmer (pool and open water) and I had some minor surfing experience, enough to learn how to wipeout during my college days. So, I get the idea to take up surfing (again) and so I purchase at the recommendation of a very good quality shop a Mini-Classic board of their custom builder, poly, 8'4"X 22.3 inches wide and 58.9 liters volume. Single fin, full depth stringer. Decent rocker, with rounded rails transitioning to an edge at the very rear, squared tail, concave up front to a slight V in the aft.

I take it out into some wind blown mixed up, washing machine waves (2s and 3s and maybe a piled on 4, all stacked close, no period much between them) and get my butt kicked. I was exhausted trying to get out (and I swim a mile every day). The board did not seem to want to go out or in and I felt like it was a little to deep in the water. Maybe I should have gotten a proper 9-6 longboard with more bouyancy instead of a mini longboard? I managed to belly ride it in maybe once to twice much less pop up on it! There was no time to turtle between waves and I could shove it under some waves but not really duck dive.

Anyways, I am a little discouraged. I am okay to stay with the new board and buy a foamie to get up to speed but I fear this board may be to small for me? I guess a Mini-Classic would be considered a Mini Mal?

My questions, (1) is the board I have okay to progress to as a goal and (2) should I get some another board for my beginner aspirations and (3) if so, what should that board be? Suggestions welcomed.

I will surf places like Destin, Pensacola and once in a while Cocoa Beach in Florida, Galveston, Texas and maybe a trip to SoCal in a while.

Thank you.

[oldmansurfer]

It’s just one outing. The waves weren’t great and you lack the skills to go out in those conditions. With more time you will hopefully get better waves and better skills. Do you recall trying to surf before? It’s not like surfing is easy to learn.

[dtc]

This is what happens for at least the first 10 sessions. Totally normal. Getting out in 4 sec swell is hard unless you can find a rip/channel and paddle out there. In any case you probably should be trying to surf the white water for a while

[3Crows]

Thanks. I know surfing is an endless progression sport. And clearly I am back to square one. I do not want to blame the board, just trying to understand if it is 100% me at fault? So my Mini-Classic as described is an okay for my size board?

It was mentioned that I should be trying to surf the "white water" for a while. Yes, and I tried but I did not seem to be able to get enough speed up to catch any of it and thus went out further into the washing machine.

[waikikikichan]

I do not want to blame the board, just trying to understand if it is 100% me at fault? So my Mini-Classic as described is an okay for my size board?

Were there others making it out and riding waves ? If so, what type of board were they riding ? How old were they compared to you ?

It was mentioned that I should be trying to surf the "white water" for a while. Yes, and I tried but I did not seem to be able to get enough speed up to catch any of it and thus went out further into the washing machine.

YOU don't catch whitewater waves, IT catches you.

[3Crows]

By "white water" I mean the dribble that is left after a waves breaks and washes ashore. Maybe I am not calling it correctly?

There were a few folks who managed a short ride but it did seem all were having problems getting out. The oldest of them would have been early 30s. Not a brag but by any measure I am still a considerably skilled swimmer. I workout with several swim teams and they get mad when I beat them and I still compete in masters swimming. The paddle stroke on a board is wider and uses the muscles differently, I am sore!!!!!!! Surfing is HARD!!!!!!!!

I guess I am fixating on my board not having enough volume to ride the dribble. Here is a photo of my Mini-Classic:

[oldmansurfer]

It's recommended that you get a board 3 feet longer than you to start with however that isn't a hard rule and some can get by with less. I am 6'2" and learned on a 6'10" board. I was an avid bodyboarder prior to it and was into riding huge waves that required I paddled as well as kicking into them. The first day I tried the waves were about waist high and I was trying to ride unbroken waves. I managed to get onto (ride down the line) one wave out of 10 that I caught (and got trashed on the other 9 waves). My arms weren't sore. That went on for about 2 weeks surfing daily only gradually improving then it markedly improved. You will go through many bouts of gaining and then not gaining skills or vice versa. Waikikichan would have a better idea what the odds are you will learn and why you are having problems but it's not easy to say for me anyway LOL if the board is a significant contributor to your problems. My guess would be you just need to spend more time

[waikikikichan]

There were a few folks who managed a short ride but it did seem all were having problems getting out.

Then it's not only your fault, since some others were having a hard time also.

Question: You have enough wax on the deck ?

[3Crows]

There were a few folks who managed a short ride but it did seem all were having problems getting out.

Then it's not only your fault, since some others were having a hard time also.

Question: You have enough wax on the deck ?

Yes sir, I put wax on the board. I used the base cost and then the board wax. I may need to increase the area of coverage under my chest.

I have a surf lesson arranged for me. Maybe I can get some pointers to get me going in the right direction to relearn or learn for the first time, whichever. I am fairly athletic and coordinated so I have no doubt I can progress, I am just suspect of my board being to little volume (for a beginner) and I do not have aspirations of riding the pipe line, just want to reach an intermediate level where I can have fun with it.

[oldmansurfer]

Part of learning to surf besides the mechanics is learning about the waves. Where should you be out in the ocean? Which wave should you try to catch? Once you catch it what is it going to do?

