Surfing Waves

Mods Please Feel Free to Move this where it Belongs...

So, I am looking to get a board after fiver years of not surfing. When I began surfing, I bought a thin thruster thinking I'd work up to it no matter how hard. Two years later, I could still only catch about two or three significant waves per session even though my paddling endurance was pretty high (just couldn't set up in the right place to take off consistently), which was never enough to ever get proficient (i could ride down the line, but never caught enough waves to really practice any sort of turning). Anyway, because of this, got frustrated and stopped.

So now, I'm thinking about getting back into it...

After reading these forums, I see the mini simmons coming up a lot as an easy to paddle, easy to get in early, small board. So, I guess the question is, as a semi-beginner board, how appropriate would a mini simmons be. I'm 5'6, 145 lbs so would probably ride this large and get something that is my height-- the more volume the better. Would a board like a mini simmons work to start over with. I just want to catch a lot of waves, be able to get in early and work on basic maneuvering.

I was also thinking about something like a dumpster diver (but locally shaped) because of the increased volume, but really I want whatever is easiest to paddle in early on that is not a mini-mal or longboard (not for coolness factor or anything, but just the travel ability)

Let me know if you need any more information.

i cant help you on the queston about the board, but how do you travel to the beach. i learnt to surf last june, and went out and bought myself an 8ft Bilbo torpedo minimal and got on amazing with it. lots of float, very easy to paddle, not that heavy and will easily fit into a small car. i learnt all the basics on this and for the first time last weekend i tried out a smaller board. i tried a 7ft retro fish(sadly cant remember what the make was) and it was just as easy as the 8ft minimal. i thrn tried a 6ft4 hawaiian sould with a quad setup. this was much more of a challenge, but the conditions where right and i got on amazingly with it. like you say the main thing is lots of volume. just briefly looking at the boards, they would not be ideal. this is my opinion, but they are far far too short and the thickness and width is the same as some minimals. and its a hell of a lot shorter. my girlfriend i would say is a similar sort of height and weight and she rides a 7ft4 elua malaui board also a minimal. and she got on really well the the 6ft4 board. better than me. depending on where you surf you could get away with a 6ft4 board, but i would recommend a 7ftish board. the bigger, the longer and the more volume makes everything easier. the problem with getting such a short board is that you will end up in the same situation as last time where wave count is drastically reduced and thus you make very little progress. maybe bite the bullet, get a second hand minimal. something around the 7ft4/7ft9 mark and try it out. even if its for a few months and then once you have progressed on that pop down a size. second hand again. until you find the board that works the right for you and then get it shaped. im not expert but this is just my advice on things that i would do/have done.

Regards Tj

Do yourself a favour and try a fish.