Surfing Waves

Hey guys I'm just wondering what would be the best board to get. I bought an 8' foamie and have using it for about 2 months now.. I'm 20 years old and decided it was a good time to start learning how to surf since I've lived by the beach my whole life. I'm about 6'2 230 pounds, I want to get a new board but I'm not sure if I should stick with the one I have or get a new one. I'm in the La Jolla area but go to Blacks and areas around there. Anyone suggestions on board type/size? Or some good areas for beginners?

How is your surfing doing? Are you catching unbroken waves and riding them down the line? Are you having problems with the board you currently have? Just from hearing from lots of other beginners that board may be too small for you

oldmansurfer wrote:How is your surfing doing? Are you catching unbroken waves and riding them down the line? Are you having problems with the board you currently have? Just from hearing from lots of other beginners that board may be too small for you

It's doing alright I can catch breaking waves and have gotten the hang of standing up. Whenever I try to catch unbroken waves and ride them down the line my nose always goes down and I end up tumbling, which is still fun with a sand bottom. I'm unsure if this is cause I need something other than a foam board or I'm just doing something wrong. I probably sound like a terrible newb sorry about that.

If you're getting hit by the white water ( the wave catches you ), riding down the face on your belly, getting up on a knee ( or both ) in the flats and standing for a second or two then falling off..... Then you should stay on that softboard for the next 3 months or so ( basically over the summer ) until YOU can catch the wave, trim along the face, and start to do simple turn downs.
Your pearling ( nosediving ) is due to your lack of paddling technique, timing, positioning on the board and wave, and experience. If anything a bigger 9 foot soft board will help float you more and get into the wave earlier before the wave steepens out.

As wkk said, if anything get a bigger board. Most surfboards are designed for a surfer around 165lbs or thereabouts; in other words if you are bigger then you need to step up from that. Fortunately there are plenty of boards covering us bigger guys; but a board that is a good learner board for a 160 or 170lbs person isn't necessarily a good learner board for someone 230lbs

If you do want a new board, I would look at something 9 - 9'6 long, 22+ wide and 3 thick (bigger is ok, very marginally smaller may be ok). Or a 9ft+ softboard. This bigger size will likely help you progress more quickly than your current board (wavestorm?); although remember that surfing is a hard to learn sport so the board will not miraculously solve your issues. Just give you a bit more assistance/margin for error

Thanks for the help guys. I used my wavestorm for a few weeks longer and was able to start riding down the line rather than just catching whitewater. I recently bought an 8' "Speed Egg", not sure the difference from an egg but that's what it says on the board, it was shaped by Tony Staples and I love it! I'm able to make some turns and ride the waves a lot better. Of course in bigger surf I still get tossed plenty of times but I feel myself getting better and definitely having a ton of fun! Thanks for the help, I'm on here reading everyone's advice every day.

Thank you , it really gives us juice when we get feedback and hear the results beginning to add up for the people we advise.
Keep the stoke, share your experiences as you go, it will help others too

egg shapes like that just look so nice. Well done on the choice - should keep you going for a while

Can you tell me the difference between a speed egg and egg? What kind of waves and style of surfing is it best used for?

yeaahgarrett wrote:Can you tell me the difference between a speed egg and egg? What kind of waves and style of surfing is it best used for?

What's the difference ? Marketing. Ways for shapers/manufactuers to promote/"sell" their boards. If he has two models EGG and Speed Egg, than one probably has a fuller rounder outline and one is more pulled in slimmer outline. But 10 different shapers vision of what a Speed Egg is, differs. One might call it a funboard, one might say a full nose Hybrid, another a stretched out disc or a big guy stick.

What kind of waves and style ? Mid size Eggs are more streamlined mini-mals/longboards. Smaller eggs are chubby shortboards. So they are a compromise. But great for marketing to those that don't want to ride "old man" longboards and can't yet rip on a shortboard.

yeaahgarrett wrote: I recently bought an 8' "Speed Egg", not sure the difference from an egg but that's what it says on the board, it was shaped by Tony Staples and I love it! I'm able to make some turns and ride the waves a lot better.

But what does it matter what the board description says ? You love it. That's all that matters.

Thanks for the reply, I guess it doesn't really matter what the difference is I was just sort of curious, I do love it though, very fun to ride. Here's a picture of it next to my old foamie that I'm letting my brother learn on!

yeah, what waikikichan says. It could also be something to do with bottom contours - a more aggressive concave, for example, in comparison to another one of his boards. But end of the day, its just a name. One guys 'speed egg' is anothers 'relaxed hybrid'. For example, compare your board to the one below - pretty similar outline, but the shaper calls it a 'waterskate' and the word 'egg' does not appear anywhere in the descripton

But thats a really nice looking board (the egg, not the other one!)

Eggs are even trendy....

Yeah that makes sense! Thanks for all the help and explanations it's greatly appreciated.