Buying a surfboard

[TonYyY]

Hello, I've started to get into surfing a few months agoand have been doing in mostly for at least once or twice a week, on an 8ft foamie. I'm about 5'5", 110 pounds. I've been looking to buy a board that may help me keep moving forward in surfing but still in a sort of decent price range. I was thinking a 6' board but I may be wrong. If you have any suggestions I would love to hear you out, I'm still a little nervous to make a final decision. Thanks so much!
Anthony G

[waikikikichan]

An 8 foot sponge board with it's boxy thick rails floats more like a 9 foot hard board. If you are not already doing bottom turns and trimming along the face frontside AND backside, you still should be on a board at least 2 feet over your head.

What reason do you think a 6 foot board will help you "keep moving forward in surfing" ? It will be harder to paddle and where you need to takeoff will need to be steeper and quicker.

[TonYyY]

I meant sort of in an advancing way, and I was just wondering if a smaller board would be good for working on cutting waves better, which I guess I've started to work on. But if I could achieve the same results with a 8 ft board that would sound great too!

[waikikikichan]

Well, you can try renting a 6 foot or borrow a 6 foot board from one of your surfing buddies to see if cutting the waves are easier compared to on your current board. But do you think you have the paddle power and reaction time to get on waves with a 6 footer ? You can't cut the wave if you can't even get on the wave first.

[TonYyY]

Yeah that makes sense. I will see if one of my friends has any smaller boards, but stick with the 8ft for now. Also, do you know a good website for buying boards on a budget? Thanks so much for the help so far btw!

[waikikikichan]

I don't know where you are located. In Australia, Gumtree is popular. In the U.S.A., Craigslist is good site.

[TonYyY]

Thanks a lot! I appreciate it, that's all the questions I have for now