For beginners who want to start on shortboards…

[ChrisSD]

Thank you so much for posting this! This is something that I have been asking for a while and everyone tells me to just stick to a longboard. I even went out and bought a 6' 6'' fish shaped board to try it out. I took it out once so far and man what a difference a longer board makes. But thank you for setting some expectations for people that want to suck it up and put in time on a short board.

[Kaaimans]

With a flatter, thicker, longer "short" board, bordering on a funboard, it is easy enough with a bit of determination. I say in the long term it makes for a surfer who isn't afraid to take a late drop.

[Whammx]

A few years ago I had both a soft longboard at nine feet and also a regular fiberglass shortboard at six feet.

I ended selling the soft longboard years ago, due to it being quite (too) easy to catch waves, aside from it not fitting inside or on top of my small car. I kept the shortboard but it's been collecting cobwebs for years.

Having just landed back home in So Cal, I'm very excited to take advantage of he summer and get back out there. Again, it's been years and truth be told, I would go days, sometimes weeks without catching a solid wave with this shortboard. But it's the only board I got and gotta make due with it.

I'll most likely be at Bolsa Chica on most weekdays beginning next week and just spending hours on end out in the water. I know I'm gonna stumble and fall for hours on end, but really, I'll be having fun just being out in the water and feeling incredibly stoked after catching my firs wave again.

[shyhh]

I am feeling the same way as Whammx. Still trying to pop up on a shortboard and, man, sometimes it can be frustrating. But i continue to tell myself to just enjoy the time out at sea and practice paddling and duck diving while getting bash by the waves all at the same time!

[drew11]

I'm about 5 feet tall and 90 pounds. I got a 6 foot board from my cousin. Would it be easier for me because I'm smaller? I tried about 2 moths ago but the conditions weren't that great.
Thanks

[pmcaero]

I have a 7'4" shortboard shaped board, I am 160lbs and I can catch green waves in it, this sucker loves to drop down the face better than my 7'9" Bic minimal "beginner" board.
It's heavy with repairs, too, I feel like I'm sitting lower in the water, but I don't feel like catching waves is more challenging.

[nottyR6]

When I started 2 years ago as soon as I could get up on my large volume Mc Tavish 6'6" egg I thought I had cracked it. I couldnt duck dive it so sold it and got a smaller board made, a 6'3" super fishy shape from the local shaper.
Fast forward two years and not too many waves and I realised my lack of experience was stopping me from both paddling out properly and paddling in to waves properly = p*ss poor wave count and not gone too much further. I soo wish I hadnt sold that McTavish
I remembered I had a Minimal stuck in the attic 7'6" x 21" so got that out, dusted it off, polished the bottom up and off I went. What do you know, felt initially like a battle ship but I can now fly out spin round and get loads of waves.
Moral of the story is, if I'd have stuck with a bigger board 2 years ago I'd probably be on a small board now instead of being on my minimal; which I think has now earned its place in my quiver for the smallest days. That or an equivalent as its about 20 years old.

[surfgoth]

if youre a beginner/intermediate and need to get on a shortboard, i cant recommend bruce fowler's stoker v-machines highly enough. ive got a 5'10 and even at that length, the paddle and glide is like a board much bigger. if youre a beginner id go with one 7'0 and above. astound longboarders by catching waves as early as them.



more to the point, key in a beginner's shortboard is width and rocker... you want it wide and flat.

[brozonelayer]

i'm startin on a shortboard too! its hard but I got the hang of it after about a month

[fuzzyk]

I also started on a shortboard (6'1") when I was younger (~120lbs) and could get up every once in a while, but the waves I needed to get a good ride were few and far between and I could only make it out to the beach once every couple weeks as I couldn't drive at the time. I got a little discouraged, but decided to go surfing with my friend and her funboard about half a year later. I ended up trying out her board and it was like night and day. After standing up, I immediately felt like surfing made so much more sense. If I had it to do over again, I would've gone with a longer board immediately.

I ended up buying a funboard (7'2") and still ride it today (I'm about 150 lbs now). I also bought a 6'2" fish a few years ago, and thanks to how much I learned on the funboard, I was able to catch waves like a champ on the shorter board. You may not look like a pro going out with a bigger board than everyone else, but I guarantee you'll have way more fun and learn much faster. Then when you work your way to shorter boards you won't look as dumb as I did

[Hang10]

I started learning on this board:
http://www.ericarakawasurfboards.com/su ... andit.html

I am not sure if it is considered a shortboard, it is under the category of miniboard. The one I got was 5'11 and I weigh 145lbs. The exact dimensions are 5'11, 19.5, 23.8.

