when to try smaller board?

[cow]

Hi guys,
I want to reduce the size of surfboard.
When would it be nice to go for something like fish from minimal?

[Driftingalong]

When you feel confident enough to do it. It's really up to you and your honest evaluation of where you are at.

A guide could be...when you don't really have any issues catching waves and getting up and riding them out.

Depending on you're ability, you can run into problems/frustration if you try to cut the size down significantly, as opposed to doing it in smaller stages.

[drowningbitbybit]

I want to reduce the size of surfboard.
When would it be nice to go for something like fish from minimal?

Try and hire or borrow a range of boards. You'll find out a bit more about what kind of size and shape you want.

A fish, for instance, isnt necessarily the best choice for someone coming down from a mini-mal. You might wanna try something funboard shaped (or fat shortboard, if you prefer). On the other hand, you may love fishes....

[surfhobbit]

A guide could be...when you don't really have any issues catching waves and getting up and riding them out.

Well said - that's when I got a shorter board.

I've still got a mini-mal too... right now, I'm using it more (and learning more) than my shortboard, because the waves are only 2ft or so.... If this summer is anything like last year, I can see me taking the mal most of the time to be honest. Shorter is not necessary better in south wales summer!

[Quiksilver54]

I dont mean to make everything sound messed up but the first and only board ive ever owned was 6' 3" im 5' 9" and i had only rented a longboard like twice for the whole day an then my friend sold me that board, the rental like 9 footer i got up and rode the whole way my 2nd try. the shortboard took a little more time to get up to speed and catch the wave but its not that different i found you just gotta have some balance and some endurance for a shortboard. Id recomend people to learn on a shortboard because then you already know how to get up on a longboard

[drowningbitbybit]

I dont mean to make everything sound messed up...

Are you going to post that on every thread about boards?

Well done, good for you, you're clearly going to be the next Kelly Slater. I look forward to watching you go Pro.

However, the cumulative wisdom of the thousands of other people on this board is that it is easier to learn and improve on a board that is relatively large (both length, width and volume) for your size/weight. Such a board is also far more suitable for learning in the couple of foot of whitewater that most learners will be practising on for quite a while. A shortboard isnt fun in two foot of slop. A mini-mal is.

And, incidentally, the bit about 'learn on a shortboard 'cos then you'll be able to longboard' is so fleshin' wrong its funny. Ask any of the longboarders on here what they think of shortboarders trying to longboard. Its a joke. I know this because I was the punchline, eh phil?

[surferdude_scarborough]

And, incidentally, the bit about 'learn on a shortboard 'cos then you'll be able to longboard' is so fleshin' wrong its funny.

yep wrong!! i learned on a shortboard. ok iti didnt take long but now i cant ride anything longer than about 7'6 well at all. put me on a longboard and i cant even paddle the damn thing.

it is however easier to learn on a longer board then move down. as to when you move down its when you feel comfortable on your current board and want to try things that it wont let you. tighter turns etc. go and try a few shorter boards and get the feel for what you can get away with. and buy something around that length.

[dougirwin13]

When? Never! Try a BIGGER board...

Oh alright then, try a smaller board when you are already up to a 16'er

-doug

[Johno]

I'm in the same situation as Cow looking at geting a smaller board, I ride a 7 9 min mal at the mow and can pop up an surf into the sand every time,

What board would you recomend, i am 6' 12.5 stone, av been looking on the west coast web site as it is my local shop! at O shear 6' 8 fat boy flyer or Curcle 1 6' 8 fun board!

Any advise would be much appreciated as I dont have a clue about boards

[drowningbitbybit]

I'm in the same situation as Cow looking at geting a smaller board, I ride a 7 9 min mal at the mow and can pop up an surf into the sand every time,

A smaller board wont be any good for you unless you can turn. Keep improving on the mini-mal until you can at least trim across the face.

[Jimi]

DBBB has pretty much summed it up in the last few posts he's made.

I just did what you (cow and Johno) are thinking of doing.

The best way about it is to surf on someone else's 6'6-ish length board, and see how you go. I'd been learning to trim and do little turns on my 7'8 mini mal, and had got to the point where I wasn't good enough to make the mini mal turn hard, but wanted to.

So, I rode a mate's 6'3 board, and found I could pop up easily, and could catch waves by getting into critical sections of the wave (where the mini mal would have been suicide) without too much trouble.

A few weeks later I bought a 6'6 board, because it seemed like a better option for the 3ft waves I usually surf, which are a bit low on power (I'm not into the reef breaks just yet), so the extra length makes a difference.

Riding the shortboard allowed me to learn to turn a lot more easily than the mini mal, so I've progressed quicker than I would have if I'd stayed on the mini mal.

Ironically, I still ride the mini mal a lot, since it's easy to paddle, and glides through mushy sections with ease where the short board would just sink, but now I can do decent turns on the mini mal, which is a blast.

I usually only get the shorty out if the waves are 3ft+, because it's a lot more effort to surf it in small waves.

[Jimi]

The worst part is that after riding the short board, when I get back on my mini mal, I always, without fail, nosedive it on my first 3 or 4 waves...

it's something about my weight positioning, and take off angle being crucial on a longer board... hmmm...

SO, don't grab your mini mal after a few weeks of riding a short board, and expect to look good... with any board, it will take time to adjust your surfing to suit the board.

[surferdude_scarborough]

The worst part is that after riding the short board, when I get back on my mini mal, I always, without fail, nosedive it on my first 3 or 4 waves...

i think dbbb knows that feeling all too well