So confused over what board I want!

[Lauz45]

I started surfing lessons a couple of summers ago - every summer I have a day of lessons to refresh me and I was going out on a foam rental board last summer and standing up okay by myself and starting to ride it in in white water - think that board was about 8 foot. I was given a crappy 6'2 shortboard and as it was free I gave it a try for a laugh, but it was like balancing on a matchstick - think it was about 2 1/2" by 19", and I had to paddle like a crazy woman and couldn't quite stand up on it. However I found the foam board really cumbersome as i'm a 5'2 woman - now i don't know what to get!

Longboarding really appeals to me, but I am not sure if I could handle one in the water due to my size...then again a thick funboard looks more practical...any ideas? I'm going round and round in circles here! I really want to start going as often as possible now that spring is on it's way.

I'm 5'2, 24 years old and about 10 stone.

[Sillysausage]

if you want to go to longboarding in the future then you should get a longer board to start with. i see many people out, pretty small people, who are on huge boards and they just get used to using them (as in paddling out etc). although at your size i doubt you'll need a huge board.

don't quote me, i don't have a clue on longboards!!

but a funboard would probably be easyer to handle at first and you should be ok with standing on it after a bit of practice. how often do you surf etc?

[Lauz45]

Thanks, i'm really bad, I haven't surfed since the summer, but now I work in a school, I finish at 3pm and don't have to give anyone a lift anymore, so I was thinking of going after work as often as I can, i'm in west Cornwall so have got plenty to choose from! I really want to go once a week at the very least now, I miss it!

[Sillysausage]

sounds good. if you can surf around 1-2 times a week then you could go for a wider range of boards then as you're ability will grow fairly quickly, especially living somewhere that waves are often seen! you planning on surfing through the winter too?

[Lauz45]

Yep, i'd really like to. Last year the earliest I went was in April for a couple of hours with my winter wetsuit and boots and didn't feel cold at all, and that's when I was attempting to use my freebie board, a battered 6'2! (didn't stand up once lol) Still fun though, nice to be in the water...

I am drawn to longboards, just worrying about being able to carry one and transport it, as I drive a Daewoo Matiz!

[Sillysausage]

lol may have to buy some roofracks there then. if you've already got a wintersuit then a hood and gloves would be all you need. as for carrying it, either park somewhere close to the sea or get one of your mates to join up and have one at the front and one at the back of the board (see this all the time) otherwise i don't know

[The Fafanator]

Thanks, i'm really bad, I haven't surfed since the summer, but now I work in a school, I finish at 3pm and don't have to give anyone a lift anymore, so I was thinking of going after work as often as I can, i'm in west Cornwall so have got plenty to choose from! I really want to go once a week at the very least now, I miss it!

Those lucky kids, having a surfer as a teacher.
I would suggest just getting a nice big funboard. Then after a while you would see if you still want to longboard (You might change your mind, since shortboarding really is quite fun, plus if you are going to go to bigger waves you would like to be able to duckdive them.). From a funboard you could eiter move up to a longboard or move down to a shortoard without much hassle.

[essex sucks]

your doing it again faf

[Sillysausage]

your doing it again faf

agree, a couple of posts i've read now have been quite daft

[Lauz45]

I didn't realise that was a silly post?

[Bewilderbeast]

Don't worry Lauz, I don't think that wasn't directed at you!

It was that super kook fafanator giving out useless advise AGAIN!