Transitioning from a 7'2" funboard to a 5'6" shortboard?

[salty_sunkissed]

Hi!
I am a 15 year old girl and weigh about 48 kg and am 160 cm tall. My family is going to Florida in May (We usually go for about a week every year; this year we are going for a week and a half, as of now.) We are renting a place a few miles out from Sebastian Inlet State Park. Last year, we went to NSB and Ponce Inlet. I only surfed the whitewater, though. I rented an 8'2" NSP from the Maui Nix Surf Shop in Daytona. About halfway through the week, I dropped a foot in board length and bought a 7'2" NSP funboard off Craigslist. I actually like it a lot better! The only downfall was that it was a lot less unstable when paddling and seemed quite a bit too big for me. I seemed to pop-up easier on it, for some reason. Once we arrived back home, I started working out more often and following a surf training regimen. My pop-up is actually very swift and the foot placement is fairly accurate. I mainly need to work on paddling and catching unbroken waves now.

How quickly would I be able to progress in a week and a half? I know it would probably take several weeks to even be able to pop up on a shortboard, but I am really small (and somewhat muscular, lol. I race four-wheelers), so I feel like it would be a good size and that I would catch on quicker than I think... maybe?

Advice would be much appreciated! I know surfing is a lot harder than it looks, based off my personal experience, and I am sure a shortboard would be frustrating, but I am a really headstrong person and feel as if I could learn easily...

I would probably rent one first, by the way!

Thanks in advance

[oldmansurfer]

Think about how difficult it was to go from a 8'2" to a 7'2" then it will be at least twice as unstable to go from a 7'2" to a 5'6". In addition if you aren't riding green waves then maybe 10 times more difficult beause it's going to be harder to catch waves. If you are setting yourself a time limit in weeks don't go shorter. In the long run if you can get to the beach often enough and put in time short boards are fun but if you don't have the time don't go short. You say you feel like the 7'2" board is too big for you? What exactly do you mean by that?

[drowningbitbybit]

How quickly would I be able to progress in a week and a half?

On a 5'6? You'd quickly progress from eager excitement to weeping frustration.

[salty_sunkissed]

Think about how difficult it was to go from a 8'2" to a 7'2" then it will be at least twice as unstable to go from a 7'2" to a 5'6". In addition if you aren't riding green waves then maybe 10 times more difficult beause it's going to be harder to catch waves. If you are setting yourself a time limit in weeks don't go shorter. In the long run if you can get to the beach often enough and put in time short boards are fun but if you don't have the time don't go short. You say you feel like the 7'2" board is too big for you? What exactly do you mean by that?

Thank you for replying!
Actually, the transition from the longboard to funboard was fairly simple. I know what you're talking about, though. Great points! I just wanted to rent a shortboard and give it a go. By "too big," I meant that I am a shorter/smaller person so I felt that I would do okay on a board a little shorter than it.

[salty_sunkissed]

How quickly would I be able to progress in a week and a half?

On a 5'6? You'd quickly progress from eager excitement to weeping frustration.

Haha! Seems accurate.... Should I try a board somewhere in the 6 ft range, because I am already pretty comfortable with my funboard.

[jaffa1949]

Should I try a board somewhere in the 6 ft range, because I am already pretty comfortable with my funboard.

The question as I see it is you are comfortable with the funboard, why not stay with that and become skilled with the fun board then progress, what you mean by comfortable could mean anything.
What are you actually capable of doing on the board?
That might help us help you.Headstrong great will help immensely.Why noyt just get you skills up and rent a shorter board so you know the differences we are talking about.
If then, short fits the bill, then buy!

[dtc]

Stick with a fun board shape; the shorter boards are not only shorter but shaped for actions you probably aren't up to

Keep in mind that a 6 ft surfer will start on a 9 ft board; so you surfing at something around 7 ft is entirely appropriate. It seems really big because you just aren't used to it/understand what to do with it. As you get more skilled, the board will become easier to handle. Going short doesn't solve the issue because it creates other more difficult to solve problems. What solves the issue is getting more skilled

Surfing once per year it is very hard to significantly improve. It takes a few days to get your sea feet back and to get back to the level you were when you last surfed. Then you only have a few days to actually start improving. It's totally worth it but it's hard.

[waikikikichan]

I am exactly the same height as you. 5 foot 2 inches. I have a hard time getting my body/feet up and over my 5'6" board. I would recommend a 6'6" if you must jump down from a 7'2". 5'6" is just too short to get your feet planted without a good pop up. No way in white water soup.

anyhow, if you're renting boards, just ask the shop person if you can take out the small board at first. Then if you can't catch waves, that you can swap it out for a bigger board. They want you to enjoy catching waves and be safe. My shop always allowed renters to swap. Close to 100% who thought they could go shorter, always came back to get the bigger board.

[drowningbitbybit]

My shop always allowed renters to swap. Close to 100% who thought they could go shorter, always came back to get the bigger board.

I like that little word from the wise there

[waikikikichan]

Actually one beginner person didn't come back in immediately to swap out for a bigger board. He had to be brought in by the lifeguard jetski since he couldn't paddle back to the shore !
He was too exhausted and fell asleep on the sand for 3 hours. Boy was he sunburned.

[salty_sunkissed]

Should I try a board somewhere in the 6 ft range, because I am already pretty comfortable with my funboard.

