?? Need advice for purchase 1st post ??

[saltH2O]

First thanks for taking the time to read this.

I am 33 in decent shape 5'10 155lbs
skated for 7 years
snowboarded for 5
NOT LOOKING TO BE " COOL" JUST WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME

I rented a 7'10 cheap board from local shop, I had fun it was pretty small and choppy that day. Had some trouble trying to paddle out (to be expected) I did get up mostly in the the wash....and twice on a decent wave.

I am looking to buy a board.....I would like it sooner than later...but... I am willing to wait depending on responses.

I have been trying to read as much as possible but very confused. I understand that I need a longer board which is fine.

WHAT TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION??

FIBERGLASS OR TUFLITE?

I can buy a used 7'6 funshape that is made by a local shop ( don't rember who they said shaped for them but you get the idea) from a private owner

or

Thinking about waiting till I have more $$ to buy a used Al Merrick Waterhog....somewhere between a 7'4 to a 8'0.

I believe both would work....I have to say I love the shape to my eye of the Waterhog in pic's.

WHICH WOULD BE BETTER??? STONG GLOSSY TUFLITE OR MORE "NATURAL FLEXY FIBERGLASS??

I have no desire to ever do air's or really crazy sh** maybe a floater one day. So any help would be appreciated.

[rich r]

Really, for a first board, it doesn't matter.

Get a nice used beater and have fun, figure out how it performs and when you go to buy your second board, you'll have a good idea of what you prefer.

It's all personal choice.

[phillwilson]

I would offer the advice as a fellow nebie of...rent and try and assess

a little bit of differance can make a lot of differance ... try longer , try shorter (a little bit), try even longer then you think you need...dispell all the myths and misnomers that you may have and just feel ...


ok im in a strange mood so that came out rather flowery...but i thought i had found a great board, then a few weeks later I tried another and found my perfect board....it was longer then i thoguth i would need or be able to manage but it works so well.

anyway, have fun

Phill

[saltH2O]

Guy's come on, someone with some experience........Main question is about fiberglass or tuflite? Which one would be better as a first board.....durability ridability etc....some answers from people that have tried both.................maybe someone who has take a spin on a Al Merrick Waterhog. THANKS

[LiveLoveSurf]

My first board was the CI 7'4 water hog. It is very easy to catch waves on, easy to pattle, great stability. Perfect board for most every condition. Low entry rocker for trimming and enough tail rocker to stay high performance. You can't go wrong with channel islands. number one surf company in the world

[saltH2O]

would the durability of Tuflite Waterhog be worth the cash over Fiberglass?? Read so much about dings and dropping boards thought it might be worth while to spend extra $$ to ride tuflite

[jon.biarritz]

A few thoughts on this.

Rent one for a day or two and try for yourself before buying outright.

I don't care for tuflite at all so far...floaty, stiff. But that's just me trying a few tuflite rental boards and haven't tried tuflite 2. I own a Maurice Cole 6'8 x 19 x 2 1/2 and occasionally try other boards.

You may be able to go a couple inches shorter with a tuflite because it floats more. With a CI Waterhog you may have enough floatation happening already with fiberglass.

Avoid crowded swells and shallow beach breaks with a new board, tuflite or not. Dents and dings happen, you'll need to repair your board sometimes, and sometimes they break.

Cheers.

[RJD]

Surfboards = disposable.

Can break one first time out with it. Unlikely with a longer/thicker board, much less likely with a tuflite, but xxxxx happens.

IMO if your a newb and a casual surfer then 8-9ft is the minimum irrispective of float, longer board helps with balance a whole lot more.

[phillwilson]

Guy's come on, someone with some experience........Main question is about fiberglass or tuflite?

I may not have ridden either board that you specifically requested info on, but the experience I was trying to pass on to you is the one where a new surfer can get wrapped up with a new adventure and all the sleek sexy equipment that we get to play with, and makes less then ideal choices due to lack of understanding of the importance of personal board "feel" over brand choice..

