Hey! I've never been on a board so...

[Mikey Macca]

hey everyone, im new here and just recently been thinking about going surfing! i no basically nothing but i read some cool info on the site which helped a bit. as im 14, i guess some stuff will be diff eg board size etc?
couple of questions,
do you HAVE to wear a wet suit?
wat board do you suggest for me? im 5'6" and 8 stone,i think.and 14.also,im not exactly rich so like a second hand board wud be good.
does any1 surf down near norfolk?
got any tips for starters?
thanks in advance,mikey :D

[sinistapenguin]

Hi There

In Norfolk or for that matter anywhere in the UK, you will need to wear a wetsuit. The water is cold. In the height of summer you may be able to get away without one, but you won't last very long in the water, so you're better off with one.

If you look on beachwizard.com and look under England > Norfolk, you will find a few breaks in your area. I've heard East Runton is supposed to be good.

Before you go rushing out to buy loads of kit, I would advise that you find somewhere that hires out boards and suits. Check out some of the local area to see if there are any surf shops! See if you can get your parents to take you either the West Coast (Cornwall/ Devon/ Wales) where surfing is bigger business and there are more hire locations. Failing that, there's Brighton or Bournemouth which are probably closer.

Rent yourself a wetsuit and a foam board and give it a go. If you make it over to the west coast, it may be worth having a lesson so that you get to surf with a bunch of people.

At 14, surfing is quite an expensive sport to get into - a wetsuit will cost you about £150 (around £80 second hand) but DON'T buy one without trying it on first - it should fit tight just about everywhere!

Second hand boards start at around £150 for a battered old one. To get a good quality second hand mini-mal (the better board for beginners) you are looking around £220 +.

That said, I started surfing at 16 and my first lot of kit lasted me 5 years! Look around at some online surf shops - some of them to 'starter kits' with wetsuits, boards etc all in.

If you need more advice about boards or wetsuits, post them here and I'll get back to you!

Cheers

Sinista

[Mikey Macca]

thanks ;) i knew it would be expensive but not like £300ish?! lol,oh wel,i will eventually rent summit..
oh! my grandparents live in claifornia,near the coast,in anaheim,and im goin over there in september maybe this year or a month,so tha will be a great chance to o surfing,properly! ne1 know ne good sites for me to check out in californiaim guessing theres loads?! lol

and also it'll be a great chance to check out other surfers(and gurls ofcourse ;) lol)

[surf patrol]

Hi Mikey Macca, welcome to Surfing Waves,

I learned to surf in Norfolk and the waves are not too bad at times. The locals around Cromer and East Runton are a bunch of nice blokes and there is a good scene there. The whole coast is pretty much beachbreak and small summer swells are ideal for learning. California gets some good waves and Scratby is probably the most consistent break near there.
Check out http://www.surfriders.co.uk/ for more info about surfing in Norfolk.