shortboard?

[whiplass]

hello!

I visited a surfcamp in hossegor and surfed for the first time and was really stoked!

now I want to buy a board and think I know what kind I should get. Since I've been skate- and snowboarding my whole life I learned quite fast so I´m planning to buy a shortboard beacause I think thats the most challenging and fun way of surfing.

what kind of shortboard and please tell me about the fish(why use it etc)

[Brian]

...please, dont get a shortboard

itl suck for at least a month or so...i promise you, get a minimal...much better for learning

[whiplass]

Ok, maybe a used minimal.??

[LovintheSurf]

ya bro, dont get a shortboard, i used to be a sponsered skateboarder and was pretty darn good, ive also been snowboarding for 4 years, but trust me surfing is much different. If you get a shortboard youll just get frustrated. Anyway im kinda new to surfing myself, and ive been using a 7'4'' Gun (it has the same shape of a shorboard just bigger than a usual one), im 5'11'' and its perfect for me. In a couple months i plan on going to a shortie, maybe a 6'4'' or somethin. But yah

[whiplass]

thanks for your reply. really great bro.
I trust you. I think I will go for a 7,6-7,10 gun or something like that. been looking for info on internet and that is maybe exactly what I want. Soon I get my money from these painful months of working, then I will hit the road with my new gun(really hope it's good for the waves in Europe) and surf France, Spain and Portugal for three months.(if my injuried foot can make it so soon)

cheers!

[Laguna]

Dont go getting a gun. Thats an even bigger mistake than buying a shortboard. Theres a section on the site which tells you what kind of board to start off on

[whiplass]

OK, getting quite confused right now. I´ve read all info on the site but wanted to know from you guys who surf what I really should go for. I mean, getting a foamie for a euro-surftrip would feel pretty silly. I would like a board, not to hard to master but a board that will "please" me when I get i little better at surfing. The reason of this is that I do not have a endless amount of money..

Thanks for helping me out

[libby]

Ok your looking for a minimal or funboard thats around about the 7'4" to 8' mark, at least 21" wide and probs about 2.5" thick. The difference between a gun and a minimal is that minimals and funboards, although similar lengths to guns, are much wider and thicker giving a great alround volume.

Although guns are longer than 'normal' shortboards they have very thin noses, making them hard to catch waves on and lack the volume you need when just starting out surfing. They are designed for big wave riding and as such are really the opposite of what you are looking for.

Good luck!

[drowningbitbybit]

I think I will go for a 7,6-7,10 gun

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

[libby]

Ha ha ha thats what i was trying to say......

Diplomacy not your strong point DbbbDb

[whiplass]

yeah.

Thanks alot. That's what I thought before I started this thread. I thought a minimal or a funboard would be the best for me. Like a minimal 7'6" or 7'8"

Like many else (I guess) I bought T.E.S after I got the bug and when they say that guns are for the waves like those in waimea bay I felt pretty unsure about buy ing one myself. First; I'm not that good(yet I hope, probably never) Second; The waves I'm about to rip are not that big and if they were, I would not ride'em.

Visited my "local" surfshop yesterday and they wanted m to buy a funboard. Please tell me what's different.

peace

[libby]

Hmmm differences between funboards and minimals are a pretty grey area, to one person a funboard is a minmal and vice versa.

I have two boards a 7'4 which i call a minimal and 7' which i call a funboard in terms of dimensions they are both pretty wide thick boards with lots of float, the only difference being that the minimal SORT OF looks like a scaled down longboard whereas my funboard SORT OF looks like a scaled up shortboard, but in terms of the amount of volume in them they are similar and the differences in the shapes are marginal.

As long as its got dimensions similar to those mentioned above then it doesnt really matter whether its being marketed as a funboard or a minimal, they should both be suitable for you.

[whiplass]

Perfect!

I think I will go for a funboard. Have read about the board and they seem to fit my needs. I need to catch waves to improve and why go on a surftrip for practice, on a board way to small?

Your advice have been very helpful and if there's something else I should think about please tell. I'm very happy when you help me. For example, were is the best place to surf for a beginner? If I make the trip a little shorter I could go anywhere xept hawaii(to expensive).

cheers