Surfing Waves

Hi all,

I first posted back in 2018 for advice on my first longboard and have been riding 9ft 3’s ever since thanks to the advice here.

I definitely feel I’m at the stage where I’d like to try progressing to something more manoeuvrable - I don’t get out loads but recently went up to Thurso here in Scotland and when on waves thought I’d like to be able to turn more easily etc.

I’m 6ft 5, fit, and around 94kg. So looking for advice on what would be a wise next step to start getting out and practising turns more easily (and hopefully getting out a bit more easily too….!)

Won’t be surfing any huge waves. I saw another thread with a guy, better than me, and a few inches taller and heavier who went with a Channel Islands OG New Flyer, 6’4” and 40L. Wondering if that should be my sort of ballpark too?

Any advice appreciated and thanks again everyone!

Scotsurf, welcome back how has your surfing improved, is your board still the custard point, or have you changed up!
Are you getting enough surf time, covid and Scotland , difficult!
Now one issue about being able to turn easily is getting out lots more surf , abilities drop off somewhat the less you surf, at your weight and height you should be able to turn easily on the board ( Custard point or the next) -However go short and you will find it harder to catch waves unless you are surf fit, land fitness only helps a little . Next issue you will be dropping into waves in a more critical position as you won’t have quite the same run up glide.
Thurso is a pretty critical wave in the take off zone and down the line, I would suggest see if you can borrow aboard of similar size and volume, try it and see.
Of course you are now heading to thick rubber time that too will diminish paddle power, Bruichladdigh needed after , not before induces poor surfing!

Jaffa thanks so much. I traded up from the custard point around 18 months ago - gift of a custom longboard shaped by a local up here!

Surf time zero during the worst of Covid as already some distance from decent spots, and having a 7-month old has further reduced wave time this year!!

Thanks for the advice - surf time definitely isn’t optimal at the moment so yes, first step would be trying something shorter out to see if I’m actually at a stage that it’ll make much difference. I guess me thinking the board is quite an effort to turn on may be less about the board more about me and my surf fitness like you say.

Oh, and the Bruichladdigh probably would have helped settle the pre-Thurso nerves

I am a heavy, sporadic surfer myself. Going shorter has signifcantly reduced my problems with turning - because I catch far fewer waves Is renting no option?

Oldie wrote:I am a heavy, sporadic surfer myself. Going shorter has signifcantly reduced my problems with turning - because I catch far fewer waves Is renting no option?

Let's get that good surf Session somewhere sometime post covid and the turns will flow.
As will the wave Count and turns upon each

Next one - hopefully with Billie - in SanO late Feb )

Oldie wrote:I am a heavy, sporadic surfer myself. Going shorter has signifcantly reduced my problems with turning - because I catch far fewer waves Is renting no option?