Minimal 7.2

[AddeS]

Hello!

Recently I bought my first surfboard. I've been to surfcamp and I know the basic techniques. Both the instructors and the guy in the store strongly advised me to buy an epoxy minimal to start with. I can stand up on it, catch some waves and make some turnings. But there is one major problem and it really is a nail in my eye. As I surf at Bondi I can never get out, I am stuck in the shallow water all the time and I start to regret my choice of board more and more. What do you guys think? I mean, sure. It is good to have a board which easily catch the waves in the beginning. But I have no use of that if I cant get waves since I cant get out to the waves. Should I have bought a fish instead? I feel a bit disappointed since there is more anger than fun when I get out "surfing"

Regards

[drowningbitbybit]

Use the rip.
You're not going to manage to duckdive a 7'2, so dont paddle through the impact zone - go around the waves.
Easy enough to do at Bondi - there's a rip at either end of the beach (although the one at the Icebergs end is a bit hairy) and several rips towards the middle of the beach (I'd use these if you're only a beginner). The lifeguards even helpfully put signs up telling you where they are - so use them.

[AddeS]

Okey mate, lets say I would have bought a 7.0 epoxy, would it have been a big difference? I've tried to find the rips but I just cant. I always try to surf by the current signs but still there are lots of strong waves and I get stuck =S

[tano]

it mainly depends on how thick ya board is if u wana duck dive.as for getting out just wait for an opportunity, its not gona be pumping for the whole day so just wait waist deep for a quick opening then paddle ur balls off through the rip. also watch the bondi crew and other long boarders to see how there getting out, then copy there xxxxx. when i started surfing i recon the best thing that taught me was to just keep paddling out and making sure i cop all of em on the head, youll learn what to do and what not to do quickly when ur getting pumped.

[Zeroman_IR]

Practice. If you can't get out back, your paddling technique may now be strong enough yet and you may not be ready for green waves. I started surfing (occasionally) around April last year. Except on very small days at the breaks around here, I found it impossible to get out the back for the first couple of months. In short, this was because my paddling technique and fitness were appalling, and I hadn't taught myself any tricks for getting beyond the break (does accelerating hard towards the whitewash and smashing through it count as a trick?).

My current board is a 7'6" Hybrid, not really an option for duck-diving except in desperation. At this stage I can get out back 95% of the time. The other 5% of the time the day is probably too big and I have no business being out there at my level anyway.

Stick with the minimal, I learned on a 7'9" Bic and I'm glad I did. You'll catch so many more waves, and it's stable enough to let you progress without getting too frustrated falling off the fish. If you're determined to get out back, have you tried turtling? This is where you roll the board just before the whitewash reaches you and pull the nose down to you. Once the wave has passed, roll back upright and carry on. With practice it becomes a smooth movement and you lose very little time, though it can be exhausting.

Keep at it. I know from experience how frustrating it can be when you're unable to get beyond the break, but looking back I realise that this was a necessary part of the learning process for me and I'm glad to have conquered it. Wouldn't go back there though...

[Unorthodox]

I started on an 8'4" BIC, now I ride an 8'6" custom 'short-ish' longboard, and a 7' Kane Garden fish shape. I can duck dive the 7' in tiny to overhead waves, but I'm a big boy, about 185lbs. Shape will have an effect as well. A mini-mal will have more volume forward of center, which will make it a bit harder. A lot of it is in the technique. It's very important you have enough forward speed before you duck dive.

On the 8'6" I can't truly duckdive, but going through the duck dive motion is just as effective to me in getting through knee to shoulder high surf as is turning turtle. Again, it's all about the technique.

My suggestion is just to keep trying. Read this forum for specific techniques and tips for getting through the breakers, and try them out. Find what works for you. You may want to try a smaller break while you are still learning, if possible.

[IB_Surfer]

Great advice from everyone. Here is mine: If you think you have the wrong board then you do, simple. Hate to say it, but if you are going to be bummed while surfing the board then it's the wrong board for those conditions.

The solution is to buy another board and get your quiver going. Keep the funboard for small days and get something slightly smaller for bigger days. Epxerimenting with boards is part of learning.

[IB_Surfer]

Great advice from everyone. Here is mine: If you think you have the wrong board then you do, simple. Hate to say it, but if you are going to be bummed while surfing the board then it's the wrong board for those conditions.

The solution is to buy another board and get your quiver going. Keep the funboard for small days and get something slightly smaller for bigger days. Epxerimenting with boards is part of learning.

[Jimi]

Should I have bought a fish instead? I feel a bit disappointed since there is more anger than fun when I get out "surfing"

No, you've bought the right board for learning. Don't feel disheartened if you struggle to get out back. Even though you feel like you're wasting effort trying to get out back, the ability for the board to catch waves easily more than makes up for the effort getting though waves. A fish is not a board to learn on, since the short length makes weight positioning critical to catching and riding waves.

Every surfer learning goes through the same stage of struggling out back. It's just something you learn to tolerate, and your fitness will improve alot if you keep doing it.

Also, the eskimo roll is your friend. It feels messy, but it is surprisingly good for getting through bigger sets.