Buying a Board (i'm only small!)

[J]

Post moved from https://surfing-waves.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=20

I have been surfing for about 6 months now and have been renting 8ft foam boards. I can pop up quite quickly on them at this stage and I am having fun but I need to buy my own board.

I am pettie, 5ft 3 anf 7.5 stone which i think is 112lbs? So I am light. I want to go for a shortboard as I feel I can pull it off being tiny. I was thinking 6'6'' which still is over a foot longer than me. I am still only a begineer so maybe this could be a big mistake assuming I would have an advantage on a shortboard being short?

What do you think? Thanks.

[surf patrol]

Hi J, welcome to Surfing Waves

As the title says - size does matter when it comes to surfing. You are small and light, so lend yourself to surfing a smaller board.

I can pop up quite quickly

I want to go for a shortboard as I feel I can pull it off

These two statements are important - you should only go for a smaller board when you feel ready (and your surfing is up to it). Making the move too quickly can be a setback.

My advice for you when buying your surfboard is to go for one that is at least 19' wide and at least 2 5/8' thick. You will find it very different going from an 8 foot foam board down to a shortboard and picking a board with these dimensions should help you to make the transition smoothly.

Good luck with your board - pop back and let us know how you are getting on.