Later in life beginners

[Hoody]

For anyone whos looking for a way to practice take offs in between the real thing. This is my improvised indo board. Its a cheap skim board with a piece of ply screwed underneath to stiffen it up. The roller is a length of sewer pipe (the real thick stuff).

It works a treat for timing, strength, power, foot placement, then weight transfer between front and back foot. Gave me a lot of the instinctive stuff you need for steep takeoffs.

Home made indo board

Going overcentre

full back extension

knees hands

hands only

setting

riding

Be warned it is hard and you might want to just work on strength first. Do some push ups and burpies. You will probably crack your ankle on the back of the board ONCE whilst getting the hang of it. It is possible for the board to slip out under you and fall on your but. Hence the tight weave rug.
Hope someone gives it a go. It works.
Cheers

[jaffa1949]

For anyone whos looking for a way to practice take offs in between the real thing. This is my improvised indo board. Its a cheap skim board with a piece of ply screwed underneath to stiffen it up. The roller is a length of sewer pipe (the real thick stuff).

It works a treat for timing, strength, power, foot placement, then weight transfer between front and back foot. Gave me a lot of the instinctive stuff you need for steep takeoffs.

Be warned it is hard and you might want to just work on strength first. Do some push ups and burpies. You will probably crack your ankle on the back of the board ONCE whilst getting the hang of it. It is possible for the board to slip out under you and fall on your but. Hence the tight weave rug.
Hope someone gives it a go. It works.
Cheers

Great stuff, the DYI thing will really help. Well posted Hoody it's a keeper!

[hit_the_lip]

I'm 35, started when I was 29. My goal is to get a barrel, I'm still chasing that elusive barrel. I've come close a few times. Hopefully will happen soon. Otherwise, I'm having fun catching waves and getting stoke.

[jaffa1949]

Don't worry youngster, just change your avatar, don't hit the lip, duck under it and sink deeper back to the foam ball and ride that elusive barrel, I'm glad you're having fun on the rest of the wave.
Unless you go to Indonesia or Snapper rocks when they are in full roar, barrels will be transient ephemeral event on your wave face! But they await you. Oh the impatience of the young

[Ruark]

I'm 62 and just getting started. A rented 10' Blacktip foamie is fine for me, just riding the knee-high stuff straight in; that's about all I can handle, at least for now, and even then I fall off half the time. It helps to stay in shape, work out on my elliptical, and do situps, pushups and stretching exercises. Popups are a challenge when your major joints starting getting stiff, and I usually find myself doing a knees-first popup. Don't look for me at Shipsterns or Blacks...

But I find myself appreciating the whole surfing stoke thing more in my older years - the sun, sand, breeze in my face. That's what it's really all about. Sometimes I think a lot of these younger people have lost sight of that.

[dtc]

Popups are a challenge when your major joints starting getting stiff, and I usually find myself doing a knees-first popup. Don't look for me at Shipsterns or Blacks...

But I find myself appreciating the whole surfing stoke thing more in my older years - the sun, sand, breeze in my face. That's what it's really all about. Sometimes I think a lot of these younger people have lost sight of that.

Yes, I'm not saying anything original here, but its amazing how surfing just takes you totally away from 'life'. You would think, sitting out there waiting for waves with nothing much to do, that all of the usual stresses and concerns would go through you mind, but they never do (well, apart from the usual 'I wonder how much trouble I would be in if I stayed here for another 20 minutes. Will the excuse of 'I was waiting to catch a wave in and none came' work for the 18th time?")

Just as an aside, for the pop up have a look at the 'aussie sprinter' method of popping up. Its harder than knees first but easier than the standard pop up and its much quicker than the knees first method. Being quicker means more opportunity for waves and more control. Its not a technique that works on shortboards, but if you plan to stick with nice longboards and not huge waves then its fine.

(see here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoH8xWlPNeg - just the aussie sprinter bit)

[jaffa1949]

I'm 62 and just getting started. Don't look for me at Shipsterns or Blacks...

But I find myself appreciating the whole surfing stoke thing more in my older years - the sun, sand, breeze in my face. That's what it's really all about. Sometimes I think a lot of these younger people have lost sight of that.

Beginnings an interesting time and as you will appreciate quite life enhancing, take your time enjoy every improvement and be happy that you took up surfing. You now can be a gray grommet!

I'm 64 and have surfed since I was 8 but you are more likely to find me in a surf near you than at Shipsterns

[kookabout]

I am 39, and I took my first surfboard ride 3 years ago. I live 6 hours from the nearest break, and I go several times a year. Sometimes I do feel like an old dude in the lineup, but then I will see many others my age or much,...much older.
I just got back from a surf trip today, and I picked up my new board that was shaped by Dick Rosborough (aka Rozo). He is a surf legend, and he is 62. He went surfing with me, my son, and his friend. He taught my sons friend how to surf, and was teaching other kids in the water that wanted to learn. He still rips, and is one of the coolest people I have ever met. I hope when I am 62 I am still surfing. It seems that age is no factor when it comes to surfing. I figure its better to start late than never start at all.

