fish or shortboard

[fred wootts]

hi i'm 15 years old and at the stage where i can stand up and turn abit i am 1m 67cm but only weigh 45kg what do you guys recomend 5'10" fish thruster or 6'7" shortboard

[Driftingalong]

Where are you at, and what are the waves typically like?

[fred wootts]

i'm surfing in england and europe generally on chest height waves i am just starting to turn on one of those minimals but i'm so light it is hard

[Dec]

Are the waves powerful where you surf?..

Fish's usually give you a bit more speed on a dieing wave, where as shortboards need quicker waves

[fred wootts]

it can get pretty weak so i geuss fish is probably a better option in that aspect, are shortboards generally more stable

[Dec]

It depends on what size..width..the volume!

I have a 6'10" Shortboard, its really stable and easy to ride with and i have a 6'4" fish which is much quicker, but harder to carve.

What size you looking for?

[drowningbitbybit]

I have a 6'10" Shortboard, its really stable and easy to ride with and i have a 6'4" fish which is much quicker, but harder to carve.

While Ive got a 6'10 shortboard and a 6'6 fish and the fish is much easier to carve!

[Dec]

well..are you surfing on powerful waves?
because on weaker waves (i find) they are harder!

But you are probably better than me anyway!

[aussieripper]

go the shortboard any day, you do not get the power of the fish unless u are abloe to weave and use the wave to the critail sections, if you areonly learning like the sounds you are go a shortboard they might not LOOK AS COOL but you will improve quicker, please put faith in me

[drowningbitbybit]

well..are you surfing on powerful waves?
because on weaker waves (i find) they are harder!

But you are probably better than me anyway!

Oh, I wasn't arguing with you!

I think its a surfer/wave/board combination (like everything else in surfing) which makes the difference. My favourite waves are medium size and power - chest high but with a fair amount of power. On those kind of waves I find I can rip with the fish, but dont get enough speed for the shortboard to really work.

On a big day, the shortboard comes out

[EastCoast4Life]

your average day is chest? dude im so jelous!! go shortboard!!

[slick surfa]

i reackon dat a shortboard is way better even though a fish is easy 2 surf on

[allrounder]

As a fellow UKer I would have said if you just starting to turn then you should go with the shortboard. I am guessing when you say you are considering afish you are are thinking of swallow tail 6ft something retro thruster setup fish instead of a classic Twin Keel 5ft 8 by 21 wide fish.

The twin keel high performance Fish are extremely difficult to surf if your learning they very short and very twitchy and skatey. Its a whole different way of surfing but hell its fun!!

I would say you need something with a bit of length and width at this stage maybe retro rocket style for the time being until you have managed to turn and climb and drop down the wave both ways and start doing top turns confidently.

If you go too short and too high perfomance you will slow your progress. Basaically you want to be up and riding and catching all sorts instead of struggling.

Hope that helps
AR!

[pavonessurfschool]

if you can learn to surf the fish,your shortboarding will improve dramatically...its skatey but way more precise all around,,surf a fish for a year straight then get on a shortboard youll be surfing like machado....stay below the middlepoint withyour front foot,tap high to low generating speed.draw your top turn out wider lowr your stance a little ..magic carpet rides..

[dondiemand]

if you can learn to surf the fish,your shortboarding will improve dramatically...its skatey but way more precise all around,,surf a fish for a year straight then get on a shortboard youll be surfing like machado....stay below the middlepoint withyour front foot,tap high to low generating speed.draw your top turn out wider lowr your stance a little ..magic carpet rides..

i couldn't agree more

[trails surfing]

i really injoy my hybrid fish. but it's broken so don't know what to do

[Driftingalong]

i really injoy my hybrid fish. but it's broken so don't know what to do

Broken how???

[trails surfing]

snaped the nose on rocks at a shore break

[Driftingalong]

You can probably get that fixed...take it to a shop or shaper or something...

[trails surfing]

already done that getting it back this weekend