Surfing Waves

Hey guys,

Just seeking some advice on a board for a beginner. I've been trying to get started with surfing for the past couple of months using a Primitive Big Bird 6'7. The frustration is getting the better of me. Paddling onto waves is tough and standing up is unstable. That is, the waves I do manage to paddle onto are short-lived rides usually ending in a nose dive or the board slipping out underneath me. Looking to get some more volume so I can catch more waves and improve my surfing. I've seen a Lost Puddle jumper 6'10 with about 57.7 L, and a Firewire Addvance 7'6 with about 69L. Both about $650

I'm 6'5 and 205lbs. I'm fairly fit. Trying to surf at least 3 times week. Just seeking some advice on whether these two boards would be suitable for me. And if so which might you suggest? Is it just a case of bigger is better?

Thanks for your consideration.

Cheers,

Cage

You're a big guy....bigger than me....why not a longboard 9ft+? You could handle it and be better off for it if you're just starting out.

Cage123 wrote:Hey guys,

Just seeking some advice on a board for a beginner.

I'm 6'5 and 205lbs. I'm fairly fit. Trying to surf at least 3 times week. Just seeking some advice on whether these two boards would be suitable for me. And if so which might you suggest? Is it just a case of bigger is better?

Thanks for your consideration.

Cheers,

Cage

Neither of the boards you are asking about is suitable if you wish to make fast progress , go something about 9ft to get all the skills both in catching the wave and surfing with it.
if you are struggling to catch waves it ain't fun and you cannot improve.
All the problem you describe are from being on a small board.
learning can be done on smaller board but it is just so much harder.
This is pretty much standard advice for all big sized learners and most mediums too.

How can a board called "advanced" be okay for a "beginner" ?
6'5" 205lbs. At least go a 1 foot more than your height. 2 feet over if you can't bottom turn or go back side.
Who sold you a 6'7" to learn on ?

At 6.3/200lbs I am sligltly smaller and lighther than you and a bit more advanced beginner. I have ridden the Addvance a few times. Firewire markets this as a board for expereicned, but older and heavier surfers, not as a board for novices. And with reason. It is significantly less stable and more difficult to catch waves with than my 9ft longboard, which has just 5l volume more. Go longer, at your stage at least 2ft above your height.

I can't help but notice the 9ft advice that rolls on this forum, what about people that don't own a limousine or roof rack
But still he should go longer

If you dont own a roof rack, buy a roof rack...or get a short board and spend 3 hours every session not catching waves instead of spending 20 min at the shop buying a roof rack...

The lost puddle jumper isnt a suitable board - its a small wave board designed to be ridden shorter (but fatter and wider) than a standard board. Scaling it up to a big board - like for all groveller boards - just doesnt really work from all accounts. You cant just take a board designed for 5'6 and make it 6'10 (note: you can with the lonboard/mal shape because the parallel rails can just be lengthened with not too many other changes required). Out of the two you have suggested, the Addvance definitely

BUT: dont assume high volume means beginner board, as Oldie so correctly highlights. For example, the Addvance will turn much easier than a funboard but that means its less stable (turning inversely correlates with stability)

icetime wrote:I can't help but notice the 9ft advice that rolls on this forum, what about people that don't own a limousine or roof rack
But still he should go longer

Soft racks should be in everyone's travel kit, have board you want on the car you have.
Done properly they can handle freeway speeds!

As for recommended length initial learning is about catching waves 200lb beginners on short boards an exercise in frustration.

Not saying anything against the advice of 9ft+ boards for 200lbs beginners and the use of softracks or hardracks for the car. But I was in a sortlike dilemma, even at a weight of 165lbs..
I didn't like to use a softrack fearing it would damage the rubber around my cars doors, and I couldn't find a good fitting hardrack for my little hatchback car.
I still used my 9'2" longboard to the beaches close to my house in the rack of my motorbike, But for the beaches farther away I like to use my car.
Solution: I finally found the 8'2" I had my eyes on for a long time, a Firewire Submoon. I found it second hand for a reasonable price. This board easy fits inside my little car, and it paddles just as good as the 9'2", if not better. Also on good waves it steers very dynamic from the thin and rockered tail, I like it. Haven't tried it in bigger waves like 1.5OH+ though, that's where the (less width and equally rockered) 9'2" shone.

whoa! here's my two cents as a girl surfer... who is a beginner.... who consistently gets up in whitewash and is making the transition to green waves. I live in So Cal and try to get out in the water at least once a week. My husband got me the 7'6" firewire addvance for my bday about a month ago and I LOVE IT! I'm 5'7", 130lb... so a lil bit different size than you.... but I went from an 8'4" longboard that was 72L to this 7'6" 70L addvance! I'm taking steeper drops on waves and am challenging myself with learning turns that were a bit tougher on my 8'4" board. I agree that it's always best to start on the longest most voluminous board for learning.... but I find the maneuverability and ease of wave catching with my addvance SO FUN!!

Good luck!

icetime wrote:I can't help but notice the 9ft advice that rolls on this forum, what about people that don't own a limousine or roof rack
But still he should go longer

.........said the guy who is 105lbs.