Surfing Waves

Hi everyone, I've been lurking these forums for a long time and heeded everyone's advice on starting out surfing with a longboard (8' wavestorm), but now I'm itching to move on to a shorter board! I've been doing some research and I've been leaning towards a quad fish around 5'11" - 6'2" based on my height/weight (5'8", 135lbs). Surf in my area is usually 2-6ft (La Jolla Shores, San Diego), so I think a fish would be perfect for the waves.

I was wondering if I could get your opinions on what skills should I have before trying to upgrade boards? As of now I can consistently pop up on 3-4ft waves (any bigger and I pearl big time) but mainly I just ride them into the beach, I can't go along the green face yet...I feel like my board is so big and clunky that it doesn't react to turning well, so I want a shorter one, but still want buoyancy, and I don't care about fancy tricks yet - that's why I am eyeing fishes and not shortboards.

1. What do you all think about me changing boards now?

2. If I do change boards, would 5'11" fish be okay to learn on? or should I go bigger with 6'2"?


Thanks for answering!!!

A drop from an 8ft board to a 5'11 fish would be a MASSIVE jump, followed by a huge disappointment. Fishes aren't for beginners.

enemyunit wrote:I can't go along the green face yet

If you can't turn your current board and get onto the green face, then a tiny fish certainly won't help you at this point. You'd simply be a lot less stable, catch fewer waves, and need to do everything much more quickly and precisely.

An 8ft board shouldn't hold you back at this stage - once you're consistently up and riding on the green face and can turn it with ease, then might be the time to start thinking its the board.

Sorry - don't mean to be harsh, but it doesn't sound like you're ready for a new board yet, or if you are it should be something like a 7'4 funboard, not a fish.


EDIT - Just realised we're talking about an 8ft soft-top. Okay, the jump to the fish would be an even bigger jump. But a 'proper' surfboard may well improve your surfing experience - but look at a mini-mal or large funboard.

Honestly it's not the board but the rider if you can't take a face on a wave storm it'll be that much harder on a fish because you can't get in as early. Try angling your take off before even thinking of getting a new board. If you'd like an example of what someone on a foamie can do look up Jamie O'Brien.where add that is an extreme example, it all shows you that it's not really the board holding you back

Got it guys, no worries about being harsh - better to read a harsh comment than spend 2 months flopping around on a board I'm not ready for! I'll keep practicing on the 8ft and think about buying later.

Sorry man I was definitely not trying to be harsh! Lol I was just letting you know before you end up in my position with 5 boards of a million different variations....but then again that might be a good thing lol Aloha!

Another idea look at the 7s super fish, they are pop out but one of the guys on here and at my local break have one and he loves it. They paddle easy and just have a touch more rocker than a longboard!