Do I have a surfing future?

[lanaevolinam]

So I'm a skinny 6ft boy using a standard 6ft shortboard I got for $30. Watched tons of vids and did god-knows how many weird (according to my sibling and parents) land pop ups at home and duck dives, paddling, swiveling, sitting in my pool every day for a month. So I decide I'm ready to get f**ked safely and calmly and I head out for my FIRST-EVER surf session on a shoulder to head-high day at a slightly mushy beach break. Bear in mind I'm super confident in the ocean and oddly love getting thrashed by the waves that day. Caught 2 waves for abt 4 secs going down the line but couldnt get past sections. Reviewed and reflected on the day. 2nd time ever surfing and it was shoulder to head high again and I caught about 10 waves. Managed to bottom turn to the shoulder but couldn't make it pass sections again. Also I surf at the areas where no one is (still decent waves) so I don't f**k up other peoples day. What do yall think of my progress and do I have a future in surfing. I sailed since 4 yrs old and I shred (carving and power slides) on a cruiser skateboard. I'm 15 yrs old. Thanks! I apologise in advance if I sound like a tryhard or a kook but whatever you comment I am appreciative of it!

[jaffa1949]

You have surfing future, as raw beginner quite a few days will pass in what seems to be without progress, at your age , your improvement will be more rapid than older learners.
I suggest you post a picture or describe your board , a $30 second hand could good or could a hindrance, don’t expect to shred yet, a lot of learning Ocean reading in the wave zone is needed to complete the package. Your confidence is great, many starters don’t have that!

Prescription, multiple surf as often as possible, try riding different boards if they are available,,early stages longer is better.
Keep talking to us and there are some skill surfers here to guide you.
WELCOME

[oldmansurfer]

Sounds like you are doing well enough. Surfing is a difficult sport to learn so don't get discouraged if you can't just get up on the board and ride it like all the surfers in the videos. You have to learn about the waves and the ocean and where to be and when to paddle. It requires surfing a lot. But it's worth it.

[lanaevolinam]

Hello guys thanks so much for the replies and advice, will definitely try and follow them! The board im using is a 6'0 18.50 2.25. What do your think? Heading out later for my 3rd session and will try out a bigger board too. Is it wise to mix longboard and shortboard sessions in a day? For example 1st half of the day longboard and 2nd half of the day shortboard? Also i have a burning question, some people in reddit say shortboards are easier and some say that longboards are easier, which one is better suited for me? Thank you

[jaffa1949]

Some easy answers for you.
Longer boards are easier to paddle , catching more waves so more opportunities to ride, they present some difficulties paddling out as they are harder to duck dive.
Trade offs occur, go and have a read through surfboard advice, lots of answers just for the reading.

Generally the answer is to start on a longer board and get skilled enough to come down in size.

A comment about your board is that it may be a little narrow in the learning stages, but better than no board, I wouldn’t be swapping boards on half daily basis but rather getting to know one board and then seeing the difference with other boards.
Still post a picture of your board, shape determines if it will be a good learning board, if it brown or yellow stained it will probably be heavier with water in the foam and things like that.
A basic recommendation 8ft , 22” wide and an all round type fun board shape! Look at Torq boards in this criteria and see what may suit you!

You are young whatever you choose, you will be be ok , lots of fun learning!

[waikikikichan]

Do you have a surfing future ? I can draw cool waves on the back of my math assignment, you'll think I'll be an artist one day ? Maybe, Maybe not. Will i become Picasso one day, probably not.
Of course you have a future surfing and riding waves. But i think your question is really "can I become a Pro Surfer in the future ?"

Also i have a burning question, some people in reddit say shortboards are easier and some say that longboards are easier, which one is better suited for me?

Easier to do what ?
Easier to do Cutbacks, Airs and Snaps ?
Easier to paddle, catch waves, pop up and learn ?
We don't know what's suits you better because we don't know want you want.

Question: What boards do your surf buddies ride ?

[lanaevolinam]

This is the only board i have touched so far, i think i will find out how i feel about other boards later! I wouldnt know what I like doing because I've only been out twice but I want to be a pro surfer if is even realistic haha! It is actually pretty yellow.

[jaffa1949]

You want to be a pro surfer, hmmmmmm. Possible but a hard work track. Do two things, surf a lot, and work hard at building a real life in sort of work that supports a surfing lifestyle.
Like rock music pro surfing is littered with wrecked people who thought that it would be an easy lifestyle.
The corporate business that sell surfing eat hthousands of would be surfers and even discard really good surfers when they don’t match the corporate image. sad but true.
A better way to go is to build your life and work style around allow you to surf as you wish!
Now the board picture you posted...... it is a Board designed for bigger waves, not a gun but a Step up board, narrow for speed, heavily rockered for steep drops, skittish for turning using bigger wave power.
Harder to paddle because of size and the rocker shortening the bottom length.

