Surfing Waves

Hi I'm pretty confused about what surfboard to get. I'm 13 years old I'm 5'4'' male and have an average fitness level. I am looking for a beginner board that will last me a while before I have to progress to a different board. I was looking at the 6'7" bic shortboard(see below) but am unsure if it will be too small for me. The dms for that are 6ft 7 x 20.75 x 2.4 and it has 38 litres of volume.

Please help me

Questions:
1) what size board are you on now ?
2) how long have you been surfing ?
3) Can you turn front side and back side ?

4)

JoeT1000 wrote: I am looking for a beginner board that will last me a while before I have to progress to a different board.

Do you think it will be a while to progress ? The quicker you learn the wave, how to catch, how to stand up, turn, etc. the sooner you'll be looking for another board. When ? Everyone is different. Could be 10 weeks, 10 months, 10 years ( I know some of those people ). But get the board appropriate for your NOW level.

Adding to W-Chan's questions:

5. How many times will you be surfing each week/month?

6. How much do you weigh?

7. Which breaks will you be surfing?

I know little of English waves, but there are many forum members here from UK that can recommend a good beginner board for a specific break.

replying to those questions
1) I don't have a board but I generally surf 7' soft boards from hire shops
2) I've only been surfing for about a year
3) I don't really ride the face of a wave at the moment but when I do I fall off before I can turn
4) I think it might take me about a year to learn how to ride the break I get the most chance to surf on
5) I surf about 3 weeks a year
6) I weigh about 50Kg or 110lbs
7) The wave I surf most is a place called Watergate Bay in cornwall but I go to Hossegor in france once a year as well

For 3 weeks a year you'd probably be better staying on the rented foamies.

JoeT1000 wrote:3) I don't really ride the face of a wave at the moment but when I do I fall off before I can turn

Then don't get a point nose Short board. Stay with rounded nose Fun boards or Mini-Mals.

JoeT1000 wrote:5) I surf about 3 weeks a year
6) I go to Hossegor in france ONCE a year as well

Then DON'T get a board. Just rent one. What is the board going to do for 49 weeks out of the year ? Are you going to bring it on your trip to France ? Oversize Baggage fees both ways probably cost as much as renting.

If I had a board I would probably bring it on the trip to France as we drive down so there's no baggage fees

Renting a board like the BIC starts at about 100€/week in France (been there, done that). So if you exactly know what you need and go there by car, it might be cheaper over time to buy one, given the new price of less than 300€. Owning a board gives you more flexibility on when and where to surf as the more you get hooked, the more you will look for those weekend trips, too.

But I would suggest to rent a variety of better boards than foamies (many shops in France rent out BICs, and even PU/epoxy Minimals) and test what works for you as with your experience, that shortboard shape will slow you down in catching and riding waves. My daughter at 14 tried that and found a massive difference to a just slightly longer Minma or Egg..

Once you found what works for you; i would suggest to look for a used decent board. The BICs work quite well, but they are very heavy.

Thanks when I go to France I'll try what I like and then decide