Help! Buying first surfboard-Merrick or Rusty or Takayama?

[Karinluisa]

I have been surfing for a five years, for short stints, and now am going to Puerto Escondido Mexico for six months to finally learn consistently how to do it! So far, I am stuck as a low intermediate surfer.

Could I please ask your advice on which board to choose? I saw a Merrick Waterhog and a Rusty Yeti, and am not sure which is the better board. A friend recommended Takayama as the best board, but it is too pricey I think for a first board.

Does anyone have any experience with any of these boards, or with Puerto Escondido? I'd be surfing at La Punta (not so strong waves as Zicatela, but still a strong current pointbreak).

Which board would you say is a safe bet to feel sturdy and confident on taking waves? The Merrick and Takayamas have a classic funboard shape. The Rusty has a pointy -almost-gun shape.

I also hesitate between 7'8 and 7'10. I usually rent a 7'10, but it looks appealing to have a board I can cart about more easily....

thanks much for any suggestion! I am a woman, 5'4, 120 pounds, good shape, and 50 years old.

[drowningbitbybit]

I am a woman, 5'4, 120 pounds, good shape, and 50 years old.

Hands up who else got as far this thinking the question was from a teenage boy?

Anyway... couple of thoughts...

Define "low intermediate surfer". At your size, those boards would be suitable for a complete beginner - nothing wrong with that if you are a) basically a beginner, or b) wanting something nice and easy with a heap of paddle power, but they might not be what you want in the longer term.

If you're comfortable with a 7'10 after some intermittent sessions, then you'd be perfectly okay going with the 7'8 or even shorter... much shorter even... if that's the way you want to go (if you were a teenage boy, we'd all be explaining why it's not a race to the shortest board right now )
But if you did want to go shorter, a few consistent weeks should put you into the sub-7ft bracket.

Any of those boards should give you oodles of oomph in the surf. The Rusty would be the highest (or at least most shortboard-like) performance board ... and it's not a gun, so should work fine on the points in most conditions.

But - as you will inevitably hear on this thread - why not go see a shaper? Get something made that is suitable for your size and ability and the waves you'll be surfing.

[waikikikichan]

Which Takayama Hawaiian Pro Designs board model are you talking about ? Are the boards the hand shaped PU/PE boards or the molded epoxy surftech versions ?

[Karinluisa]

Thanks so much! I have the links below of the boards I have looked at. My aim is wide and thick, to be able to have as much volume and steadiness as I can.

-- Would you recommend the pointier nose (Rusty) or the rounder nose?
---Is paying the extra money for a Tayakama worth it?

I surf so on-and-off, so am always a "beginner" (but I know what I'm doing): I manage to take half of the waves I try. But now I will have 6 months to just surf everyday, so I feel hope. I want something that makes me feel absolutely confident and able to take each wave. Something that works in all waves: slow beach break waves and strong medium sized point break waves...

thanks much!!
Karin

l. RUSTY: http://brand.boardformula.com/soloboard/10950/

2. HARBOUR: http://www.iconsofsurf.com/7-6-Mini-In- ... 51133.html

3. MERRICK WATERHOG: http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/auc- ... ftech-010/

4. TAYAKAMA: http://www.iconsofsurf.com/7-6-Mini-In- ... 51133.html