Yer I could have gone and got an Al Merick cos I wanted a "name board" or a Cortez cos it was good value for a first board or a Bic cos thats what my mate learnt on...but that all became irrelevant once I tried a generous random friendly surfers 9.2 fiberglass localhero....

it was an option that I would have never DREAMED of trying in my head it would be too heavy, longer then i thought i would need, and fibreglass...oooh well thats dingable isn't it..I want a board that lives for ever!!!...

but all that became obsolete once I had a THAT ride. it re-set my compass towards a type of ride i had never had up to that point...and the sad bit is that I had only just bought my "first" board...which I would have never needed if I had opened my horizons a little more.

obviously YMMV and if you have done your homework and are just in the final tweak stages between two contenders then cool, but then I guess its an answer no-one will be able to decide for you cos its back to that "feel" thing again.

good luck with your choice..have a blast either way!!
Phill

[oldgrom]

Yo bro..... Phill gave you the real poop on the deal!! I'm 39 5-6 165 and own a shizpot of sticks. Make,repair,paint em.From the time I started to now is a big difference not only in how I can surf but having a stick for surf conditions! Big diff in what you want and what you need!!! You allready stated you just wanna surf and have fun not try to be some shredin ripper.... well good it's suposed to be fun. If your new it wont realy matter on the material as much as it will the shape and size. Sure one is stronger than the outher one is lighter etc. Keep in mind they all get ouchies and will need repair!!!!! I own a tufflite and a couple of surftech soft tops both are fine boards (prefer the soft tops), but when it comes to repair time (SON OF A !@#$$#@!) WTF!!!!! not so easy and cost more to fix comparativly speaking, yet on the outher hand poly boards seem to get dings in em from just looking at them so al in all it's a wash.
No doubt (Phill) told ya to get your mits on as many different boards you can, surf(or try to) the crap outa them and you will start narrowing things down, recomend a lil longer stick to start( it realy helps) mini mal comes to mind,, allso look into buying a used deck to beat the snot out of first shizz for the same cost you can get a couple of used sticks and have a small quiver for conditions,surf ability or hell invite someone and let em use one of yours!!!! I personaly try to do this with people I'm gonna make a board for. Some know exacly what they need/want and outhers I take out with oh 6 to 10 diff boards over about a month or two and get that hand in glove fit. Your tryin to compare apples to oranges and jus like Phill stated(which sucks) you get a board and next thing you know is "damn I shoulda got one of those instead!!!" believe me and Phill when we say once you get that ride and it's one you can do again and again and again your sold on it solid and yes me too have been suprized a many of times(same here,,, A 10' hell no I don't want a log) but after catching and dominating every wave...... well what can you say. Now way latter in surf life have a total mixed nut bag of boards as well all should have a couple,,,, Keep in mind youll allways have whatever you buy even when you get anouther so why not make your first one that you can ride every time for sure and grow from there. I still have been known to take a foamy out and still have a kick azz time on those turd torpedos so what does that tell you. Go bigger, longer, thicker than you think you need (get what you want outa your head) work on NEED first and you 6 in one hand and half doz in the outher with epoxy v.s. poly. Mainly I realy have to ditto what Phill stated to ya (good sound advice).
Good luck with whatever you chose and remember just have fun.

[Sykes]

I surf on a 9'2" NSP epoxy board. In my n00b opinion, it's a great beginner board (I'm a bit bigger than you, at 6'4" and 200 lbs). It's super floaty, very durable, paddles easily, and very stable. Only one ding in it after 3 months of learning how to surf, and that one came from the fin on my brothers board when he and I were surfing togethter the day before my wedding (he should have gotten out of my way faster, lol).

I asked 4 different surf shop employees at 2 different shops what they would recommend for a beginner of my size, and they unanimously recommended the NSP.

I've been nothing but happy with the NSP so far, and the fact that the surf shop I go to recommended it over something more expensive but less suitable has ensured that when, probably in time for next summer, I buy a custom noserider, they will be the shop I buy it from. Recommending the best thing for the surfer as opposed to the best thing for the surf shop is full of win, and good business, imo.