Shortboard conundrum!!!

[alecelsden]

Hi, I started surfing a few years ago on a 7'2", and after I'd learnt the basics, I decided to progress to a shorter board. My parents bought me a fairly old 6'0", and although I was initially happy with it, I found it very hard to ride. The board was quite thin, and I had hardly any control. It was fine on nice clean days with a small to medium swell, but on a big and/or messy day, I could hardly stay up, and I'd have to paddle very fast to actually catch anything. I'm now looking to get a new shortboard and I was just wondering what would be the best. I live in north Devon, England and I'm hoping to surf about once a week. I was thinking around 6'4"/6'6", but I really don't know what would be best. I'm looking for a board that's fairly easy to ride so I can practice shortboarding and get better, any help would be appreciated. Cheers

[alecelsden]

Oh, and I'm just over 6ft and I weigh just under 10 stone

[surfgoth]

if youre sort of a beginner-intermediate, and are transitioning shorter, do it like 6 inches at a time, so a 6'6 - 6'8 . go wide and thicker too, say 6'6 x 21 x 2 3/4. get something with a flatter rocker, or says "low-entry rocker" in the description. a board like this is going to float you really well (eventually too well), so itll be a dream to paddle.

[deegan711]

is there anyway you can rent a few boards from a local shop and see what suits you best?

[alecelsden]

Probably, I have tried some boards at Tiki before, but I was just asking advice could save some time

[themathteacher]

It depends on your patience and ability. If you go too small it will be frustrating, but it would also depend if you are up to a challange. As surfgoth wrote, from a 7ft board down to a potato chip is a big drop.

However, you are 10 stone, which means you can go way smaller than you are surfing. Eventually you wil be surfing 5'10 to 6' boards, like the one your parents bought you, so something in between makes sence.

So, if you still the a begginer then what they posted before, If you can catch waves easily then go smaller. I'd go with a 6'4 x 19 1/2 x 2 1/2 for 10 stone if you are past the begginer stage but barey getting to intermediate, smaller if you are better.

Where are you in your surfing? Can you cath waves, turn easily, etc...

[alecelsden]

Thanks for the advice. I'll try out a few either 6'4 or 6'6 and see which one's better, I'll probably get a thicker one than my current one too. I'm going to keep my old board though because it's quite fun to ride when the swell's really clean and not too big.

[themathteacher]

If this helps my bud is 10.25 stone and surfs a 6'2 x 19 x 2 3/8 with 4 years experience

[alecelsden]

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/great ... 1005245235 was thinking about this

[alecelsden]

Doesn't come with fins or a leash though

[esonscar]

Hey alecelsden . . . at 6ft and just 10st . . . mmmmm, interesting. You are at a physical transition. As you noob surf you'll gain muscle and be heavier for your height . . . so for a long lasting surfboard . . . go for a surfboard six inches over your head height, a flat rocker, sharp rails fore and aft, a single wooden stringer, mellow tri fin glassed in thruster set up, heavy deck glass and 6oz everywhere else. For you this should work. Any queries hit me up in this (your) thread

[themathteacher]

Seems a tad narrow for a transition board but you are only 150lbs. I posted what I thought you should ride and you have gotten other advice, but you certainly know yourself better than all of us.

So: think, buy, try, and remember to post back and let us know how it went. If you buy it and turns out great let us know, if you buy it and it was too narrow post that too. It will help the next 10 stone guy that searches for a board.

And remember, get stoked either way!