Surfing Waves

I'm looking to buy my first surfboard and am thinking of going the used route. Don't know too much about dings but for $250 y'all think this is a good deal? 6'6 length. Thanks!

I don't know your age, weight and experience level, but that is probably too small for a first board.

as said, age weight and experience needed. But the fact you are asking the question and that its your first board suggests 'no', its not a good buy for you. It may be a good price for that board, but its the wrong board for you

Lebowski wrote:I don't know your age, weight and experience level, but that is probably too small for a first board.

I'm 5'9 190lbd

Have you ever surfed before?

Honest question; maybe you've been renting for awhile, or borrowing a board.

I'm looking to buy my first surfboard, rented a soft top a few times and I'm ready to buy a hard top. Went to a local shop and they suggested 6'6-7' funboards for me. I'm 190 5'9. Just wondering. Any specific board suggestions, and maybe some tips on spots from surfers from this area. Thank you!

Don't recognize the brand, but if it's made by a reputable shaper and ready to surf(no dings to be fixed etc) $250 is an ok deal. However, that is a bit relative to the used board market around your location. Like others have alluded to, it doesn't seem like that would be the right board for you at this point. Don't have much to go on, but I would assume you're a beginner and a board that size won't help you progress. Normally, you'd have ridden a longboard/funboard for some time and should be able to handle yourself and the board out in the water, catch waves on your own and at a minimum, be able to trim both directions before you even consider a move down in size. But that's all based on the assumption that you're new to the game, get us some more info on your current experience level(intro thread?)

Trust me when I say this but you're better off getting something longer especially if you've only surfed on a foamie a few times, if you buy this you'll burn at least 2-3 weeks doing nothing but wipeouts and from what I can tell from the picture it's pretty beat up, there are probably a few dings in it, but for the price you can get it repaired and still have a board for less than buying one.

It doesn't look dinged for me, except for some pressure dents, but it's hard to tell it from 2 pictures. As people said, learning on a shortboard doesn't make things easier. It's not impossible, but it's an easier and probably less frustrating route to learn on a longboard or a bigger funboard. Take your time to look for your first board and be aware to check for dings. Just because a board has a ding doesn't mean you can't buy it, but you need to take that into account, how much you will spend fixing it.

By the way, I've been thinking about trying a swallow tail someday, because it seems looser on turns. Does it make a notable difference? Or is the difference subtle?

Two to three weeks? Alot longer than that.

JGiannone97 wrote:I'm looking to buy my first surfboard, rented a soft top a few times and I'm ready to buy a hard top.

Was the soft top you rented also a 6'6" ?

JGiannone97 wrote:Went to a local shop and they suggested 6'6-7' funboards for me.

Was the staff there all skinny young local grom rippers or someone about your age, build and experience ?

For a skinny young grommie ripper, a 7' funboard IS a longboard....

190lbs is big for a surfer as far as off the rack shortboards go....I'm just about your same weight and I was on a longboard primarily for the first year I surfed....I would even bog a 7'6" x 22 x 2 3/4" mini mal I had picked up a few months in when I thought that I was ready to ride smaller.....until you get the basics down, you won't be able to get on a wave that is big enough to make you go fast enough to make a smaller board plane and hold that big body up.....go bigger until you can catch solid waves and ride them left and right.....you just won't be able to ride a board like the one pictured unless the wave is near the height of your head or around shoulder high if you are good at pumping the board and positioning on the face of the wave as you ride.

From what I hear, Florida has it's days, but for the most part waves are small to medium and on the softer side....not the kind of conditions that a big body needs to ride small boards, especially when you're learning.

Some credit is due to JGiannone97. So many beginners buy the board first and inquire about the purchase second. Rarely do these many beginners get it right.

JGiannone97, those boards are too small for you. Opinion basis:
We are same height
I weigh 30 pounds less
Have taught many people how to surf
Nearly every beginner requires long board time (to learn how to surf and have fun doing it)


P.S. buying used is okay. My boards are used. Nearly everything I buy is used (motorcycles, automobiles, guitars, first wetsuit, suitable automobile and motorcycle parts, and more.

billie_morini wrote:Some credit is due to JGiannone97.
Nearly every beginner requires long board time (to learn how to surf and have fun doing it)


P.S. buying used is okay. My boards are used. Nearly everything I buy is used (motorcycles, automobiles, guitars, first wetsuit, suitable automobile and motorcycle parts, and more.

I echo this , surfing has so many individual needs , keep asking first and then spending as much time surfing as you can. Water time is the best teacher, post some videos of your journey we get two benefits a laugh and a few points of instruction for you and ther learners.
Remember wherever we are on the food chain, we undertook the same steps and splats.