Surfing Waves

Hey all, new to the forum but found it after I just got back into surfing after 5 years. I've only been out maybe 12 times in my life over the past 10 years but finally live near a beach so am going to make it regularly.

Anyway, buying my first board. I went for a lesson at the local surf shop. They had me out on a 10' odysea log. It was great but it's an absolute unit of a board. They are actually offering to sell it to me for $275. My question is if I should really be considering the somewhat more common 9' odysea?

I was able to Cary the 10 to the beach and paddle out but it was not exactly easy. I want to catch as many waves as possible to get better and just plain have fun. Has anyone used both of these boards before and have thoughts?

Height weight and age?

6'1", 180lbs, 39 years old.

If a foot in length is the only difference, it really shouldn't matter.

I have a 9' 3" and a 10' both are poly hand shaped old school boards. I can't say either is easy to get out on a hurricane swell day, which is the only time we get waves big enough to need to duck dive.

If your more concerned about ease of getting out over fun of catching waves, get a 6' 2".

WooD wrote:If a foot in length is the only difference, it really shouldn't matter.

I have a 9' 3" and a 10' both are poly hand shaped old school boards. I can't say either is easy to get out on a hurricane swell day, which is the only time we get waves big enough to need to duck dive.

If your more concerned about ease of getting out over fun of catching waves, get a 6' 2".

thanks, i definitely want to have fun catching waves. the 10' is of course a bit wider, thicker and has more liters. i think it's been long enough since when I surfed a 9 that it was likely some other brand or shape. Anyway, I am leaning towards the 9' odysea log if they still have it used. just a bit easier to physically move around, cary, maybe help my ability to watch a wave and still be able to turn and start paddling to catch it.

Side note, is there a term for going from facing out/sideways/sitting to watch the wave to transition to paddling into it?

Questions:
1) "It was great but it's an absolute unit of a board." Sorry but I'm from an older generation that doesn't understand what that means. Do you mean it "sucked" ?
2) How near do you live to the beach ? Will you be carrying the board / walking to the beach, on a bike side rack or in/on the car ?
3) During the lesson(s), how many times did you actually paddle into and catch the wave by yourself versus the instructor pushing you ?
4) "My question is if I should really be considering the somewhat more common 9' odysea? Are you a more "common surfer" ? Follow what you need not follow the crowd.

RayzRyd wrote:I am leaning towards the 9' odysea log if they still have it used. just a bit easier to physically move around, cary, maybe help my ability to watch a wave and still be able to turn and start paddling to catch it.

Side note, is there a term for going from facing out/sideways/sitting to watch the wave to transition to paddling into it?

You are thinking that the shorter of the 2 boards will be easier to "spin around". Physics wise........ YES, but Technique wise.......NO.
If you know how to sit and spin, there's really no difference in a spinning a 8 foot board and a 12 foot board.

If you are trying to turn the board from pointing to the horizon to pointing to the beach while laying down on your belly it really won't matter. You need to learn proper technique to spin, but also build up your core muscle to twist the board in the sitting position.

waikikikichan wrote:Questions:
1) "It was great but it's an absolute unit of a board." Sorry but I'm from an older generation that doesn't understand what that means. Do you mean it "sucked" ?
2) How near do you live to the beach ? Will you be carrying the board / walking to the beach, on a bike side rack or in/on the car ?
3) During the lesson(s), how many times did you actually paddle into and catch the wave by yourself versus the instructor pushing you ?
4) "My question is if I should really be considering the somewhat more common 9' odysea? Are you a more "common surfer" ? Follow what you need not follow the crowd.

Thanks for the reply.

Absolute unit.. it's huge.

I live a 15 minute drive and then a bit of walk from parking lot to ocean.

The lesson at first he have me a push after the beginning I paddled in. It went well.

Anyway, I went ahead and got the 9'. A bit cheaper a lot easier to move around out of water and a bit easier to paddle out. Still lots of float. I'm taking it out tomorrow morning. Hopefully it goes well.

waikikikichan wrote:

RayzRyd wrote:I am leaning towards the 9' odysea log if they still have it used. just a bit easier to physically move around, cary, maybe help my ability to watch a wave and still be able to turn and start paddling to catch it.

Side note, is there a term for going from facing out/sideways/sitting to watch the wave to transition to paddling into it?

You are thinking that the shorter of the 2 boards will be easier to "spin around". Physics wise........ YES, but Technique wise.......NO.
If you know how to sit and spin, there's really no difference in a spinning a 8 foot board and a 12 foot board.

If you are trying to turn the board from pointing to the horizon to pointing to the beach while laying down on your belly it really won't matter. You need to learn proper technique to spin, but also build up your core muscle to twist the board in the sitting position.

Good call on the spin technique. I've only barely tried so it's one of the many things I need to learn.


I got the 9' odysea log by the way. Used for a good price today. Excited to dive in. It's my first board.