Beginner board recommendation

[Laviz]

Hi guys.

I have just started to learn how to surf this year during my trip in Bali and was hooked. Started on foam long board and the second time I was given a fibreglass board but I am not sure of the size I guess 7' to 8? Both boards were rented.

Although I'm back in my country with no wave but I get to drive up to neighborhood country for monsoon wave.

The problem is there will be no shop to rent boards. So I'll have to get a board of my own.

I'm a total beginner. Can only pop up but can't do any turns yet. Lousy paddle skill. Training up my fitness thou.

What board would you recommend for a 5'2 160cm 108lbs 49kg?

Due to aircraft restriction of 6'2 190cm on sport luggage, I would prefer something within this length is it possible?

Also something not as heavy as the blue foam board which I have a hard time dragging it. So it's impossible for me to carry this to the airport.

My brother is suggesting something like channel island sperm whale/ biscuit. Something not too long (6' 35litre) but high in volume due to my weight and height. But I'm not very sure.

Pls to have your inputs!

[oldmansurfer]

Thats a tough one cause everyone will say get a longboard but I would go for a high volume shortboard. You can get some shortboards that have really high volumes. There is a calculator somewhere......http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/surfboards_volume_calc.php It can help you choose an appropriate sized board that you can take on a plane. I would look for the highest volume board that is below the requirement for shipping.

[oldmansurfer]

and practice swimming to get in shape

[waikikikichan]

What does it matter for airline restriction sizing if you said you were DRIVING to the neighbor country to ride monsoon surf ?

It seems that your brother surfs, since he recommended a Channel Islands/Al Merrick board. Doesn't he have any board you can use ?

[Laviz]

Thats a tough one cause everyone will say get a longboard but I would go for a high volume shortboard. You can get some shortboards that have really high volumes. There is a calculator somewhere......http://www.firewiresurfboards.com/surfboards_volume_calc.php It can help you choose an appropriate sized board that you can take on a plane. I would look for the highest volume board that is below the requirement for shipping.

Thanks oldmansurfer. I have check the calculator mine is 38 - 44 Liters in weak waves
36 - 40 Liters in good waves

Do you have any board recommendation that have high volume and able catch white wash and small waves? I am thinking Chilli - Cherry Peppa as price is within my budget. But I am not sure how well it will perform on small waves..can't find much review on this...

6'0 x 21 1/4 x 2 1/2 = 36.11L
6'2 x 21 1/2 x 2 5/8 = 39.29L - leaning on this since it will be more forgiving...

[Laviz]

What does it matter for airline restriction sizing if you said you were DRIVING to the neighbor country to ride monsoon surf ?

It seems that your brother surfs, since he recommended a Channel Islands/Al Merrick board. Doesn't he have any board you can use ?

Hi waikikikichan thanks for your reply.

Because the monsoon here only last for 2 to 3 months. During non monsoon period I'll be traveling to Bali for a week maybe 2 to 3 times a year if budget allows. The airline I'll be taking is a budget line with small aircraft thus the restrictions... I'm not sure how strict they are. Thinking of getting the longest length within their limit say 6'2 but that is excluding having it in a surf bag. Maybe I should search for some other budget airlines...

My bro is a intermediate surfer with two shortboards i think it's a 5'9 abt 23L and very narrow. The other one is abt 5'10 30L abit fatter.

I have only tried the one with 23L only once, literally one whitewash where he help to push the board before he took it away and ask me to rent my own board lol..of cause I am not able to stand up (have no idea how to stand on shortboard back then because I was used to being able to pop up with my toe on a longboard. Have research now and have a better understanding but will need to be out there to try for real.

Have not been able to try the other one because the waves are still flat out there. Hopefully in a week or two I will be able to do so.

One main reason I am not keen on Channel Island board is because of the price. About 800 to 900usd in Bali. Note that I will only be able to get my board in Bali (when i travel here) (freight from USA/AUS to my country is a killer 200-300USD)

Also it is not easy to sell used board in my country because barely anyone is into surfing here (no wave at all in my country)

I only manage to find 2 used boards e.g 5'10 spitfire which vol only about 33litres selling for 700USD. Volume is a little on the low side..not sure if I'm able to use it for whitewash and small waves.

The other one is custom board and the person is not very sure of the volume..

Any recommendation?

[oldmansurfer]

Laviz I used to be a shortboarder now I am an in between boarder I am not familiar with the various designs and their particular usefullness but I did surf a fish shape that was short and turned and paddled well. So in general I would be partial to that shape but there are many shortboard shapes that I am not familiar with and I have never surfed a firewire (what the calculator is for)

[jaffa1949]

Laviz you're right I'm assuming you are in Singapore, the only surf shops there sell clothes and the lifestyle without boards.

My clear advice to you is go to Bali as often as you, can take some time and have lessons and hire boards, that way you can progress a lot and have no need to spend money on transporting boards and i know that budget airlines treat boards badly so value is smashed out of the boards!
Thinking along the lines I've suggested you could hire or use in lessons something around 7ft and get your ability up then you will know the course your surfing will take and then get a board.
Even with advice, it is a challenge!
After getting experience you are set to access both the Sumatran ? Mentawai breaks via Medan and Padang both flights from Singapore or you can look at Maldivian waves too with a little more under your belt!
Most good surf spots have a fair to good hire system.

