Board Upgrade

[[surfthosewaves]]

Hey ,

I dont know if you remember but a couple months ago I buggered you a lot about which board I should get for beginning surfing. And thanks to you guys I got the perfect one. It really helped me a lot and Im so glad I didnt go shorter.
I can now surf down the line almost every time I try ( still figuring out the break ive been going to) and Im trying to learn how to snap.

Just a couple days ago I broke my foot skating, and will have to be out of the water for 6 WHOLE WEEKS!
So Im using this time to give me space to think about what I want to do next.

We bought the board I have now second hand for not that much, and my local surf shop has this super cool deal where you can trade in your old board for a new(second hand) one of a similar price. Then obviously if its not a similar price then you get refunded / you pay a little depending on if its more or less.

Anyway Ive been thinking Im ready to move shorter. Partly because I think the board I have now is holding me back a little, not a lot, but I feel like it might be easier to learn snaps and things with a board that can turn a little easier ( also takes a SUPER long time to do bottom turns) .

Heres the information you need to know.

Weight : 50 kgs / 110 lbs
Age: 12 (13 in a month)
Height : 167 cm / 5.4
Surf level: Beginner- Beginnerelly Novice
Wave height: 1-3 ft
Wave type: Sometimes mushy, sometimes clean
Current board: 6.5 / 18 and a half/ 2 and three quarters


Alrighty, so dont change what is in your mind right now.
Whether it be, "This kid is friking crazy." or "I want a ham sandwhich" or anything else, write it down.

Shorter?, Much shorter?, Longer?( ) The same?

Do you think Im ready to go shorter, and if so how short?
Thanks for any help .

[IB_Surfer]

Yes you can go shorter, and also thinner, but add a little width to compensate, but not much. I say 6'2 x 19 x 2 3/8. Eventually, at your weight, you will be surfing 5'8 x 18 1/2 x 2 1/4 potato chips, but not yet.

[drowningbitbybit]

I got the perfect one.... I can now surf down the line almost every time ... I think the board I have now is holding me back... I feel like it might be easier to learn snaps ....takes a SUPER long time to do bottom ... 1-3 ft... 6.5 / 18 and a half/ 2 and three quarters

So you've got a great board that's already fairly small,that you're progressing on, that you surf on small waves... none of that would make me think you need a smaller board.

You think that the board is holding you back... sounds to me that you simply need to keep on practising. A board of those dimensions shouldn't be holding you back, and a smaller board is unlikely to make things easier.

[surf patrol]

No, you will never be ready

Made me laugh.

[[surfthosewaves]]

No, you will never be ready

Made me laugh.

Yes well, with the attitude some people give me, I was sort of expecting some ticks on that one.

To Drowningbitbybit.. been surfing on this board for maybe 6 months, in the first 2 or 3 months I had already pretty much got going down the line , and I guess I never really expected to be able to do anything else. I mean after 2 months I had gotten to the place that I wanted to be, but now this unbelievable attraction to surfing and the ocean just makes me keep bringing the bar higher. The board I have now stopped allowing me to progress around 3 months ago, but I never realised I wanted to progress any more until just before I broke my foot.

As for practicing, I am in the water every day for at least 2 hours . Come rain or shine I will be there. Heck, come snow or storm, I will be there. Bad waves, small waves I'll still be in there practicing my paddle, duckdive and pop-up. There's a shark?, then I sit on the beach watching the waves trying to figure out the break. Every morning I check the forecast, and write down the original swell height, wind direction, strength , everything, just to figure out the break so that I can have more time in the water practicing. Whereas with you, sir "Drowningbitbybit" I highly doubt you are in the water that much. Dont talk to me about commitment.

When you said "So you've got a great board that's already fairly small," , I have to argue. For you a 6.5 board may be fairly small, but keep in mind I am not exactly tall, and Im only 12. When I stand next to my board and hold my arm straight up, the tip of the board is at my wrist. And I have long arms Surely that is not "small". Ive never ridden a longboard and I dont plan to, but this is a fairly long board to me.

