Surfing Waves

Hey guys

I'm a relative beginner, started surfing a year ago but only get out once, twice a month at the moment. I've got a longboard and during the UK winter, I sometimes have to not go because the surf is bigger than what I fancy tackling on my longboard, so can you recommend a second board for when it's bigger?

I guess the obvious choice is a minimal but I don't think it would offer much difference to my longboard. At my height (6'1) and weight (80kg), I think I'd need a long mini-mal anyway and the point is to make it easier to get out back and to have more rocker to help dropping in on those bigger waves. So I was thinking more of a 'fun board' something a bit shorter but with lots of volume still as I'm quite a big lad and still learning after all. Am I going to right sort of direction? Any help appreciated!

Chain a couple of questions ,because a straight up,answer is long boards can handle almost anything.
Sure there are challenges getting out at some breaks but the difference between a fun board size and a long board in getting out, not much! + You lose paddling power to catch waves and oomph in paddling out!



More skill and more technique and beach understanding to be able to get out, and have takeoff skills to not pearl!

Just so I'm not barking up the wrong tree, what longboard are you riding these days?
Because if it is something like a wave storm , ok then a change might be good.

At my current level of surfing, I don't feel that nose rocker affects how much I pearl. Longboards can go out in lots of different conditions and seeing how you don't go out much then a longboard would seem to be more likely the board you need. It's really a matter of paddle fitness. If you had the paddle fitness and paddle skill for a shorter board then no problem but you only surf 1 or 2 times a month. I don't know if a funboard is easier or harder to get out but when I longboarded I had skills for that and when I funboard (now) I have skills for that and my fitness has improved greatly so not to sure what the difference is. Paddling out I can usually out paddle longboarders on my funboard not sure if that is fitness or skill or power or the board. Most likely all of the above but I would probably do even better on a longboard (I have an awesome funboard though)

I’m in the same boat as you... same weight, height, and skill level, and wanting to get a second board.

Trollers - note “wanting to get a second board”, not “wanting to replace my first longboard...”. I still plan to keep and use my longboard as I surf and try to progress. I just have a interest in getting a second board, maybe something different for same reasons as the person who started this thread. I see a lot of people here that are so quick to jump in the conclusion that a second board for a beginner shouldn’t be anything other than a longboard when they don’t understand the first longboard isn’t going anywhere. It will stay in quiver and still be used. We’re just interested in a second board to the quiver that’s not in sense the exact same type of board as the first.

Based on a lot of help from members here I’m taking a strong look at a FireWire Seaxe or Bing Collector myself. Maybe Torq Mod Fun too.

There is no problem in wanting a second (or third or fourth or...) board. I am a gear addict myself in whatever I do. Buy whatever you like. One should just not expect that a shorter board will be a fix for a lack of capabilities. In Golf, I can get a club with a bigger Sweetspot and will get away with a less solid hit. In Surfing, that bigger Sweetspot can be found with a bigger board, not a smaller one. If you want a smaller board with more nose rocker - that will decrease your abiity to get out even more as the increased rocker will add drag. The best paddler I surfed was a mini-longboard 8.4 long width a wide nose and low rocker. Having said all that, I think the Torq TEC M2 looks like a nice board for better waves. Just don't expect it to help you with paddling or wave catching issues that you seem have on your longboard.

Going by the standard rule I usually recommend, for a 2nd board something 2 feet over your head. So you being at 6’1” try looking for a 8’0” thereabouts ( but that’s after you can bottom turn and trim on a board 3 feet over your head AND have a good paddle )
Even at 2 feet over your head you still won’t be able to duck dive, so I don’t see much difference to getting out back. It will just be harder to paddle.
I don’t agree with the “more Rocker” theory that it’ll be easier to make the drop and pearl lesss.
Try post some boards that you think might work or you find for sale used in your area. Then we can give our thoughts on them.