[dtc]

Your board is 60L; that’s plenty for your weight. Volume makes paddling easier but as a swimmer that shouldn’t be an issue. Catching waves is easier with volume but 60L is enough - sure 70L (a standard 9ft longboard) is a bit easier but not by so much as to make a huge difference

Sure a bigger board has other benefits - a bit more stable, a bit earlier into the wave. But I’m 99% certain that your current issues are hitting up against the realisation that surfing is a lot harder than people think

[3Crows]

Sure a bigger board has other benefits - a bit more stable, a bit earlier into the wave. But I’m 99% certain that your current issues are hitting up against the realisation that surfing is a lot harder than people think

Or a lot harder than I remember it being .

Thanks guys.

[3Crows]

Just an update. Yesterday at Cocoa Beach I had some success. The waves had a little period to them and I was able to catch a few and manage a few rides. I still think the board is perhaps a little low on volume for small knee high wave catching though it should be fine for waist high to head high.

[dtc]

Knee high waves requires a 9’2 or probably even a 9’6 board to get a good glide; it’s true that this is when more volume is useful. There aren’t any boards that cover the gamut of waves, so take this as a chance to start your quiver!

[3Crows]

Thank you @dtc, so would you say that long boards follow a different marching orders? Meaning that unlike short boards or even intermediate boards they should be considered on length and width alone? No way to build a 9'6" board and stay at 50 to 60 liter volume without it being ridiculous looking! So, for a long board should I look at a board that is 9'6" and about 23 inches wide and 3" thick which will be somewhere around I would guess 90 liter volume? Keeping in mind that I am 75kg plus or minus. I have been reading (too much) and see that there are formulas that place me at around 54 liters for my "ideal" board volume but I would assume, again, that a longboard is not chosen by volume or that it's volume should at least meet or exceed the weight of the surfer dude(ette)?.

[dtc]

Well I’m one of those people that thinks volume is over rated. There are about 10 measurements or design factors that are important, volume is one - but only one. It can differentiate between boards that are otherwise similar eg between two 9ft longboards it might give you a point of difference. But a 60L board could be a 6’8 cruiser or an 8ft gun; volume itself says little

The more surface area on a board, the more stable it is and the more glide it gets. And for small waves, the less speed needed to plane (and planing is what lets you surf). However that’s not to dismiss volume, as you need some volume to keep yourself floating above the water as your speed reduces. Until you get to a SUP that allows you to stand without even moving

In any case - for a longboard for someone of your weight, the volume of a 9’6 will be fine regardless of what that volume actually is. As waves get smaller you need more surface area, more volume to let you surf those waves. And design features like wider tails and thicker rails also help

But there are alternative solutions- surf bigger waves, learn to generate speed as a rider rather than relying purely on the wave.

Not sure that answers your questions, but I guess I’m saying that the question isn’t the right question, or at least the answer isn’t of any benefit

[3Crows]

Would it be considered rude to request of a shaper/builder to produce, for example, a new board based on a Takayama In The Pink shape? Maybe a 9'6" with the tri-fin slots (though I would use the board mostly single fin) and perhaps a little less concavity in the nose? I think that I want a true long board with nose riding capability (both as an end to itself but also as a bridge to the Mini-Classic I already have) so I can surf the dribble and smaller waves and to develop some good habits on and that will give me more paddle speed for the same effort to help me catch waves more easily.

[waikikikichan]

Maybe a 9'6" with the tri-fin slots (though I would use the board mostly single fin)

I’m wondering what size/template of fin you’re are thinking of putting in the tri-fin’s center box. There’s not many center fins you can run just on it’s own without its side fin partners.

[3Crows]

Maybe a 9'6" with the tri-fin slots (though I would use the board mostly single fin)

I’m wondering what size/template of fin you’re are thinking of putting in the tri-fin’s center box. There’s not many center fins you can run just on it’s own without its side fin partners.

I am sure I am using incorrect terminology but I see triple fin set ups on the In the Pink and HPLBs with the option to run a single fin. But I would settle for a single fin if that were to become a complication. I am more concerned not to insult a shaper by asking for a design for them to shape to other than theirs? Like asking Rembrandt to paint like Michelangelo .

I would rather pay a local than purchase from SurfTech but their version looks good and I like the Tuflite construction. This is another area I lack knowledge admittedly, who or what other companies should I be looking at that can produce a similar board (to the In the Pink) but US made or at least made in a democracy, if not a local shaper?

I am sorry to ask dumb questions, returning to a sport after 40 years hiatus leaves me lacking both in skill and knowledge but I am a pretty fast learner and do listen to people, that being much of the reason I learn pretty fast. I am a retired engineer, I do get myself befuddled in the details, like for example, I hear it said that PU boards have a "damp" feel to them. I am picking up the terminology but there were no epoxy boards when I last owned a board and I was thinking do not they mean dampening effect as in PU boards dampen vibration compared to epoxy boards but are not "damp" unless they get wet inside .

[waikikikichan]

So you meant to say a 2+1 fin setup, where there’s a long center box and two sidebites boxes on the sides.

If you like the In-the-Pink so much ( for me I hate it with a passion ) and don’t want to purchase the molded epoxy version made by Surftech, why don’t you order a hand shaped made in California Hawaiian Surf Designs Donald Takayama In-the-Pink ?