Magic Carpet or something else?

[k87]

I'm new to surfing,the waves are pretty xxxxx around here,so i'll be mostly surfing 2-3 ft,sloppy whitewater once a week.I'm 6' 1'',185 pounds(84kgr).I've been out 3-4 times on friend's boards(7'2 NSP and 6'7 BIC) and i must have been the worst surfer ever.I'm looking into buying one of these:

http://www.zumajay.co.uk/index.cfm?page ... 1&start=1#

http://www.zumajay.co.uk/index.cfm?page ... 1&start=7#

http://store.magicseaweed.com/PROD_surf ... lineId=632

http://www.boardridersguide.com/product ... 611600.htm

Everyone i've spoken to reckons that the magic carpet is a good board for cruising on small surf.Are the above boards good for a begginer like me?

Will the single fin set-up be a problem?

Which of the above is better?

Any help will be much appreciated-thanks in advance.

[kitesurfer]

Magic carpets are great fun but they do lean towards a lazy style of riding.
This is fine if this is how you want to surf but if your planning on moving to a shortboard at some point then go for a minimal.
For learning the bigger the better 7ft6 say for yourself.

But the answer is yes a magic carpet would be fine to learn on.
I'm a simillar size to your self and ride 7ft magic carpet.

Here's me taking a magic carpet ride!

http://www.kiteforum.tv/component/optio ... Itemid,30/

KS

[alimac2411]

I could sell you my Dixon Magic Carpet if you were interested?

It is similar to this http://www.surfedout.com/surfproducts.a ... uctID=1300

Differences are my board is 7 foot, width is 22 1/2", thickness is 2 3/4".
My board has a blue trim and the rest is white.

Board is in excellent condition and will cost you a lot less than the boards you've got links to. Would also give you the board bag for it too.
Let me know if you're interested and i can send you pics or give you further info.

[k87]

@kitesurfer:

Thanks for the reply,great video too!

@alimac2411:
I could be interested in your board,problem is i currently reside outside UK(Greece actually).If you are willing to discuss figuring out a way of shipping over here i'd be more than happy to receive further info.

[Surfing-Innovation]

If you've only just started surfing, then I think you'll struggle on a carpet, as they are pretty twitchy.

Once you've got your basics down (pop up, turning, etc) then you'll find a carpet is just really good fun whilst still being OK to paddle, but there's no doubt that it's a lot more unstable than a mal or mini mal.

My main board is a custom 9'3" mal and I was confidently riding overhead green waves and able to bottom turn and trim both ways before I got my (6'10" Nine Plus) carpet.

First few times I tried it I felt like a complete kook!!

I also found it only really performed in clean waves, as it just wasn't that much fun in choppy stuff as it wasn't as stable as my longboard.

Each to their own and all that, but I'd say try before you buy rather than finding out you don't like it or can't surf it..........

[alimac2411]

probably a bit of a hassle sending it to greece, especially being so far away should something happen to the board in transit . If you're back in the UK at any point then let me know and i'll send you details.

[derbyshire surfer]

Hi K87,
I got a Flying Carpet by Bill Attlee at Escape last Feb and I've had the best year surfing in terms of improvement! You could argue that you would improve if you go more I guess, but this board had been amazing! I started off on a NSP 7'10 and never really 'clicked' with it. The Escape board was dearer but well worth it...taking it with me to Portugal on Saturday! It's the 7'6 and I've ridden it with just a centre fin and played around in all conditions.
It is definitley ridden more like a longboard, however I have done a couple of shorter board manouvers on it too...albeit accidently lol!!! If anything I'm going to go longer maybe 8'4 or 8'6 but I'm 35 and don't really get on too well with short board (I have 6'1 too).
Bill let me try out a couple of boards first so if you're not sure, he was VERY helpful and I would go back to him again.

[libby]

I disagree with the above comment on magic carpets being twitchy, after riding Chris's magic carpet it was much more stable than my minimal and i absoloutley loved it!

[jethrodog]

Libby, I gotta ask. When were you riding on Chris' Magic Carpet?

[alimac2411]

agreed about the magic carpet - it's a really good board and i learnt so much with it, never found it twitchy either. A great board for both starting of with or just to have!

[k87]

Thank you all for your replies.

Alimac2411,i won't be heading back to UK for at least seven more months,appreciate your offer though.

Basically what i'm thinking right now is give it a few more tries on my mate's nsp and buying a magic carpet at 7'6'' later.If anyone has any other suggestions for shapers apart from those mentioned,please share.

[kitesurfer]

Same applies to my brother. The first time he ever went surfing was on my magic carpet and he was up and catching clean waves the very first time.
But i still say they do make you a lazy surfer so are not everyone's cup of tea.
Also work well in blown out surf.



KS

[Surfing-Innovation]

I caught the first wave I ever paddled for on a 7'10" NSP - but that's not saying everyone else is going to do the same.

Generally speaking, a longboard or mini-mal, due to the extra length, are going to be inherently more stable than a shorter board - carpet or otherwise.

My account of the carpet I had (and rode for over two years, not just once or twice) was simply that it was more twitchy than my longboard and didn't perform that well in choppy waves - simple as that.

I'm considerably lighter than 'k87' and, IMHO, the nine plus 6'10" board he lists (which is/was the same as I had remember) is not going to be big enough for a novice to learn to surf on - and at the price they go for, it would be an expensive mistake to make!

I still say - try before you buy!!

Don't take anyone's word for it, just see if you can borrow or hire a few different size and shape boards and go out a few times on each and see what works for you.........