If you don't surf weekly or more often learning to use a shorter board will be problematic since you will have to paddle better than you do for a longboard and most likely need to do extra training in order to get into better paddling shape. Without the paddling fitness and skill your wave count will be way down compared to using a longboard and the rate of learning to surf will decrease as well because obviously if you aren't catching waves then you aren't surfing. The other mistake people make is that they think that a shorter board will help because they can get out through the lineup because it is short enough to duck dive. However having a board that you can duck dive doesn't mean that you can duck dive it or that you have learned how to avoid having to duck dive which is what will save your arms for paddling for waves. So often the surfer gets a shortboard and still can't get out or if they do then they can't catch any waves because they are too tired and not fit enough. Besides paddling fitness you need to line up the break much better to ride a shorter board because it requires a steeper wave to takeoff on. Longboards are easier to learn on since they are much more forgiving with where you lineup, how fast you popup, where you lay on the board and how well you paddle. But perhaps you are already paddle fit and know the waves well enough to ride a shortboard or are willing to put up with the disappointment of a much greater struggle learning to surf. Listen I am saying this but I learned to surf on a shortboard. I never bothered with longboards till I got old and out of shape. It's just that we hear these same stories over and over and want to make sure people understand what they are likely in for.

I thought I might answer about the call trolling for pjgazele, I know quite a few of our experienced advisers read back through previous posts for information to give the best advise to the questions asked!
First answer from me, have as many boards as you wish, it is always about choice!
Unfortunately most boards are accompanied by a swatch of advertising BS most of which doesn't help the purchaser.
This is why for board advice we ask for weight age height what and where you are riding, what you are capable of now? How you want to ride!
This is the first set of data we look at.
This is matched to if we can previous posts as often what we hear from early stage surfers is myths they have handed to them by others! Our aim is to get the best learning and surfing experience for their level and our board recommendations are based on that.
We can get it wrong! Usually because the surfer is young and puts a lot of effort in.
The askers can get it wrong, every so often an early surfer does not like the advice and chooses their own path ( an absolute right) some post later that they discovered what we offered was sound advice.
So my question is telling someone that skill improvement based on all this better than a second board trolling?
Just an opinion really!
So much of surfing is counter intuitive and good surfers make it look so easy, it ain't, but the deep answer is always gaining skill often by sticking and learning one board thoroughly, reading and learning the surf,

I have a five board quiver, but my mainstay is 9'1" I ride it from small to double overhead plus, I have a short board too, I choose it to match certain waves and certain moods I have, I have the skills to go between either, just get a little smashed a few times adjusting to the finer points of each.
My self assessment, Upper average !

Final answer more than one board is great, so multiple board advice is again what best suits.
Don't like a board , onsell it! Buy another, but try to,explain that to a non surfer

cha1n wrote:can you recommend a second board for when it's bigger?

I use a Firewire Submoon 8'2 for that, I'm 6' 76kg, 55yo, intermediate.
Off course there are many boards u can choose for that, the Seaxe would be great too.
Thing is you'll always exchange some of the advantages of the new board for disadvantages.. Mainly: smaller, more rockered boards are (a lot) harder to paddle than a longboard.
I've got 2 longboards that get a bit tricky on takeoff in bigger/steeper, especially my noserider.
It's a big difference using the Submoon, so much more easy on takeoff and no pearling. Also it feels a lot looser on the wave, it's great fun!
But the slower paddling is the big disadvantage. It's all relative off course, I've got smaller boards that paddle a lot less than the Submoon, but my submoon is still over 8', u would expect better paddling, that makes it hard in my view..
When I'm out on my 6'2 or 5'7 I'm mentally prepared to suffer

I think its worth saying that most people go for bigger boards for big surf, rather than smaller. This is because you need to be able to paddle faster to catch the wave (at the extreme, why some waves cannot be paddled but only surfable through tow ins). However, for beginner/longboarders then, yes, it can be suitable to go shorter for bigger waves

obviously just getting a second board because you want to is fine, or because it offers some benefits over your existing board(s) in certain situations is not only fine, but normal.