A lot of my friends said I would have a hard time catching the waves on the board since it was so small. I didn't really have a problem catching 2-3 foot waves but I really do have to paddle fairly hard. I am happy with that size and glad I didn't get a larger one.

[kreef]

I also started on a short (ish) board (6'6" squash tail). I was a little smaller then at 16 and although it did me well enough it wasn't until I surfed something a little bigger that I really started to progress. Of course you CAN start on a short board but in all likelihood your progression is going to be far slower and you'll probably pick up some bad habits like getting to your knees before standing.

With a bigger board you have to worry less about balance; when you're still learning how to pop up the less you have to worry about the better. In my experience - start with something bigger, focus on paddling, reading waves and most importantly your pop up. Once you've got this down and can exercise a degree of board control then try out something shorter like a fish.

When you're starting out a longer board will also give you a much higher wave count - besides the pop up, your surfing only improves each wave you stand up on. So it makes sense to reduce the difficulty in actually catching a wave by starting with something more buoyant when learning how to surf.

[Borro_uy]

Hi everyone! I am an uruguayan backpacker travelling around new zealand. The other day I found a reeeaally cheap surfboard (6'1 x 18'1/2 x 2'1/3) and I bought it. I went for the weekend to raglan and Although i am not dissapointed it was very difficult to catch a wave and almost impossible to stand up. As I am working in hamilton and im 45' from the beach i can only surf on the weekend. Can you tell me how to read the sizes of the board? Got any tips for starting on this kind of board? As I am in a low budget i have to stick to this board, can you recomend me starting goals to achieve? Can i surf in the whitewater? Thanks a lot! Cheers.:mrgreen:

[jaffa1949]

Welcome to this side of the world Borro, a lot depends on a few things your size and weight for starters. Your starting level really means you should be in the white water for your early learnings.
Going out on any of the Raglan point waves is going to cause major problems.
White water goals:
Catching white water waves
getting a smooth pop up and being able to stand.
Controlling the board and being able to turn in the white water.
Being able to read the waves.
being able to paddle out safely.
Learning surf etiquette ( the rules ).

Not sure about how or why you read the size of the board but often the dimensions are penciled somewhere near the stringer ( the thin piece of wood or line down the centre of the board).
Use a tape measure that will be close enough!

I'm sorry no one was there to help you choose a board, really cheap worries me on your behalf.

Finally and most importantly just have fun

[Borro_uy]

Hi jaffa, thanks for all the info. I am aware that this is not the best board to start with but its what i could get and i will do my best! I was thinking of renting a longboard for a couple of days maybe... By the way my weight is 70 kg and i am 1,68 metres long. Which beach would you reccommend me to start? I live in hamilton and want to travel around the north island. Cheers!

[jaffa1949]

Hi again Borro, I'm not all that familiar with NZ beaches, only having surfed a few years ago. Go to the surf shops in Raglan and ask them which beaches closer to town are good learners beaches> I konw there are some there and it is where there surf school go. May try a lesson or too ( I know cash is tight) to help you with the basics, . Ask people especially lifeguards ( as it is heading towards summer) and they will direct you to a safer surf spot.
Just take it easy and have fun you can certainly have fun on the board and fortunately you are light so you you might achieve more on the board than we thought!

[lamby_05]

Nice post !

[DCarla]

I enjoyed a lot watching surfing but never experienced of doing it.

[Elms]

I'm learning on a shortboard and although it is difficult, I don't have anything to compare it to, so for me, it's normal. I would have liked to start on a long board but I can't fit one in my car. So I went to a local shop, I told them my situation, and he recommended a 6' x 21" x 2 1/2 fish . I'm 5'7" 130lbs with a good physique. It was the longest, widest, and thickest board I can fit in my car and it's actually well suited for our local break. Popping up and riding is a bit of a challenge but in my opinion it's not terribly difficult. I can pop up and ride waves already, it's learning and feeling what's going on at my feet that I haven't got used to. Only time and practice can fix that. In my opinion, if you're in good shape, a strong swimmer, and with some arguably relevant experience e.g. bodyboarding (which I used to do quite a lot), skateboard, or snowboard then you may find it less daunting. If you decide to start on a shortboard then go with something wide and thick.

[peazz]

@surfgod - Surely if a board is wide and short it's no longer a short board but instead a fish?

I thought short boards were defined by performance rails, a little rocker in the nose and tail with a narrower outline then the typical wider fish boards u do see around.

I had a hybrid fish it had the performance rails but none the less all the extra volume in the nose and tail made it a fish.

If I'm wrong I apologise, I'm just curious