Surfing Waves

Hello All, I have been doing a lot of reading online and found this forum to be one of the best for friendly advice. Learning to surf has been a longtime goal and turning 50 this year I have decided it is time. I have gone surfing maybe a dozen times including 2-3 lessons and have been working on my popup mostly in the white water. I am looking to surf some of my local beaches (small swells in the Pacific Northwest) in areas where board rental is not an option. I am 5'10" tall and 200 lbs with pretty good balance.

Based on reading this forum I have been searching for a used board with not much success. There are just not that many surfers around here. I have purchased an 8' wavestorm for my son who is learning with me but feel like it is too small for me at my size. A 9' wavestorm is an option but the price jumps considerably and puts me nearer the range of some "better" boards. I would prefer to by a decent longboard that I will always want to keep. Oh, we also live near flat water so we want to get out and simply paddle for exercise, to learn technique and just get on the water.

So any advice on which board would be best for me? Foamie (Wavestorm), Softop (Surftech learn2surf or Torq Softdeck or ???), or an epoxy board like the Torq TET? Also, I am thinking something in the 9 to 10' range. Any suggestions on size?

I know you all get a lot of first board questions so thanks for your patience and advice.

you are totally on the right track, something around 9ft will be a good choice. Try 9ft x 22 x 2 3/4 - can go bigger on any of those measurements, reluctant to go smaller. 9ft - 9'6 will be fine; 10ft is getting pretty long and you probably dont need it. Go wider and thicker rather than longer

This is more or less 'standard' longboard sizing, so you should be able to find plenty.

I dont personally see the need for a softboard, its purely a 'safety' thing during the period you learn to fall properly and not run over people. But if you would prefer it, thats fine; if you prefer not to then even better. In other words, you dont have to learn on a softtop. Many people dont and in no way do they suffer.

In terms of possible boards, a second hand board is usually your best and cheapest option. Doesnt really matter if its PU or epoxy - epoxy is tougher but if you are buying second hand, you can put up with a few dings and aesthetic issues probably.

If you would prefer to buy new or cant find a 2nd hand one, then Torq is a good choice as is NSP. GSI modern blackbird 9'1 is another worthwhile choice (or the GSI 'Boss' or Walden mega magic - the latter is a v good board but its expensive). But those are just the big names; there are plenty of options - local shapers can sometimes be no more expensive, check out what your local shop carries, look for sales etc.

At the end of the day, a standard longboard (ie the rough dimensions above, rounded nose) will get you into the water. Dont spend too long trying to find 'the perfect' board - as a beginner almost all standard longboards are good enough; the longer you take to choose the longer until you can learn to surf. And at 50, not much time left ... (I say that as someone within a fingernail's distance of 50)

Thanks for the great advice. Nice to hear I am on the right track.

Spent the weekend at the beach and had some perfect beginner waves. I rented a 9' foam board and also rode my son's 8' wavestorm. Did really well on the 9' as can be expected since it has more volume and I just felt the 8' was a little small (they list max weight at 200 lbs).

I guess this raised some questions about volume. The 9' board has a volume of one hundred liters. The 8' board has a volume of 86 liters. The softop and hard boards I have looked at (9' Surftech learn2surf and 9' Torq) have a volume of 72 liters. Even though these boards are a good size 9'x23'x 3.25" (more or less) are they going to be too small for me? Why is the 8' wavestorm only rated to 200 lbs. I assume there is more to it than volume but not sure how it all factors together. Thanks again.

Thanks for the great advice. Nice to hear I am on the right track.

Spent the weekend at the beach and had some perfect beginner waves. I rented a 9' foam board and also rode my son's 8' wavestorm. Did really well on the 9' as can be expected since it has more volume and I just felt the 8' was a little small (they list max weight at 200 lbs).

I guess this raised some questions about volume. The 9' board has a volume of one hundred liters. The 8' board has a volume of 86 liters. The softop and hard boards I have looked at (9' Surftech learn2surf and 9' Torq) have a volume of 72 liters. Even though these boards are a good size 9'x23'x 3.25" (more or less) are they going to be too small for me? Why is the 8' wavestorm only rated to 200 lbs. I assume there is more to it than volume but not sure how it all factors together. Thanks again.

I think the wavestorm is rated to 200lb to maximise its ease of use ie a 210lb person on an 8ft board will find it harder than on a 9ft board, and the wavestorm is aimed at beginners. Its possible that at 200lb there is a great risk of breaking the board - its just foam, so not super super strong. If you start pushing it in turns etc it will probably start flexing, or if you land on it wrong from an air drop (happens even when you dont intend it!)

In any case, if you want a wavestorm then that will be ok for now

As to the other boards - yes, they are lower volume and you will notice a difference from a foam board. Foam boards are big and floaty. But you are only 200lbs. Volume helps when you are catching waves, but 200lb guys can catch waves on 6ft boards (pro surfer Zeke Lau is 200lbs and surfs a 30L board). So as your paddling and positioning improves, you will absolutely be able to surf such a board (note: initially you may nose dive and miss waves etc - this is going to occur no matter what board!)

Have a look here https://surfsimply.com/surf-coaching/vo ... ht-ratios/ Even though you may be 'level 1' at the moment, you are on the cusp of level 2 (or already there), and the recommendation is then for around 75L board (200/2.6 = 77L). So a 72L board is at the bottom end of that range but pretty close. If you are particularly concerned, then there are other boards you can look at - that said, 10 years ago no one would have said anything about volume or thought that a 9'2 x 23 would have been too small for you. So dont get too tangled up in getting the litres exactly "right"