Not ideal check out the Torq style, get a basic board get good basic skills and build from that,

[BaNZ]

Oh man, I wish I started surfing at 15 rather than 32.

[oldmansurfer]

There aren't many pro surfers who started when they were 15, most of them much younger than that. But still who is to say. It's good to dream give yourself a goal and see how far that direction you can go but remember you only surfed twice. I think surfing is about enjoying what you are doing and if you are enjoying your current board then stay with it but if you are frustrated some lessons or a different board might help. Most people learn on a longer board but you are young and hopefully will learn fast.

[Lebowski]

Just enjoy yourself. Your question is like asking whether you think I could be a formula 1 driver after two driving lessons.

[Oldie]

I do not know about the right age for surfing, but In most sports i know you need to be close to professional level at your age. So maybe it is too late for a succesful professional career. But young enough to become extremely good anyway and building a life around surfing, which is maybe even the better prospect.

[RinkyDink]

Do two things, surf a lot, and work hard at building a real life in sort of work that supports a surfing lifestyle.

If I were granted a surfing wish and I could choose between being a top ten pro surfer or having a lifestyle that allowed me to surf whenever I wanted, I'd easily take the lifestyle. The only thing that I find appealing about being a professional surfer is all the amazing, crowd-less waves you would get on tour.

[waikikikichan]

Okay, without shutting you down ( and like people say “ never put limits on yourself, you make your own destiny” ) , I’ll come from a view from the “Sponsor” side ( for without you can’t be a pro. )
So your 15 and ridden a board twice.
2-3 years before you can “rip”.
4th year enter local contest.
6th year go for States.
8th year go for Regionals.
10th year go for Nationals. With the win you can go to the World Juniors championships.
If you place well there, THAT is when sponsors will start to seriously notice you and “ pick you up “.
OH wait a minute ! ..........,... did I say world JUNIORS championships ? At 25 you’re too old to enter. Sponsor want someone young to take the risk of shelling out big money to send you all over the world to do WQS events. And there you need to spend a few years. Sponsors want fresh faces in their teens and good representatives for their brand in their 20’s.
So with that new knowledge, can you win the nationals in the next 3 years ?

[Big H]

When I was 12 my friend got some numchuks.....we started to stretch, punch into buckets of sand and gravel, checked out a stack of books from the library and spent hours in his basement and backyard trying to be Bruce Lee.

.....did the same for breakdancing, skateboarding, bicycle racing (we dolled up our Huffys)....we tried a few things and wanted to make careers out of each new pursuit.
I wanted to be in a heavy metal band too but didn’t have/couldn’t afford/couldn’t play guitar which is the role I’d chosen. That was probably the best of the “dream careers”.

.....and then we both discovered girls and that was that.

Funny thing was that we both started for our state championship winning soccer team and I actually had European academy offers which included provisional pro contracts to be signed when I turned 16 (I was 13 when I started getting offers). I wanted to be a pro at everything except what I was good at.


Funny enough, in the end it was my part time job at the local pizza shop I started at 15 that opened the door of my professional future, though it took years and several more directional attempts (3x colleges with 3 different majors, bartender, waiter, construction, English as a second langage teacher, dive master/instructor) before I fell backwards into what would become my profession. If it weren’t for getting bent (type 2 decompression sickness - 2 days in a chamber and 4 in the hospital) things might have turned out differently. Don’t focus too much on your destination.....the journey is all the fun.

[Big H]

Enjoy being a kid......go immerse yourself totally in surfing. Read everything, watch videos, browse the net and surf as much as you can. Life (and women) will get in the way soon enough.

[billie_morini]

Q. Do I have a surfing future?
A. Yes.

[kookRachelle]

Yes, you are progressing quickly and good to hear you're loving it! Just remember, however, progress isn't always a straight line. This is why it's simply impossible to say "sign that kid up, he's a natural!!"

I won't give you advice since I'm a beginner, but if you're getting up on short boards I'd stick to that for now if you're looking to move forward as quickly as possible. I still ride a long board but gave up on foamies after my 3rd lesson. Whenever I "borrow" one from a friend's surf school real quick just to fool around a bit it just feels so weird - like false confidence.

[kookRachelle]

Oh man, I wish I started surfing at 15 rather than 32.

Oh man, I wish I started surfing at 32 rather than 35!

[Big H]

Oh man, I wish I started surfing at 15 rather than 32.

Oh man, I wish I started surfing at 32 rather than 35!

Sweetie, I’d kill to be 35 again. It’s all downhill from here on in!