My favourite mid length style board for bigger waves is probably the McTavish Carver. The CI M13 is also worth a look

for a longer board that is for bigger surf, something like this is ideal

https://bingsurf.com/collections/maui-foil
https://www.surfboardsbydonaldtakayama. ... ards/dt-1/

I'm not saying get one of these specific boards and these are more 'all rounder boards' that can deal with bigger waves (rather than specifically big wave boards) but look at their similarities - narrowish tail and nose (probably pretty thin here as well), little bit of nose rocker (but dont forget tail rocker), turned down rails going to hard at the back. Basically taking the width and foam out of the tail and nose, and adding slightly more rocker (but it doesnt have to be much). The waves will give you power and speed; you need a board that allows you to control this power (whereas for a traditional smaller wave board, you need a board that maximises the power)

That said, and as others have said, you need to have the paddle ability and skill to make the jump from a longboard to a shorter board that is less stable and less easy to paddle.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I understand some of the comments trying to put me off getting a smaller board. I spent most of my first year of surfing renting boards between mid 7' minimals and 9' mals and came to the conclusion that I preferred surfing the mals because I would catch every wave I paddled for (could get away with not even paddling if I was positioned well) and could just pop up and head down the line. That's why I eventually bought my 9'6 (slightly bigger than what I wanted but at a very good price). I figure that it will allow me to carry on surfing through the summer, even when the surf is very small locally.

When I say I want a board for bigger surf, I mean relative to what I'm used to, I've been surfing all summer in slow 1' to 3' waves. Now the weekend forecasts are regularly 5' to 8' and I find those bigger waves more hectic to get through on my longboard. Also, my closest wave is 1.5 hours away, which means I don't surf as much but later in the year I will have a wave garden within 15 minutes drive of where I live, so I envision my fitness and ability is going to greatly improve over the next year. I've got the spare cash, I'm happy to have a second board. I do enough sports and activities to know that you can either get the one thing that works well in most situations, or get the one that works best for the specific conditions and I prefer the latter approach. I've read a few articles that seems to advice a sized up shortboard or funboard for this. I fully understand the physical and mental adjustments that will need to be made to surf such a different board. I was thinking I would just take both boards and start on the shorter board until I get frustrated/tired and then swap back to to longboard later in the session. Same as when I break-in a new pair of tight rock climbing shoes!

I think you've got all the fors and againsts! Really in the end it is personal choice!
I know about the wave garden, a couple of friends have been tot he one in Wales! Mixed reports but perhaps a good way to hone skills.
Is it cost effective, road time and petrol, possible inconsistent,surf quality versus, surf cost at the garden.
One advantage I see two boards same type wave, you can really check the difference changing between waves without the paddle out challenges. No oceanic rejections!
Let us know how it goes!

jaffa1949 wrote: Don't like a board , onsell it! Buy another, but try to,explain that to a non surfer

Haha, my girlfriend really doesn't understand this theory at all, I tell her it is like makeup brushes.

I used to surf long ago and stopped and restarted on a 9'6" board because I was old and out of shape. Eventually I surfed the 9'6" longboard in waves with close to 20 foot faces. It worked just fine. I got the only standup longer duration tube ride since I restarted surfing on the same 9'6" longboard on a wave with about a 12 foot face. The board worked well. I now surf an 8 foot board or lately a 7'6" or a 7 foot board because my 8 foot board is drying out waiting to be patched. The eight foot board turns easier and is easier to use on faster steeper waves but I could still use the 9'6" board on fast steep waves and I could turn it. Those skills I learned on that longboard help me to not pearl on my shorter boards. I realized after surfing shorter boards for a while that while I worried about the longboard pearling, I didn't really pearl much with the except in rare steep vertical drops where the board loses contact with the water and the shorter boards with or without nose rocker also pearled in that same situation.

