Getting into surfing more buying 1st board HELP!!

[Treehukelberry]

Looking to buy my first board soon. Found one on Craigslist for 65$. It's a 7'0 "short board" model Ludwig brand board. My local shop guy told me that it was not a good choice for me and that I should buy a 6'10 fish instead. I've only surfed a 8'0 soft top long board. I'll attach pics of the board on Craigslist. Any replies or advice would be great!

[Treehukelberry]

Also I'm roughly 5'9 weighing around 160/170

[waikikikichan]

Is the 6'10" fish closer to 20" wide ? 18 1/4" on the 7'0" "mini-gun" is too narrow for you. Hard to tell from the photo, but if it has glassed-on fins, thats even more reasons not to get it.

[pmcaero]

If it's not too dinged up, buy it.
The price is good and you might want to play with it once you get better.

[oldgrom22]

I suggest you save that $65 and put it towards a board that you'll actually be able to progress on. Have a read up on the forum here regaridng 1st board choices. in my opinion, you should be in the market for a longboard or a funboard with plenty of volume, even a 6'10 fish might be a stretch at this point.

[Treehukelberry]

Yeah I went to the shop today and the fish is super thick and fairly wide I wanna say maybe 22" wide? Probably 3" thick. They got it priced at 365$ just for the board but the owner said I've been renting from them for a while and he'd hook me up. I'm hoping he'll do 400$ for the board fins and leash. No need for a deck pad? Right?? I've surfed longboards/fun boards. I'm pretty good on those I had no problem catching waves (whitewater) then the waves died out at high tide. But I can stand and pump no problem. Everyone I've talked to said the fish would be a great board. I'll post pictures when I go Saturday to get a set price!

[oldgrom22]

Not to be a downer, but riding whitewater is not surfing. You should be catching waves out back on your soft top and starting to not only trim but turn before you try to move on to a shorter board with less volume.

Why not ask them at the shop to let you try out one of their rentals that is similar to that fish? That way you can see first hand why I'm suggesting a longboard/funboard. Just trying to save you some frustration but hey, it's your money and your journey.

[drowningbitbybit]

I've surfed longboards/fun boards. I'm pretty good on those I had no problem catching waves (whitewater) ...I can stand and pump no problem.

Ooh, ouch... the disappointment is going to be crushing

Go and rent a 'real' board first and try and get onto a clean wave before you spend your cash.

[Big H]

I tell you what.....you would s#it your pants if you saw the waves that semi-gun was made for if you are a whitewater surfer.....really specific board for overhead + waves....definitely not for you....

Listen to the two old hands above me......rent first and try going out back and see what works (or doesn't).....you might find that you want a bigger board to catch unbroken waves than you thought.....big difference is in whitewater you pretty much wait to be caught by the wave, anywhere pretty much will do....get rear ended then stand up.....unbroken you have to find where to catch, actively paddle to get in then a little timing and finagling nuance to stand up at the top of the wave vs the power crawl which ends up with a two second stand up in the flats before bogging out.......rent first and be sure what you're buying is what YOU need.

[billie_morini]

Treehuckleberry deserves some credit. Unlike many 10's of new "surfers," he is actually asking for advice before he buys a board.

[pmcaero]

still, 65 dollars for that? it's a steal even as a wall hanger.

[Treehukelberry]

Don't worry guys I got a 7'2 fish for the weekend. Surf isn't so good right now but hopefully they get a little better.

[Treehukelberry]

Well now you guys have me thinking of getting a fun board, maybe a minimal? I just want to have the most fun possible!