Why choose long boarding???

[Jeffb]

Hello to everyone,

I’m a new surfer with just a few sessions under my belt, but the bug has bitten and I’m now ready to pick a direction and buy my first board…

So, it’s stand up for what you believe in time for you all…

Please tell me why I should choose to become a long boarder, sell it to me…… without slagging off short boards…..

Cheers,
Jeff

[bluesnowcone]

because its easyer to get to grips with, in 1 year of longboarding i can top turn cross step hand 5 and maby 10 toes if im luky, i can do re-entry mini floaters ect.

i find it alot more relaxed aswell and more fun because you dont have to paddel like mad to catch waves.

you can much about, you can knee ride it all the way in with ease ( thats good fun in big surf)

i could go on all night

[Sweet!]

Because you can take a longboard out in ANY conditions and have a hell of a great time. Even flat as pancakes. Which is really important when you first get bit. You need to satisfy that itch and it doesn't calm down until you ...well...never actually..



shortboarding sounds hellafunn tho. I'm going to get there. I find both appealing.

At the mo when I have time I like to try charging and mucking around on my log as much as poss.. I want to learn to know the board so well that I can instinctively KNOW where my feet are, where my board is, where I am on the wave without having to be looking around. I want to feel as relaxed as poss moving around all over the place and feel confident balancing in any situation...

hee hee... esp when big ass waves close out infront o me and I need to get low to not get knocked over. ho yea!

[dougirwin13]

Because you can start on a longboard immediately! No problem.

If you want to shortboard you will find you need to start with a funboard, such as a mini-mal. And then work your way down through board sizes over the years.

And then there's the glide, noseriding and progressive longboarding.

Just my 2c!

-doug

[WooD]

Its all about the glide.

[grub]

Less stress, more fun, family feel/atmosphere when with other longboarders as opposed to compotition...etc. etc. etc.

Thinking in the future, why limit yourself to one or the other?

[Driftingalong]

All that stuff stated above...

It can depend on how often you can surf and where (how good are the waves).

IMHO go with the longboard first. You be able to get in the water more often, catch more waves and learn faster.
Then when you save up more money you can think about working your way to shortboarding.

Everything you do on your longboard with vastly improve your shortboard skills.

(I do both)

[rich r]

I'm both, as well.

It depends on your break, and how often you can get out, and what you want to be able to do when you're out there.

Buying your first board? Hmm.. What did you ride to get the bug? Shorty? Did you get up?

If you got up on a shortboard, I'd go with that, go rip, have fun and buy a 9 foot log next time you have the cash.

If otherwise, I'd go with an 8'6" through 9' 2" longboard, so you still have some mobility to experiment with. Then pick up a cheap used fish, egg or even a 6'-something swallow on the side to play with when conditions are right for it.

I'll tell you - I dread paddle-outs on the longboard when it's over chest high compared to how I used to duck dive through everything on my 6'4".

But the ride is so much different, it's worth it.

[Jeffb]

Thanks for the feed-back,

I got the bug first on a big-old 8' swell board but soon progressed to an 8' mini-mal...

Was very good fun, and I strangly found it much easier to get up on the mini-mal than the swell board...???

Being still quite undecided I reckon I might go for a 7' mini-mal and see where that takes me...

Nice-one,

Jeff

[twizzly]

i've been surfing for about 8 months now and i go out about 2 times a week. i have really been bit by the bug, so i've already gone out and purchased quite a few boards:

i) a 7'10" Merrick CI Water Hog
ii) a 7' Merrick Flyer II
iii) a local shaper's 9'6"

I really enjoy all 3 boards a lot and thankfully get out often enough to ride them all. The 9'6" given the breaks near my house is really the most enjoyable. Simply put I can get on the waves further out, paddle less strenuously and focus on positioning and timing rather than an all out exertion.

That said, the moment it gets 3' high or higher, I start wanting to go down to shorter boards. It is TOUGH to turtle roll through big breakers... in fact, the moment it becomes big at all, I really find myself wanting the 7' Flyer. Honestly, even the 7' flyer is a bit tougher to duck dive, but I always err'ed on the side of something a bit more bouyant (it's 7' and 3" thick, surftech epoxy) -- this rocks, because I can ride it in absolute mush too -- just not with as much balance or as easily as the bigger boys.

Anyway, just a few tips -- starting out (as i still am), i really love the longer boards. Good luck with your choice, you can't go wrong!

[WooD]

[quote="twizzly"]i've been surfing for about 8 months now and i go out about 2 times a week. i have really been bit by the bug, so i've already gone out and purchased quite a few boards:

i) a 7'10" Merrick CI Water Hog
ii) a 7' Merrick Flyer II
iii) a local shaper's 9'6"



A friend of mine has a 7.10 CI Water Hog. Thats one sweet board. My shortest board is 9.2. I've been thinking about getting something around 8.6. I'm looking for something to surf a really rocky break that I'm paranoid of taking my high dollar boards on. Actually thinking about a Bic. I hear their pretty tough.

[twizzly]

yeah the boards i have are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than my talent level should allow...

in fact i was hanging out with some locals at a surf spot near me -- trying to stay out of their way and being very respectful -- and they were all diggin' my Water Hog.

it's a VERY VERY nice board that catches waves and paddles easily. also turns very well.

[slidezilla]

i think there need not be such a thing as a "longboarder" or a "shortboarder." the question is what are the conditions and what do you wanna do on them? the basic thruster is a picky board. you need shoulder high and kinda zippy waves to make them work properly, but when the waves are like that, then that's perhaps the best type of board to ride. when it's smaller or softer, then a longboards would be more appropriate. then there are high volume fishes and eggs, and modern 2+1 fin lonboards so there's room for crossover. Joel Tudor once said that riding a longboard on an overhead wave is just silly, "it's like wrestling an aligator." what's informed me a lot is watching films and seeing what style appeals to me, i get way more jazzed watching "the seedling" (a loggin movie) than i do watching "momentum" or "thicker than water" (shortboard oriented films). like i said, i don't wanna limit myself as a surfer by saying i'm a longboarder...but chances are you will find one style more inspiring than the other. plus, watch the way people struggle when they are riding short boards on mushy waves or a log and overhead waves...a good lesson on what boards are right for what surf is the movie "sprout" all those guys are always riding the best board for the conditions. obviously i think surf movies are very valuable.