If you think a shorter board is "is unlikely to make things easier." thats fine, because I never thought it would. I never asked for easy. I can deal with hard. Im asking for possibility. This board, has no possibilities for me past where I am now. Its so big for me I find it hard to do even the simplest bottom turns. I know it will be hard at first to get to know a smaller board, but I really feel like I can do it. If your worried about me "quitting " surfing because Im frustrated about a smaller board, then I laugh at you
Im pretty hooked on surfing, sometimes I go out in bad waves, knowing that Im not gonna catch any waves, but when I come out , its just like I still feel ready i still feel stoked for the next session.
Put that up your pipe and smoke it.

Woah
That came out fast.

If you still stick by your statement, fine, I wont go shorter, but consider the things I said above.

[[surfthosewaves]]

I would also like to point out that when I was asking about getting my first board, Jaffa said this : urfthosewaves, at your age, height and weight a short board will be ideal to start on, 6ft to 6ft 4 inches."
And I got 6.5, so surely I can go a little shorter?

[jaffa1949]

Surfthosewaves, you've got all the fizz of a twelve year old + you're keen, you can go to whatever lengths you want at any time and really you don't need to ask!

The super long time to do a bottom turn is not the board though, it is your skill level, if you really assess yourself this will become evident.
Get somebody who knows the area and who surfs to give you an awareness of your ability, you might be a prodigy or you might be deluding yourself.
We can't tell on the net.
The most important thing is you are young, you are keen , and you are spending a lot of surf time, you will end up surfing well.
If you've been surfing every day the other guys around will have noticed you, start talking to them.

[drowningbitbybit]

Sunday. Alrighty, so dont change what is in your mind right now.
Whether it be, "This kid is friking crazy." or "I want a ham sandwhich" or anything else, write it down.....

Tuesday. Put that up your pipe and smoke it.

Internet fail

[[surfthosewaves]]

I have talked to the guys at the beach, Im very good friends with most of them. They all say I could move down to at least 6ft maybe even shorter. I also try out their boards on a regular basis and I feel fine on a shorter board.

To jaffa, thanks for that. I will ask the guys at the beach what I can do about my bottom turn when my foot gets better. I am definately not a prodidgy, but also am definately not deluded. I have already won a grom compitetion (U12 )held here by quicksilver and I feel pretty good about it. This is one of the reasons I feel i am ready to go shorter.

To drowningbitbybit, oops you must have forgotten to respond to what I said, or wait, maybe your just trying to avoid it. You obviously dont love surfing as much as you crack yourself up to . Jaffa, here is your delusioniser.

and who cares if its not a word.

[[surfthosewaves]]

Jaffa, although it may be mostly to do with me, I find the bottom turns easier on some of my buddies boards ( around 5.11 - 6.2)

[jaffa1949]

Jaffa, although it may be mostly to do with me, I find the bottom turns easier on some of my buddies boards ( around 5.11 - 6.2)

Surfthosewaves you've given yourself the answer, if you find bottom turns work better on another board then , you know, and if you are getting the results you are speaking about, BTW you are very articulate and write well, I have no delusions about your self assessing, evaluate yourself as you go and remain open to all sorts of surf designs, I suggest that you become an all boarder, they will all give you something to add to your ever increasing skill set. Learn what works under your feet and develop each facet of your surfing as fully as possible. Get the guys on your beach to critique you, and if someone has a video camera, get videoed, nothing shakes you up and gives you and real evaluation of your surf like seeing yourself on video!.
Have fun if you do go the full competition route then the only thing I ask you to remember is that, HAVE FUN!

[IB_Surfer]

I had you pegged for a 6'2, but if yo think you can go shorter go for it. You don't weigh much so it's more about your ability and having fun. If you go too small you won't catch anything and will be bummed, but seems that you already tried smaller and can handle it so go for it.

I still think 6'0 to 6'2 x 19 x 2 3/8 as a transition board, then smaller when you get better