Rental board / lesson advice

[HaoleKook]

Normally I surf more rolling, less steep, slower breaking waves. I surf a 9’0 mostly or an 8’6 when it’s HH.

I’m now in Costa Rica at a surf camp and the waves are much steeper and faster breaking. The board selection isn’t huge so I’m kind of stuck between 2 options:

I found an 8’6 that has similar shape to my board but is thinner and much more pulled in nose and tail. I had to surf some white water to get used to it, it’s much less forgiving than my boards. Im getting used to it and could surf it if I had to.

The other options are 8’6 or 9’0 epoxy, 3.5" thick with super thick rails. The 8’6 seems a bit buoyant and I wouldn’t normally surf a 9 in waves like this, and most people are on short boards.

So do I go with the challenge iof a higher performance board that’s more challenging for me but more appropriate for the wave, or the clunky board that’s less challenging for me but less appropriate for the wave?

I’m just asking because I feel like I should make the most out of the lessons. I would most likely use the sportier board if I was just here for fun.

[Geezer]

Can you try all 3?

I’d go with whatever one has more rocker and pulled in tail. Both will expand your margins in steeper waves. I have ridden my 10’4” noserider in overhead hollow waves; I don’t get too deep and stay out ahead of the pocket but I surfed those waves fine. I I revise and suggest you ride whatever inspires confidence since I’m sure all three will work fine with the right approach.


Also, wouldn’t be a bad idea to ask the instructor. Considering they’ve met, you can talk to you and they know that wave, it would probably be best position to make an informed decision for you.

[HaoleKook]

Thanks. Yeah I will talk to them. I got here a few days early so I could get this sorted.

The board I have now is what you said: most rocker, pulled in tail, also a moon tail and the rails and tail are thin. I put bigger/stiffer fins on it (I’m 190 lbs) and have a little more control now. It’s crazy what a small change can make - for the fins and the board.

I tried the other boards first, they didn’t inspire confidence because it felt like they wanted to squirt out from under me with so much buoyancy for their size.

I was considering using the bigger board to get in earlier, that’s what I’d do at home but I guess this would be a good time to learn more of a short board takeoff. I don’t get to do that at home over a deep sandy bottom and with such consistent waves.

I’m gaining confidence with the performance board. The fins helped a lot. I was afraid at first because it was steep and I didn’t know or trust how the board would respond. I did some white water takeoffs, the last one I connected to an inside break and rode all the way to the beach and appreciated how light and easy to turn this thing is. I just can’t be sloppy with this board.

[HaoleKook]

I really am a kook, haha.

I just flew 12 hours away from Hawaii to a week-long surf camp and asked: ‘should I use a board that exposes or masks my flaws?’

If I really want to be a better surfer I need to be better at clean pop-ups and proper weight distribution. There’s a temptation to try to maximize time standing up on the board, maybe because of all the video recording, but if I’m just making small tweaks to what I’m already doing then maybe I’m not maximizing actual improvement. Idk, maybe there’s a line somewhere. I’m generally good at learning from mistakes and don’t get discouraged easily, and I get to surf at home whenever I want. If the opposite were true then I could see the fatter board making sense.

Good talk, haha.

[HaoleKook]

FWIW the board are FireWire Submoon, I’m pretty sure it’s 8’7 but maybe 8’2, there are no dims on it. Or Surfer Factory longboards which are 8’6 or 9’0, both 3.5in thick with thick rails.

https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08a2 ... 0~mv2.jpeg

https://catalystshop.com/87-firewire-su ... A9pAYX7e22

[HaoleKook]

I’m getting used to this board way faster than I expected. I was being held back by fear and lack of confidence and that white water session to get comfortable was the best thing I could have done.

[HaoleKook]

This is crazy:
Sub moon = 8’7 x 23 x 3.27, 67L
My board = 8’6 x 23.25 x 3.12, 67L

The sub moon seems/surfs like it’s much smaller than my board, the rails are so thin and it looks really skinny. My board is easier to surf - still lightning fast to get on rail but feels secure once there. Mine has less rocker and paddles better, the sub moon might be a little more resistant to pearling. I guess my board just has the thickness spread out wider so it’s more tolerant of being off center. I don’t know it can seem thicker but be the same volume, they both sink the same amount underneath me. The sub moon holds speed better, that was my one change request with my next board, mine has a flat bottom to a vee, the sub moon has concave to vee, my new board will have concave to vee.

[Geezer]

Been enjoying this read. So how is the camp? I’m curious about what a typical day entails. Other camps I’ve read about might have yoga, gym time , organic eating, surf skating in bowls or flats, video analysis & classroom coaching, guided surfs and in water instruction.
What is your experience?

[HaoleKook]

They had a bit of that: the hotel was gorgeous with an organic, local restaurant. There were 2 yoga sessions at this incredible mountain top yoga spot, and the instructor was one of the best I've ever experienced. There was also SUP down a jungle river.

For surfing it was a 2 hour session in the morning that was recorded from land and from a "frog man". So surf in the morning, have breakfast, then a theory class, followed by video review.

The camp has thousands of 5 star reviews, and I went last year and enjoyed it. But honestly I was disappointed in the lack of technical understanding and teaching. It might just be me, or maybe a miscommunication or something. But the staff is so nice and honestly trying 110% to do what they can.

There's another one (Surf Simply) in the same town, twice as expensive but much more technically oriented that I'd like to check out. Surf Simply built their own resort (with a pool for training) and hires their instructors full-time, as opposed to the other camp that has part-time staff, local in-water instructors etc.