The shaping and design of beginner shortboards?

[kcaffee]

Trying to improve my personal knowledge base and I'm curious. I hear a lot of people talk about this board is good for a beginner and that board is not. What is it about rail, tail, and nose shape, width, concave, and rocker etc...that make a board more "forgiving" and others more "advanced."

Not sure if my question is too technical or would bring a lot a fighting and arguing over this and that, but I am really interested in knowing what I'm looking at as far as the easier and harder thing as far as shapes are concerned. I know there is a LOT of info out there and it will take time and research into learning all the aspects of my question. So I am just looking a kind of a simple answer(?!?!) so I know what I'm looking at next time I shop for a board.

Seriously thankful for any input!

Peace

[drowningbitbybit]

This is an incredibly complex area, which I dont even pretend to understand...

But a good start can be found at Surfing Waves Board guide or here at Know Your Surfboard
Tells you a bit about rails, tails etc.
If you need to know more, then you can talk forever about surfboard design over at Swaylocks

[senast]

whats your weight in lbs? i might be able to point you in the right direction. Others can then just add on from there.

[kitesurfer]

Yep weight, size, current skill level type of waves you ride, how often you surf are all questions that need to be looked when thinking about board choice.
Are you a beginer surfer or someone who is progressing down to a shortboard?

KS

[trifish]

I'll give it a shot on the board info.

Less rocker = easier to get the board moving since more board is on the water
More rocker = fits into steeper waves easier but harder to paddle/catch waves since less board contact with water

More length = better glide to help get into waves
Less length = easier to handle

Wider = more stable , longer turns
Thinner - less balance , more performance , sharper turns

Thickness = More you have the less the board is submerged under water so the easier it is to paddle

Round nose = More water contact to help catch waves
Pointy nose = Less drag for larger waves

Tails = Determines how the board draws the lines and holds in different wave types. Wide turns, loose, etc...

what is thick,long,wide, round nose, forgiving tail, with very little rocker and not a penis, ha. A longboard, thats why most people always say start with a log.

[trifish]

Or just click on the link drowingbitbybit posted, i just noticed it.

[kcaffee]

Sweet info, thanks guys. And to answer some of the prior questions - 5'7" x 177lbs- beginner/inter - SB/Ventura/Oxnard points and beach breaks. I not currently looking to get a new board, but just pick up a little more knowledge (since there is quite a lot of you with it on this board!). Those links are a good start and tri's synopsis is very good, thanks.

[trifish]

Hows that flyer working out for you kcaffee?

[IB_Surfer]

Tri: good job dude, explains a lot to a begginer, I would have written a few paragraphs...

[kcaffee]

All in all the Flyer has been working pretty well. I love the fact it planes very well while paddling and gets into a lot of waves. It's hella fast and I'm getting great speed and setting up well with my bottom turn, it just doesn't seem very fast coming off the top?!?! I seem to kind of stall out a bit when I try to get the board to pivot and snap. Doing a turn on the cutback is great, I'm just having trouble bring it around quickly if that makes any sense.

[senast]

I would have suggested a 6'3'' x 18 1/2'' x 2 5/16'' with a squash tail.