what do you think about this?

[Quiksilver54]

Ok so my friend has offered me his Quiet Flight 6' 3" shortboard. im like 5' 8" and i weigh like 125, I really dont wanna buy a longboard because they are really expensive and hard to lug around and i really wanna do shortboards but i mean. do you think that will work for me because i just started surfing like a week ago, but haha i can surf on a body board if that helps any. so should i get it. he offered for $125?

[Old Guys Rule]

Drowning bit by bit please respond. Let the head banging begin.

[Quiksilver54]

Drowning bit by bit please respond. Let the head banging begin.

what???

[essex sucks]

sorry sp

[Quiksilver54]

what the hell are you guys saying

[scuba steve]

Mate, its a stupid question.
Read the equipment section on the main site.
Buy the board and you will most likely get absolutely no-where.
These threads always appear and the head bangin thing, you can probs work that out for yourself now.

[Sar]

what the hell are you guys saying

there are often post from people who have just started surfing saying should I buy a shortboard even though they're REALLY hard to learn on and there are lots and lots of post saying dont do it - hence the 'banging you head against a brick wall' dude from essex sucks there. DBB has been neglecting his duties.

The general answer you will get is dont buy it. Get a minimal.

when you say you can surf a body board, do you mean you body board? or do you stand up on a body board and surf - a la Kelly Slater? If its the later, off to the ASP worl tour with you! If not get a minimal - its like a shorter longboard. Check out ebay for prices and get a pop out ie BIC/NSP until you learn how to take proper care of a board, they're indestructable.
Good Luck

[essex sucks]

scuba steve your avtor rocks

[Sar]

scuba steve your avtor rocks

oops!

hehe - yeah pretty good

[surf patrol]

Thanks for the reply Sar - reading the first few posts I thought that the forum had turned into one big clique.

Welcome to the forum Quiksilver54, I hope you have not been too put off by the responses so far.
Why not have a read of the
surfboards for beginners pages and go from there. Have a search on the forum for similar topics also.

As a final note you can learn on a shortboard but it is not as easy as on a longer board. At $125 you are probably not likely to get a good long board.

[Quiksilver54]

thanks man i appreciate it and im sorry for not lookin on the beginer page i just couldnt find it but my bad, and yeah haha i can stand on my bodyboard i catch waves but its so hard to balance and the board just turns sideways and stuff but its pretty cool so thats why im pretty confident that i can do a shortboard, it sounds like its easier to get up on than a bodyboard because learning to surf my bodyboard took years

[jethrodog]

Hey Quiksilver54

I say buy the board. As long as it is in good condition it is a heck of a deal. Even if it sits while you rent something longer and wider for your first few times, it will be worth buying to use later. Will it be easy to learn on? Probably not. It will be easier to start on something that is longer and wider as it will be easier to paddle and more stable to stand on. But easier doesn't necessarily mean you can't learn on it. At 125 lbs the board should float you fine, just remember that it may be a hard go at first. I suggest you rent a 7'0" or 7'6" hybrid/funboard for 2 or 3 times, then pull out your new $125 board and start rippin'.

Have fun.

Where do you surf at?

[Quiksilver54]

ussually anywhere, i had been standin on my bodyboard for years but i recently just started renting longboards when i go to the beach since most shops dont rent shortboards, i rented a longboard at tybee island and the surf was like ankle to knee high chop and i surfed down in daytona beach and the surf is like 3 4 and 5 feet and i rented a longboard down there and that was pretty fun but those are really the only two times that i actually surfed on a surfboard but i live in atlanta so i dont get out there much but this summer i think im goin up to cape may new jersey, and i think im goin somewhere down in florida and im movin in a year to wainaie to live with my aunt in hawaii and i think ima go to university of hawaii and i dont plan on movin back after college so i think in a year ill be out there like everyday. where do you surf?

[jethrodog]

The type of wave will influence how well you will do on a shortboard. 1.5 weeks ago in Santa Cruz the waves were so rolly it would have been impossible to catch one on a shortboard. If you aren't surfing fairly consistantly I would definately say rent a longer board a few more times. Once you get the hang of what you need to do then rip out the long board you will buy off your friend and try it out.
Be aware of the type of wave you will be surfing and use the correct board for it. Steep waves that jack up quick, shortboard. Rolling waves that take a while to peak, longerboard. Mushy waves that close out, a plate of sushi and a 6 pack of hobgoblin (ask Kitesurfer )
I live landlocked so I don't surf anywhere regularly, usually Santa Cruz with my friend. But in 2 weeks from today I move to Costa Rica where I will be able to surf every day, without a wettie. I hate wearing them.