Surfing Waves

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

Hows that flyer working out for you kcaffee?

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

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.

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