[dtc]

You are in a difficult situation...short boards arent for beginners but long boards are useable for travel.

My advice is

- see if you can somehow get a long/mid length board (7-8 ft) that you buy in your country, second hand preferably. This is your learner board, it doesnt have to be great. you will struggle in white water on a 6ft2 board, you just wont float very much - shortboards need speed otherwise they start sinking under you (although at 50kg you have a bit of leeway) and the white water doesnt have that speed. You may have to hunt around for a suitable board, or a cheap enough one - but remember its your learner board not the perfect board.

- when you go to Bali, hire a board for the first few times. This will allow you to swap boards around until you get a good feel for a shorter board or your surfing level. Sure hiring a board might seem like an expensive option, but (a) its not that expensive in Bali and (b) there is not point in buying a board you cant use - that is a very expensive option

- eventually you probably will get to the stage of being able to look at a board you can take on flights. This might take a few trips to Bali and a few monsoon seasons, but at some stage. Then, have a look at getting a board made for you in Bali. You can get one for under USD500 easily or cheaper; and if you hunt around there should be a fair few second hand boards as well (depending on where you in Bali). Pick up and and take it home with you. No need to buy an expensive mass produced board like a Firewire or CI or whatever - get someone to make one just for you in Bali for less money. One of our posters got one done recently - I thnk it was benjl if you hunt for his posts

[dtc]

*longboards arent useable for travel

[jaffa1949]

Sadly Singapore sells all the surf fashion. Except surfboards but then there is only a man made wave and wave sailing available!

A bring back from Bali is probably the only option! NSW your suggestions are valid . Iam able to travel all over as I have choice a normal 9ft board. Can go to most places.
If I can't I have a Pope Bisect that comes apart into two bits and travels in a 4'6" case as personal sporting equipment ( Golf club euphemism ).

Strangely "golf clubs" often fly free where surfboards don't.

I'm lucky though, I know the ropes , I plan meticulously, and the only random factor is the surf

[Laviz]

Really appreciate everyone's inputs!

Seems like even with high volume a shorter board will not be suitable for a beginner like me hehe.

I guess I'll just hold on to buying a board for now and hire boards when in Bali like what you guys suggested. Btw I have read somewhere that the rental board in Bali is only usd7 to usd10 a day? But when I was in kuta I paid for usd5 for an hour. Not sure if I have been overcharge or this is the normal rate. Any idea?

As for monsoon I'll have to just make do with my brother shortboard and just work on my paddling skill before hitting Bali lol!

And yes you hit the nails on me been in Singapore hehe.

And many thanks for the suggestion on surf spots which I'll take note to visit when I get better in future. For now seems like kuta is still the best place for beginner? If there is any other beginner place like kuta but with less crowd I would gladly try! hopefully also within budget travel haha

[benjl]

Hi there

I recently went to Bali too and stayed in a hotel on the main strip of Kuta beach called the 'Wina holiday' There was a small surf shop called mango surfboards about 500m walk down the road on the left and on a road surrounded with stalls on each side.
I got a beaut of a board for $430 NZD and this included a padded bag, tail pad, leash and fins. They had an awesome looking 5'10 that was basically a chopped long board with Tonnes of volume! (maybe 40-42L) They also had a stack of high volume but shorter fishes etc too. The airline back to NZ was only $65 to send it back so the whole package is an abolsute bargain and much cheaper than the options you've mentioned above.

If you are going near that area in Bali let me know and I could give you more specific details on the store location so that you can find it. My board was also epoxy and with thick glassing so it is light and strong.

Hope that helps

[Laviz]

Hi benjl, thanks for sharing! I think that's a really good deal (within my budget!) esp with epoxy i think it usually cost $100 more?! Btw is yours a custom or stock board?

I also usually stay along the stretch near kuta beach, the last hotel i stayed was Dekuta.

My next trip to bali will be Apr/May quite awhile from now but then I don't think i'll be getting one anytime soon will depend how fast I progress lol...perhaps u have the address of the shop for future reference

[benjl]

Yeah I was quite shocked when I got to that surf shop and they told me the prices. i think it was $350 for a board and about $400 for the full package. The boards seem good quality and the guys that worked there were all surfers and knew what they were talking about. I'm loving my 6'2 that I got from there. It's not custom but they had about 30 different boards in the shop of all different shapes, sizes, lengths and thicknesses etc from 5'4 to about 10'! Mine is basically what I was going to get custom made!

The easiest way to find it would be to go to this address below- it's a big mall on kuta beach. If you enter through the main front steps of this mall (where the woman is standing in the third photograph from the collection in the link) and stay on the right hand side of the ground floor, you should come across a collection of shops that heads in a passageway to the right. There is an exit from the mall next to a Burger King and pastry shop (down this passageway) and the surf shop is literally outside the mall on the opposite side of the road about 50m to the left. Called Mango Surfboards.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/Attraction ... _Bali.html

I put some photos of my board up on some posts recently if you want to take a look.
Message me if you want further directions