Surfing Waves

I would love to get some advice on a new surfboard. I'm an intermediate surfer (I can catch green waves and do turns with no problem) and have been surfing with a 6'8. I started surfing a couple of years ago on a 7'8 and have been going shorter on rental boards ever since. I'm looking to buy my first board and I'm trying to figure out the right dimensions.

I live in London so unfortunately I can't surf as regularly as I want but I do go to the coast at least one weekend a month and do occasional bigger trips (I'm from Brazil so I go there quite often and just came back from a surf trip in Costa Rica, for example).

I'm a female, 28yo, 5'2, 119lb and I guess I'm fit (go to the gym 2, 3X a week)

I'm in between a 6'6 or a 6'4. I guess I would be more comfortable with the 6'6 since it would be closer to the size of the board I have been surfing with but it would be easier to travel with a 6'4 (British Airways don't allow any boards bigger than a 6'4 - nightmare!).

Dimensions:
6' 4" x 20 3/4" x 2 7/16" 37.37 L
6' 6" x 21 1/4" x 2 1/2" 40.10 L
p.s: I spoke to the shaper and I could also get the 6'4 with the same width and thickness of the 6'6.

Is going from a 6'8 to a 6'4 a huge step or is doable? I don't want to base my choice on airlines restrictions but if the difference is not that big it might be something to take into account.

Thanks!!!!!

My opinion...get the 6'4" so that you won't have airline headaches. As far as volume and dimensions, what does you shaper recommend? At your size, either one would float you fine; I'm 87kg and ride boards that same size and smaller and am an intermediate as well. If you haven't already, tell your shaper about the 6'8" board, even better take it to him so that he can look it over and ask him what he thinks. Tell him the bit about the airline as well. At your size the 6'4" width would be more comfortable as well. I'm almost a foot taller than you and don't like to paddle boards wider than 21".

At your height and skill level, I'd say you can go even shorter like a 6'0 or 5'10, would think the 6'6 and 6'4 would be oversized for you and you'll grow out of them quicker than one that's a bit smaller. Have you tried any smaller boards? If you are renting currently, ask the guys in the shop if you can switch around boards during the same visit so you can try out a bunch of different sizes. You may find the 6'6/6'4 was a good call, or may find you want to go smaller. Trial and error is best done at the cost of a rental than to spend money on a new board and find it's not suitable.

If its a choice between the 2 though, I'd say go for the 6'4.

6'4" might not be short enough. The baggage ruling is 6'4" WITH the travel bag. So the travel bag and added padding will be over the max limit. Unless you plan to throw the board in the plane naked.

UK surf... don't go too short otherwise you'll cut down the number of days that you can catch a wave, but that drop in size shouldn't be a huge problem.

I used to surf in the UK with a similar sized 6'6 and it was perfect for UK conditions. However, I'm a whole heap bigger than you, so the 6'4 would be more than enough.


Don't you just love the drive down the A303...?