[BuffDriver]

34, just started a few weeks ago. I just got stationed on Oahu this last November and after going to the beach with the family several times a week I just couldn't stand it anymore! When I was a kid I used to skateboard, then snowboarded on and off (grew up in Oregon). I had always wanted to surf and I figured what better time to learn than while living in Hawaii for the next few years. I LOVE SURFING!! What a great stress reliever and good physical exercise this sport is. I had my fourth time out this last Monday at White Plains beach using an NSP 10.2 and had my first full ride on a wave without bailing or losing my balance. Needless to say it was a life changing experience and it was totally awesome! I'll rent a few more times just to get some more reps, then look into getting my own board. A lot of great shapers and options out here on the island is going to make it a tough choice though..

[still-learning]

Hey Buffdiver, welcome to the forum!! Keep at it...at 36 years old and 6 months into my surfing journey, i am having the time of my life!!

[312T4]

Hi guys,
i'm not dead, still alive and surfing!

Since I got a full time job now i only surf in weekends and it has become harder. Always so many people, even in winter. (sounds like I'm complaining about the job.. almost!!)
Thanks for the suggestions and welcome to all the new older surfers.

In this months I got a bit better. My stance is better, my board control is better and I feel the board under me and i can react and change position.
Still I'm not able to read the wave much ahead and I'm not carving yet.

I'd need more time in the water but I didn't have very good/consistent days in months. Most of the time due to the crowd factor. I'm that close and still not there yet.

I'm considering some beach breaks now as someone suggested. probably it's time to try them out.
I desperately need more waves.

Also I think in few months I'll leave my helpful nsp behind and buy some real stuff. I'd need to try few boards before.
Speaking of which: since I'm a small man, do you think that let's say a 7ft shaped as a longboard would work for me as a longboard? You know what I mean? if a smurf ride a 2ft board with a longboard shape, will the board act as a longboard?
It should, shouldn't it?

Cheers

[jaffa1949]

312T4, I've been folowing your progress and foruming with you for a while now, I 'm thinking the 7S fish series from Global surf Industries may do the job, same makers as your NSP and I'm thinking 7'6" may be your next option.
Have a look at these boards and we will talk further. They were designed to float me at about 100kgs in the 7'6 and 8ft models and as I used to have boards shaped by the original designer, I;m pretty confident in them>I will also do a little research about some other boards that may suit you, once you get your idea some of them may even be available on Ebay up your way saving dollars..

Its about time you got off the right points and hit those left hand beach breaks out of traffic and more waves for you!

[dtc]

Jaffa, from when I was looking at this, the boards that stood out for me were the 7S, as you say, the Firewire Addvance, the Walden mega magic (probably the 7ft2 version - 'longboard' shape) and possibly the Mctavish Carver (or even Sumo) (also more LB shape, but lower volume than the first three). Obviously there are plenty of other makers who produce boards of similar shape and size; but the ones I mentioned are all widely available

The McTavishes I mentioned are made by GSI, but I note that 312T4 in on the Gold Coast, so original McT and the Firewire factory are within striking distance, although McT is $$$. Not to mention the multitude of local QLD and even NSW shapers, which are priced around about the same as a new off the rack board. I know some of the others are from around goldies so may know some names if custom is considered.

[jaffa1949]

There is huge amount of choice around for 312T4.

He is really keen happy to help him, goofy footer to goofy footer, best foot forward!

[Miacolo]

Hello everyone,
I just joined and wanted to say how good it felt to read your posts. I had my first lesson about three weeks ago. I am a 61 year old female, it was really exciting and I can't wait to go back for more lessons. I wiped out a lot but I expected that, and I learned a lot from that experience. I really need to work on my pop up and remember not to turn my back on the oncoming waves. I've wanted to surf since I was about 16 and it feels like a dream come true.

[jaffa1949]

Far out , that is really good to hear enjoy thoroughly, welcome as a grey grommet!

[dtc]

Far out , that is really good to hear enjoy thoroughly, welcome as a grey grommet!

+1, as they say.

[312T4]

Thanks dtc and jaffa.
Your advices are always more than welcome.

In the next couple of months I'll try to test few boards and see how they feel.
Also I just noticed that there's a "hole" in the wax of my board, around where I put my back foot. Now this hole is not really on top of the fins.. I think I need to work on that too.
The problem is that I have a small injury right now and I have to wait some weeks to recover.
What a slow process guys..
I wish I lived at the beach..

[dtc]

Also I just noticed that there's a "hole" in the wax of my board, around where I put my back foot. Now this hole is not really on top of the fins.. I think I need to work on that too.

How long is your board? For long boards, you dont actually have your feet over the fins, or at least you only do when you are doing a 'pivot' style turn. Your normal stance will have the back foot forward of the fins, then you move your feet around (up and down the board) depending on what you are doing. Surfing is a matter of weighting and unweighting (ie putting weight forward, back, to the side etc); but for LBs you have to add moving along the board as well.

[312T4]

it's a 9.2.
Yes I know. I can tell when to go forward and when to go back. But I'd like to be able to cut back (not sure here: when you turn back to the curl- left/right) and I find it difficult. I can turn the board almost 90 degree but not more than that.