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Buying a surfboard

Posted:
Thu Aug 04, 2016 10:35 pm
by Freeman
Hey, I'm a beginner/intermediate surfer. I've been surfing for a few months 4-6. I've been surfing on these cheap foam BZ boards.ive got the hang of surfing and can catch waves ride waves. The problem is I don't think the board I have is capable of riding wave faces. It's a hassle to paddle out because it impossible to duck dive. I've been researching for surf boards and I've found that my calculated volume based on expirence, weight age etc is 29-34 and I know I want a board shorter than 7 feet. So I wanted to know if anyone has any suggestion I greatly apprciate it. Oh and if you know anything about this board let me know
Re: Buying a surfboard

Posted:
Fri Aug 05, 2016 1:04 am
by dtc
There is no way that 29-34L is the volume for you, unless you weight 90lb.
What is your height and weight and age? Where do you surf
Re: Buying a surfboard

Posted:
Fri Aug 05, 2016 2:20 am
by saltydog
If you've been surfing for a few months you are still a beginner. BUT if you are a light weight like me the calculator could spew a ridiculously low volume i.e.. at my lightweight state (sub 50kg) I get the kind of volume as an intermediate which I'm not. I'm def. still a beginner after a year. I'm more comfortable in a 55-60L range. Tell us your height, weight, how often you surf, how long you've been surfing, location etc. and we can give you a better suggestion. As a general guide if you are a beginner coming off of a foamie/soft top and old enough to post on a forum, you need a board longer than 6'6 to transition to.
I've looked into Degree33, read reviews online etc. in the past. I didn't get a warm and fuzzy feel. For a brand new board of that price range I'd go for more tried and true ones like NSP or Torque, or even BIC. There is also an option of used ones if you can find them locally.
Re: Buying a surfboard

Posted:
Fri Aug 05, 2016 4:34 am
by Big H
Freeman wrote:..... and I know I want a board shorter than 7 feet.
What is the reasoning behind this?
Re: Buying a surfboard

Posted:
Fri Aug 05, 2016 7:51 am
by Lebowski
Freeman wrote:The problem is I don't think the board I have is capable of riding wave faces. It's a hassle to paddle out because it impossible to duck dive. I've been researching for surf boards and I've found that my calculated volume based on expirence, weight age etc is 29-34 and I know I want a board shorter than 7 feet. So I wanted to know if anyone has any suggestion I greatly apprciate it. Oh and if you know anything about this board let me know
This is absolute nonsense. All surfboards are capable of riding the wave face. Foamie boards are even easier, because you can catch the wave super early and it will continue riding through powerless flat sections without needing to be worked and kept in the pocket. If you can't ride unbroken waves on a foamie, taking a massive drop in volume will ensure that you have no chance for a long while.
Re: Buying a surfboard

Posted:
Fri Aug 05, 2016 12:31 pm
by IB_Surfer
a bigger board IS harder to duckdive, but that is just a growing pain. A smaller board will be easier to duckdive but harder to catch waves on. I would suggest a gradual decrease in volume if you really want to transition to a shorter board,
Re: Buying a surfboard

Posted:
Sat Aug 06, 2016 12:13 pm
by Oldie
Some bigger boards (like my longboard) are impossible to duckdive. Still you can get into the lineup with turtle roles, by paddling hard during the the breaks between the sets, paddling around the breaking area or using rip currents. Catching waves is much easier than with a shorter board. I have tried this and found that going smaller before you are ready will just hold you back and this is a very frustrating experience. And if you cannot ride a green wave with a foamie, you are not ready to downsize..
Re: Buying a surfboard

Posted:
Sat Aug 06, 2016 1:00 pm
by icetime
Getting a board with less volume won't help you get to the lineup any easier, stick to what you have and learn to spot rips to paddle in or wait for a lull and paddle your butt off to the lineup, took me a few months to figure it out but now I can paddle a 8' board to the lineup and my current board
