Wanting to Get Started HELP

[Kit_Topher]

Alright so my names Chris im 20 years old, 6'2 and i weigh 195LB iv always been a water junky growing up and Iv done everything with boards, Snowboarding, Skateboarding, Wakeboarding and it all relates in someways. What im getting at is im a beach junky I love the sun and im always bouncing back and forth between HB south pier, The wedge, my fav spot Thousand Steps in Laguna. Iv been boding surfing and boogie boarding for ever and im pretty good at reading the waves and what way there breaking and everything. My father was a surfer in his younger days but he cant come out with me to teach me cause my days off are Monday and Tuesday and his are the Usual weekend we live about 30 minutes from the beach right over the Ortega and I have his two boards ( short Boards ) sitting in the garage and I want to learn so bad, Im always watching videos and like teasing myself. I already have a Summer suit witch is perfect going into summer but I don't know if I should just go out and keep renting a long board every weekend or should I just learn with my dads boards, he told me that he started on a short but everything i read says to start with a longboard and work down. im a good athlete and what ever i try iv always been able to learn quick and get good at it. and I mean xxxxx if anything if theirs someone one here who goes to anywhere near though locations Monday and Tuesday and would love to teach me while you surf and get a good laugh in that's fine with me. Helppp

[billie_morini]

Aloha Chris!
You have some of the important bases covered: enjoy water, frequents ocean beaches, and very active. You are not even too old to learn to surf. It helps that you have surfing beaches with relatively warm water at the ready.

About boards: it truly is more difficult to learn on shorter boards. It is a drag to rent any board, long or short, regularly. Fortunately, you live in the heart of a surfing area. Search the advertisements in Craigslist for Orange County, LA, and, possibly, San Diego. You will find used long boards from $150 (when lucky) to $375. Don't pay $400 or more. Then get out to Blackies -- a lot!

About wetsuits: you said you have a Spring suit. That could be short arms & long legs, short arms & legs, 2mm, 3mm, etc. It may work for now. A good 3/2 will see you year round in Orange county. In winter, wear a rash guard underneath for added warmth.

About Sensei: I really hope you find an experienced surfer that will go out with you about every 3rd time to provide guidance. That helped me tremendously in my first year. I wish the same for you. There is a regular surfer in this forum that lives in Huntington Beach. Maybe he will be able to help. I'm in Irvine a lot for work, but work doesn't allow me much freedom. So, I'm sorry to say I cannot serve as a Sensei for you.

In the meantime: it will do no harm to take one of your short boards out and begin to mess around. See what happens. Stay in the mushy sections (broken waves), so you do not get overpowered and also stay out of the way of the accomplished surfers. Do this at the HB Pier. At first, just ride the mushy wave as if you were on a boogie board. After you get the feel for this, try to stand up in more mushy waves. Let them catch you just as they are breaking. Paddle to get some momentum and then try to pop up. It is especially critical to pop up to your feet quickly on a short board. If you find this just does not work after several days on the water, get a used longboard. I think you'll definitely stand up then. Once you do, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat. After you have done this a hundred times and you've built some arm-paddling muscles on the way, then try to catch small unbroken (green) waves.

[Kit_Topher]

[quote="billie_morini"]Aloha Chris

Thank you for all the advise and tips, it's steered me in at least some direction. As for the wetsuit and what is the meaning of the number. I was in the Hurley Shop looking at wetsuits at HB mainstreet and I don't know why but I didn't ask what's the different type and sizing and everything

[dtc]

The numbers are the thickness of the neoprene (wetsuit material) - 3/2 means 3mm thick around the body (torso) and 2mm thick around the arms (and usually legs). The arms and legs need less thickness because they dont get as cold, plus it allows for more flexibility.

The thicker the wetsuit the warmer it will keep you - ie the colder the water you can surf in.

Most wetsuit sites will tell you the recommended temps for particular thicknesses. So 3/2 is usually something like water over 16C (give or take), then as it gets colder you have 4/3, 5/3 and 5/4 (etc); you can also have 2mm suits (2/2) if its warmer water. Then you can get rash vests, which is just the top, which are usually 1mm or 2mm, and you can wear them under the wetsuit for added warmth if you need to.

What you need depends on where you live. For example, where I live (east Australia) a 3/2 works througout winter and in summer I either just still use it (get a bit warm but no dramas) or move to a 2mm spring suit (short legs/sleeves). But if you are in Ireland then I imagine a 3/2 is the suit for mid summer. I know you are in Calif, but I have no idea what the water is like there - billie says a 3/2 will be suitable plus an extra rash vest for winter.

As to sizing - look up wetsuit sites (like xcel or rip curl) and they will have sizing charts. However, the charts are only a guide - it is essential to try on the wetsuits to see if they fit. One brand sized L might be too small around the shoulders and another sized L might be too loose around the waist. Its like buying shoes - the sizing is meant to be more or less consistent, but its not really.