The question as I see it is you are comfortable with the funboard, why not stay with that and become skilled with the fun board then progress, what you mean by comfortable could mean anything.
What are you actually capable of doing on the board?
That might help us help you.Headstrong great will help immensely.Why noyt just get you skills up and rent a shorter board so you know the differences we are talking about.
If then, short fits the bill, then buy!

Thanks for the great advice! And I can pop-up really well on it and turn but I feel somewhat limited with it, if you know what I mean? Maybe not. Haha

[salty_sunkissed]

I am exactly the same height as you. 5 foot 2 inches. I have a hard time getting my body/feet up and over my 5'6" board. I would recommend a 6'6" if you must jump down from a 7'2". 5'6" is just too short to get your feet planted without a good pop up. No way in white water soup.

anyhow, if you're renting boards, just ask the shop person if you can take out the small board at first. Then if you can't catch waves, that you can swap it out for a bigger board. They want you to enjoy catching waves and be safe. My shop always allowed renters to swap. Close to 100% who thought they could go shorter, always came back to get the bigger board.

Awesome! Thanks for the info! I think I will try a board in the 6 ft range like you mentioned, then see if I like it or not. I know of the "chicken leg" pop-up technique... Is that an easier way? Or have you tried it? And do you know any good places to rent boards in NSB?

Oh and I love your comment at the end hahaha

[salty_sunkissed]

Actually one beginner person didn't come back in immediately to swap out for a bigger board. He had to be brought in by the lifeguard jetski since he couldn't paddle back to the shore !
He was too exhausted and fell asleep on the sand for 3 hours. Boy was he sunburned.

Oh my goodness! No way! haha poor him

[salty_sunkissed]

Stick with a fun board shape; the shorter boards are not only shorter but shaped for actions you probably aren't up to

Keep in mind that a 6 ft surfer will start on a 9 ft board; so you surfing at something around 7 ft is entirely appropriate. It seems really big because you just aren't used to it/understand what to do with it. As you get more skilled, the board will become easier to handle. Going short doesn't solve the issue because it creates other more difficult to solve problems. What solves the issue is getting more skilled

Surfing once per year it is very hard to significantly improve. It takes a few days to get your sea feet back and to get back to the level you were when you last surfed. Then you only have a few days to actually start improving. It's totally worth it but it's hard.

Thanks so much! and yeah! I think I am going to move to Florida when I graduate in a couple years! I really enjoy surfing!

[waikikikichan]

"And I can pop-up really well on it and turn but I feel somewhat limited with it, if you know what I mean? Maybe not. Haha " - actually I don't know what you mean by turning since you said you've been only riding white water. Are you making actual direction changes from going left along the waves face then turning the board to go along the right ? Or are you making the nose Wiggle back and froth from right to left ? If a child feels uncomfortable riding a adult sized mountain bike, then I can understand how it could be "limiting" or "intimidating". But surfing is a bit opposite in that you start of bigger and as you skills improve you can then go smaller.

[salty_sunkissed]

"And I can pop-up really well on it and turn but I feel somewhat limited with it, if you know what I mean? Maybe not. Haha " - actually I don't know what you mean by turning since you said you've been only riding white water. Are you making actual direction changes from going left along the waves face then turning the board to go along the right ? Or are you making the nose Wiggle back and froth from right to left ? If a child feels uncomfortable riding a adult sized mountain bike, then I can understand how it could be "limiting" or "intimidating". But surfing is a bit opposite in that you start of bigger and as you skills improve you can then go smaller.

I mainly surf whitewater as of now, but have caught a few unbroken waves on my funboard, where I figured out how to maneuver the board some. When I surf the whitewater, I just wiggle the board back and forth If I catch an unbroken wave, I can *slightly* ride along the face of the wave... not much time to improve, sadly!

[waikikikichan]

then you are NOT turning. You may be veering ( like the old timers do in traffic ) or angling. But not turning yet. But tha'ts a start, just remember to look where you want to go.

If you don't have much time, then stay on the funboard. It's name is FUN

Can you explain the chicken leg get up. In golfing, a chicken wing swing is a very bad thing. Would suppose a Chicken leg pop-up is just as bad. Are you popping up from one knee ( or worse both knees ) then up to your feet ?

[surf patrol]

then you are NOT turning. You may be veering ( like the old timers do in traffic ) or angling. But not turning yet. But tha'ts a start, just remember to look where you want to go.

If you don't have much time, then stay on the funboard. It's name is FUN

Can you explain the chicken leg get up. In golfing, a chicken wing swing is a very bad thing. Would suppose a Chicken leg pop-up is just as bad. Are you popping up from one knee ( or worse both knees ) then up to your feet ?

Haha alright! I thought so! I knew there was better word for it. And I was browsing YouTube one day and found the video here:

I practice pop-ups on land and it seems to help me keep my toes off the ground, since I won't have that advantage on a shorter board.

[surf patrol]

then you are NOT turning. You may be veering ( like the old timers do in traffic ) or angling. But not turning yet. But tha'ts a start, just remember to look where you want to go.

If you don't have much time, then stay on the funboard. It's name is FUN

Can you explain the chicken leg get up. In golfing, a chicken wing swing is a very bad thing. Would suppose a Chicken leg pop-up is just as bad. Are you popping up from one knee ( or worse both knees ) then up to your feet ?

This video too, but on an actual shortboard:

[Big H]

Looks like you'd be at the bottom of the wave before standing with that chicken leg method....work on this instead....