Surfing Waves

I'm a beginner, been on a few lessons. I want to get into surfing, get down a few weeknds a year plus a week or two. I live in coventry so far far far far away from the sea. I need a board, but I'd probably like to progress onto shortboarding. Should I get a minimal to start with and when I can surf well get a shortboard?
looking to Spend no more than £300 for board, bag and leash.

Cheers

Will

Yeah thats a good idea. I think though if your pretty confident you cold go for the 6'7'' bic shortboard like I might, its still a beginners board, tough, bouyant etc but it'll up your game a little.

If you're only gonna be surfing a few weekends a year, then i'd probably go for a minimal rather than a 6'7...

I got a board bag and leash for £160 from ebay.

Now, I know there's a chance someone may say something about ebay being a place to fence stolen goods, which is true but not everything on there is stolen.

The free-ads had a lot of stuff in there also but then I do live in Bournemouth so I guess there would be.

Hope this is of some help. Also, all the advice I have seen is if you dont get to surf that often get a mini mal otherwise you may end up a little frustrated trying to learn on a shortboard with not much time to devote to it.

Sar wrote:I got a board bag and leash for £160 from ebay.

That's alot of money for a bag and a leash. Are you sure there wasn't a board in the bag as well?

KS

board, bag and leash.



forgot the critical punctuation that made that sentence what it is now.
sorry

if you are only going to surf once in a while, you will probably advance your skill level a lot quicker with a longer board. They are easier to catch waves on, and easier to pop up onto (or to stand on), etc.

I would be affraid to tell you to go with the 6'7" because there is a good chance that you may not ever get to actually ride a wave before you get frustrated and give up (I mean outside of your surf lessons, I pushed people into waves and got them standing up within 10 minutes of thier first time seeing a surf board in person, but that doesn't mean they are going to be able to do it without constant instruction)

There are a lot of aspects of wave riding.

-Paddling out (easier on a long board, though not always true)
-Paddling around once you are out there to get into position (easier on a long board)
-Catching the wave (easier on a long board)
-Learning to control the board AFTER the wave has caught you but BEFORE you stand up (easier on a long board)
-Popping up (easier on a long board)

For beginners:

-Learning to control the board once you are standing (easier on a long board)
-learning to ride the line of energy of the wave (easier on a long board)
-Learning to carve (easier on a long board)
-Learning to carve hard (time to buy a short board)
-Learning to climb the face of the wave and try to catch air ( I would like to see you try that on a long board)

See the natural progression?

I would buy a long board if I were you, and that is why.

I want to get into surfing, get down a few weeknds a year plus a week or two.

I just re read your post.

DO NOT BUY A SHORT BOARD.

BUY A 10' + You will be happier.

A couple years of that routine and you might be ready to back down to a 7'6-8'4 range

You won't get enough time on the water to make you ready to surf on a shorter board. If you want to stand up and ride waves consistantly, and actually RIDE them, buy a long board. Trust me.

Dex wrote:. I live in coventry so far far far far away from the sea.

I'm amazed at how far people will travel to surf. I'll stop complaining about a 1.5 hour drive to the sea now!

I know this is an old post but I just wanted to comment that CJ's reply was probably the best response to the question of what should a beginner buy that I have ever read. And I believe he is exactly right. Because of the size constraints for me on airplanes (boards must be under 9'0") I have actually borrowed or rented 9'6" - 10' boards on all my trips. I feel that I learned and progressed way faster because of riding the longer boards. There is a warm feeling that you get when you are able to catch every wave that comes your way, even when you are a beginner, when your friends who surf twice a week are having problems on their 7'0" rides. I am now heading to Cali for Remebrance Day weekend to buy a new board, in the 8'6" range. Happy I waited until I had gotten good on the biggies.

kitesurfer wrote:

Sar wrote:I got a board bag and leash for £160 from ebay.

That's alot of money for a bag and a leash. Are you sure there wasn't a board in the bag as well?

KS

KS - missed your response post, do you think this may be why Im having trouble with my surfing?? hehe!

There was a board in the bag (phew), but for all the good its doing me I may as well try and stand up on the bag!