buying a new board soon, Please help.

[isaaac]

Hey! so what would the best dimensions for a surfer in southern california (San Diego)!? Im 5'8" 160 pounds 17 years old that has been surfing for about a year a 2 months now. I use to ride a foam Wavestorm and I now currently ride a 6'10" with a quad set up and a squash tail (I don't know my exact dimensions on board; I had bought my board while I was very excited to just get riding on a different board. so, ultimately it wasn't my best decision when i bought it but oh well aka kook haha) I don't know what to consider myself as a surfer but if I had to choose i'd say i'm an advanced level of a beginner surfer or beginner of a intermediate surfer haha I dont know i'm just saying.

Factors to consider i guess:
My paddling is better than avg because I was a water polo player for 2 years
Times i surf per week currently: 0-3 per week (0, has been happening lately in past two months.)
waves i can surf: shin - chest high (couple shoulder waves. I think?)
The car i have now is a Nissan Sentra
My current board is thick & wide. so yes theres a lot of float to my board so sizing down will be somewhat difficult if i get a lot less volume
more of a rocker on nose of board
I'd like something with more volume
I don't paddle out when its really big. (yet)
SAN DIEGO BEACHES GET CROWDED
beaches i mainly surf just in case you guys wanted to consider this as a factor:
Imperial Beach
Tourmaline
Scripps
Ocean Beach
Sunset Cliffs

Hope to hear from you guys, sorry for all that info. 

[oldmansurfer]

So why do you want a new board? What problems are you having surfing? What is your immediate goal for surfing? What are you long term goals? Can you do a bottom turn and a cutback and an off the lip turn?

[isaaac]

So why do you want a new board? What problems are you having surfing? What is your immediate goal for surfing? What are you long term goals? Can you do a bottom turn and a cutback and an off the lip turn?

I just want something new to ride ive been riding my 6'10 since christmas of 13". A problem i have surfing would be when its crowded i get somewhat nervous to catch a wave, an immediate goal would be for me to at least paddle out a lot haha and a long term goal would be to stay committed and keep learning honestly and i dont ever practice those turns but ive done a lip turn a couple of times but with bottom/cutback turns i never practice those really.

[oldmansurfer]

So basically you want a board to angle to the beach and ride along the wave without much turning? Do you duck dive?

[waikikikichan]

"i'd say i'm an advanced level of a beginner surfer or beginner of a intermediate surfer".

i can surf: shin - chest high (couple shoulder waves. I think?) = Beginner
I don't paddle out when its really big. (yet) = Beginner
when its crowded i get somewhat nervous to catch a wave = Beginner
ive done a lip turn a couple of times = Beginner
The car i have now is a Nissan Sentra = Beginner low on cash

Before anyone jumps on me, let me explain my comment. isaac, enjoy this time as a "Beginner". Now is the funnest carefree time. Now you're playing in the sand box, in a few years you working for the man, with a mortgage and what not. Later thing get too serious. Now you feel bad if you get in someones way. Later as a "advanced" surfer, people will be apologizing to you, and how will you handle it ? As a beginner, other surfers might cut you some slack. But as a intermediate surfer, you are expected to "know better".

[IB_Surfer]

So, I will give you the advice I give all beginners: buy a step up.

Get a 6'5 x 19 1/2 x 2 1/2 board, it will have a bunch of float and be great as a beginner board. Later, w8hen you get better, you will want one about 6'0 x 19 x 2 3/8, which is about the right size shortboard for you, but after you get better. You will keep the step up for big waves later, so you won't get rid of it, and you will make an easy transition to the shorter size later.