I meant to say that I got the 8 foot board for surfing smaller waves. I use it on bigger waves but the 9"6" was almost as good on the bigger waves. It was turning on head high waves that I got the 8 foot board for because I started to feel the weight of the nose of the longboard as I turned on head high waves

What kind of break is this? I have a longboard, midsize, and shortboard, and when waves are big at my local point breaks I actually reach for the longboard instead of midsize. I can't duck dive either, and the longboard will get me outside faster and feels more stable when you need to turtle roll. It's also faster to paddle into and catch waves, which I feel gives more margin for error despite having to watch out for pearling the longer nose (I ask what type of break you primarily surf, because I personally choose smaller boards for beach break regardless of size.)

I'm not saying you shouldn't get a shorter board though as this is largely personal preference and feel, just wanted to throw in a little counterpoint.

cha1n wrote:Also, my closest wave is 1.5 hours away, which means I don't surf as much but later in the year I will have a wave garden within 15 minutes drive of where I live, so I envision my fitness and ability is going to greatly improve over the next year. I've got the spare cash, I'm happy to have a second board.

Is this park going to use the new Wavegarden Cove tech? The Wavegarden Cove looks really interesting, and seems to be more practical (due to higher wave frequency) than the old Wavegarden or Kelly's wave.

Tudeo wrote:But the slower paddling is the big disadvantage. It's all relative off course, I've got smaller boards that paddle a lot less than the Submoon, but my submoon is still over 8', u would expect better paddling, that makes it hard in my view..
When I'm out on my 6'2 or 5'7 I'm mentally prepared to suffer

I had that problem too. I was out surfing my usual break on my shorter board and kicking myself again for not having brought my longboard. On that day I just didn't feel like struggling through all the paddling (wanted my longboard easy paddling fix). Anyway, not long after that session I watched these Seal Beach surfers and I realized the solution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hEbhhM8QjQ

I needed to find an easy paddle shortboard break where the paddle to the plunging line of the waves was 50 feet from the shore. My reasoning: if I don't want to go to the wave, then I need to find a wave that comes to me. It's all a matter of finding the right spot for what you want to do. I want to paddle my shorter boards as little as possible so I need a break that accommodates me. That's actually not that hard to do around here. Maybe you just need to find your shortboard spot.

cha1n wrote:I guess the obvious choice is a minimal but I don't think it would offer much difference to my longboard. At my height (6'1) and weight (80kg), I think I'd need a long mini-mal anyway and the point is to make it easier to get out back and to have more rocker to help dropping in on those bigger waves. So I was thinking more of a 'fun board' something a bit shorter but with lots of volume still as I'm quite a big lad and still learning after all. Am I going to right sort of direction? Any help appreciated!

I can tell you where bigger waves give me the most trouble. I ride a 7'10" egg shape board without a lot of rocker. Anyway, in overhead+ waves my biggest problem is speed. I get going so fast out of the gate that I lose control of my ride, not always, but often. I suspect my problem is really because of my surfing, but I wonder sometimes whether the lack of rocker in my board gives it too much speed. I want a little more rocker in bigger waves to kind of slow me down a little as I plunge down the face. I can't give you any board recommendations, but I would focus your thoughts on getting the rocker right for the waves you intend to surf. It's a tricky balancing act though because having less rocker makes it SOO much easier to paddle into waves. And that's important when you're taking off on a bigger wave.

RinkyDink wrote:It's all a matter of finding the right spot for what you want to do. I want to paddle my shorter boards as little as possible so I need a break that accommodates me. That's actually not that hard to do around here. Maybe you just need to find your shortboard spot.

You're right, and it can be so nice to switch things up, be it boards or spots. On the other hand it's so tempting to try out a smaller (more dynamic) board after you've got the (outside) wave dialed in using bigger boards.
It's all about fitness for me, at the moment my paddling is, after some moths off, too weak to even consider it.