Newbie here with a quick ?

[hicarbon]

Hey all, new to the art of surfing (Spent about 4hrs. yesterday just sitting on the pipeline on 1st St. in Virginia Beach (If anyone knows the area) watching the waves and people out there surfing and all (Were some good waves too ironically enough, I guess from Irene going through). Anyhow, so I was wondering, for someone who's never surfed before and is looking to get into it, but doesn't want to start on a long board. About what size shortboard would you all suggest? I am about 5'8 roughly 155lbs. with good balance (I've done other things that required a lot of the same type of water balance skills while in the Marines). And what brands of boards should I look for (I don't want anything expensive, just something remotely cheap and used to begin on). Also, has anyone ever heard of a "Hope board by Flea Shaw"? Thanks

[temptations_wings]

do yourself a favor and start on something longer. you will get very frustrated and learning will be very very very slow on a shortboard. trust me i know… im learning on a shortboard. paddling is slower, you have to take off much later so positioning can be difficult because you end up taking off way way way too late and getting axed when you dont know what your doing. popping up is another thing that gets seriously difficult on a shortboard. so basicly, something longer… funboard maybe?… will make surfing a much more enjoyable exerience for you

[tomcat360]

welcome to the forum. im in richmond as well

i would say to not go for a shortboard as a starter, although i did myself. especially in va. beach where the waves hardly get good except in a hurricane, and begin limited to access b/c of livin in richmond....a big fish might be alright if you really can stand a funboard or longboard, although they will be better for these conditions. sittin inside of the longboarders on a day that they are rippin it up and takin ur waves sucks.

good luck
-tommy

[deathfrog]

it's not a garentuee (sp) that you're gunna get frustrated, the first board I got after five years of being landlocked I got frustrated because I couldn't turn it, it was too big. (I weighed like 110 and was using a 7' funboard) but it's still kinda different, but I also remember I never liked boards when I was still figureing it out unless I could turn it.

so what if I couldn't catch many waves, I just hated getting a bunch and going straigh and getting knocked around too much when my dad tried to get me to use his longboard.

[njerseysurf]

well u dont really always have to go used to go cheap. theres a bunch of new quality boards out there for less, you just have to look around different surf shops by your area, or even search on froogle.com for price comparisons

[calisurfer]

i wud say that u get a 6 3 - 6 5 i mean even if its frustrating when u finally get it u will be better then starting on a long board and working ur way down

[fletcher]

Yeah i started with a short board and you do
eventually pick it up but if you want my advice get a bigger board you would pick up the sport faster.

[mmdb]

Hey all, new to the art of surfing (Spent about 4hrs. yesterday just sitting on the pipeline on 1st St. in Virginia Beach (If anyone knows the area) watching the waves and people out there surfing and all (Were some good waves too ironically enough, I guess from Irene going through). Anyhow, so I was wondering, for someone who's never surfed before and is looking to get into it, but doesn't want to start on a long board. About what size shortboard would you all suggest? I am about 5'8 roughly 155lbs. with good balance (I've done other things that required a lot of the same type of water balance skills while in the Marines). And what brands of boards should I look for (I don't want anything expensive, just something remotely cheap and used to begin on). Also, has anyone ever heard of a "Hope board by Flea Shaw"? Thanks

I'm about the same build as you. I'd also suggest starting on a long board, foam board, or what not. Don't worry about brand name, get something that'll help you learn faster (ie foam board or plexiglass board). I've been surfing for 3 monthes on the foam board, now i moved up to a shortboard. Prior to the foam board, i had a shortboard. I got frustrated cause I couldn't catch ANYTHING. It'll be funner to learn on the foam board and it'll get you up to speed much much faster when you transition to another board.

[sideways]

I'm still learning myself. Only been doing it for a month, but i started on a 6''1 board (i'm 6'0/6'1 myself) and found that it took about 2 weeks to be able to pop up and ride a wave going out four times a week. It may have been quicker on a longboard but i reckon so long as you've got some skills from skating or snowboarding or wakeboarding, then getting up will be you're only real hurdle on a short board.