Surfing Waves

Hi guys. Love this forum.

I really want to start surfing. I have done a couple lessons an read on here that I should try and get a second hand board. I'm 6ft 1" and 95kg at the moment. Hoping to shed some o this surfing. The second hand board I got is a 7'9 bic natural surf. Is it big enough I got smashed about today but te surf was pretty large. It just has one big fin. Shop owner suggested I get an 8'4 but that would have been brand new. Please tell me I'm just being negative and that I should be able
To learn just fine on it

After a couple of lessons you will get smashed no matter what board you have. You can't expect to score par after a couple of golf lessons; surfing is harder.

For sure a bigger board will help - 9-9'6 ft would be the best for your size. But a 7'9 isn't impossible to learn on. If you get really frustrated after another 15 sessions then have another think

Dankydiz wrote: read on here that I should try and get a second hand board.
Shop owner suggested I get an 8'4 but that would have been brand new.

Nothing wrong with beginner getting a brand new board from the local surf shop with honest guidance from knowledgable staff that actually surf. It's just learning brings dings and dents in the ocean, and knocks and drops on the land. So it's so sad to see a brand new board get beaten up by rookie mistakes. But hey, if you got the money, go for it. ( the surf industry needs your support ). It just most of us here on the forum are broke surfers.

waikikikichan wrote:

Dankydiz wrote: read on here that I should try and get a second hand board.
Shop owner suggested I get an 8'4 but that would have been brand new.

Nothing wrong with beginner getting a brand new board from the local surf shop with honest guidance from knowledgable staff that actually surf. It's just learning brings dings and dents in the ocean, and knocks and drops on the land. So it's so sad to see a brand new board get beaten up by rookie mistakes. But hey, if you got the money, go for it. ( the surf industry needs your support ). It just most of us here on the forum are broke surfers.

True that!
We're just guys that spend all their money on surf equipment then spend the rest of their time dreaming of boards they can't have until they can afford them and the loop repeats

Hi Dankydiz

For your weight and height I would have suggested something above 9 ft to begin learning on. It will make paddling and getting up on waves a lot easier. Do you know what the volume of your current board is? This could also help in understanding if the board is the right fit for you.

<edit>

Buying second hand is always a good idea for your first board as it is likely to get damage. But hey, if you have the moolah, go for the new board! Resale value will be better once you have progressed. Secondhand or new is totally a personal choice so up to you.

Hi Dankydiz

Felt I should reply to your post as I'm about the exact same height and weight as you and beginner to intermediate level now. My first hard board which I got recently was the bic magnum 8'4 (second hand) So although I can't give expert advice to you I can share my own experience so far!

I'm really happy with the 8'4 now having surfed maybe 20-30 times on 8 and 9' foamies. I wouldn't go any lower than this personally. You really just want to catch as many waves as possible so you get a good feel of your board and work on smooth pop ups. Many people advised me to get a 9' board and that probably would've helped me advance quicker especially as the smaller waves that you start with will be easier to catch on the larger board.

Another thing (which I plan to post a question about) is that when I pop up on the 8'4 my feet are just about on the end of the board allowing me to get in to a good position and push up. However if I'm an inch too far back my feet aren't there and it's harder for me getting up. An inch forward and it can nose dive. I'm wondering whether to change my pop up so that I slide my back foot on the board first to rule out any difficulty if my toes are slightly off the end- (Hope that makes sense?!) Anyway that's just me but I wonder if your pop up is like this, as I imagine with your height your feet must be off the end? A 9' would help with this too if you have similar trouble sometimes.

Anyway you could persevere with the 7'9 and you'll probably be fine but just may take you longer to get to where you want to be. If I were you I'd sell on the board as I'm sure you'd get the same price for it. Try a second hand 9'.

If you reallly want stick with it then, like you say losing a few kilos will always help! I've managed to lose a bit off my belly and now have a bit more clearance between my front knee and my body when I get my foot between my hands on the pop up

Hope that bit of info helps anyway! Good luck!

Joss

Dankydiz posted this last year October. He/she last checked the forum in January 2017. But I appreciate the attempt to help Dankydiz solve his/her problems. I am sure others can benefit from your experience

Oh My fault for not checking further up the thread! It'd be good to hear how they're getting on though!