how short can you go?

[guest]

A lot of people say that their is no way to learn on a shortboard and the best thing to do is to get a long board when you just start of surfing but i was wondering whats the shortest you can go and still be able to ride a board?

[Brent]

That's a tough one.
I reckon it's more to do with your age, weight and your physical agility (especially)than anything else
I learned at the age of 14, on a 6'2" thruster. I was a solid month of sore shoulders & frustration (every day in the water) before I stood and rode across the face of an unbroken wave. That was in the very late 1970's when we did not have the option or choice like today...it seems there's "hybrids" and "fun-boards" galore, I believe if you are young and agile you can learn on a short-board. Especially if you're coming to surfing from an interest in skateboarding or snowboarding or similar sports as many people do.

The key thing is.....your ability to surf successfully is pretty much determined by your ability to stand up quickly, i.e do a press up and get up to a "surfing stance" fast. If you can do this you'll be fine whatever length of board you choose.

If you cannot do this or you "lumber" about as you do this...not even a mal will save you....just watch an expert, fast & smooth every time.

If you are going to be a surfer who'll be in the water, say, less than once a week...buy a funboard as you'll never develop the strong paddling muscles and become "fine-tuned" enough to use a short board effectively. You would simply become frustrated.
With a funboard, when you do hit the water...you'll be able to catch waves and enjoy yourself.

If you are going to surf more often and you do like the idea of a shortboard ( i.e you think funboards are for fat old men & chicks ;-)...start with perhaps a 6'8" -a good thick one with little rocker (easy to paddle), and really practice standing fast...if you can do this...you'll be fine whatever length you choose.

[hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf]

that guy really knows what hes talking about. longboards ARE for fat, old or wussy men and chicks, unless you dont go very often or seasonally. i have a surfboard that im taller than, at 6', and ive seen 5' boards, and kiddie boards even shorter.

[hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf]

i learned on a shortboard too.
you could buy a real crappy second hand longboard for cheap and use it to learn on since youll mess it up anyway, and sell it for a shortboard when youre ready.

[terrybullwun]

If you want to go short, get a nice round nose fish.. The lenght is not what is important, but the overall float of the board. This is determined mainly by width, thickness, and rocker. The average short board is about 18 - 18.5 in width, and between 2 and 2.5 in thickness, with a narrow pointed nose. This is all well and good when concerned with performance, but when you can not even get into a wave than performance is not an issue. If you add a full round nose, an extra inch or so in width, and a lower entry rocker, than you will have more surface area of the board to the water thus creating the stability and float of a board nearly a foot longer depending on how much you tweak your measurements. A friend of mine rides a 7 ft funboard that is 21 inches wide, perfect for beginners and all skill levels. He has been surfing a few months and can drop in and somewhat ride the wave straight to the beach. I ride a 5'10 x 19.75 and have been surfing for a little over a month, i can drop in, bottom turn, and somewhat carve up the face of the wave. I learned on a regular 6 ft shortboard though, and it was not fun at first, it would sink, very unstable and you have to be deaad on when popping up. But I went everyday and got it after a few weeks. I have been skateboarding for 16 years though, so I think this may have helped. Now that I have my Lost fish, I love it, an while surfing was fun with the shortboard, the 5'10 fish is soo easy and a blast. Just try as many boards as you can before buying, and don't care how you may look, care about having fun and progressing at your potential. After a month of a funboard you should be able to work your way down in size, or just get a fish . Hope this helps somewhat.

[Brent]

Hey guys, I's thinking about this again today (ironically while sitting out the back :-), and I realised.....I (we) know nothing about the age, weight, sex, or agility of the original poster. I don't know if he's (assuming male) is currently a skater, or whatever....For all I know he could be 50 years old and weigh 15 stone.

Original poster.....give me some specifics and (especially) your age & current body weight and I'll nail down a minimum board length (I'll calculate volume within this) and give you a "shopping list" for a board.

Waiting on you dude...

Cheers Brent

[guest]

Hey guys thanks so much for your replys! Trust me its helping me figure out what kind of a board i wanna buy. Brent, im 16 years old 110 pounds plus im a girl. I've gone surfing before and the first 2 times it was on a long board and the last time i tried out a short board. I really liked the short board cause it was so easy to carry and i even stood up. It was harder to stand up because the board wobbled more but i did. Im really active and i swim and run a lot. Ive also been snowboarding for 6 years and started skating a year ago. Thanks so much and trust me I really consider what you write.

[Brent]

Right, I know what I'm working with now. Phew - that's a relief, I's expecting you to be some fat old man.

Ok, your options are wide open.
Because you are so light if you are lying on an average shortboard of about 6'6"in the water...you have about the same boyancy as a person who weighs about 170 pounds on a mini-mal...understand"?

It's like high school physics, you're comparing your body weight to the boyancy of the surfboard. The bigger the board & the thicker it is (the more "volume" it has) ..the higher it'll float in water...and be easier to paddle and catch waves on.

I honestly think you should look at something between 6'4" & 6'8", make sure it's nice & thick, especially in the middle section of the board, and wide too, look for something 19-20 inches wide. Make sure it has a nice broad nose. It also should have little rocker...if that means anything to you. That means when you paddle to catch waves...it'll get going quick.

A board like this is easy to find & usually a good second hand price.

I really suggest if you live somewhere near a real surf shop (not one full of brand-name clothes & staffed by bored teenagers with not a surfboard in sight) but a real shop where boards are made & sold, go in and ask them if they have anything second hand....real surf shop staff will fall-over themselves to help you and offer you a decient board for a good price. They'll be so impressed you want a real surfboard. Trust me.

[Guest]

Brent,
hey thanks for all your help but i have one more question for you. Why do people always say that you should buy a used board your first time? Well you see i live in Phoenix , Az and we go up to California a lot in the summer its just when we go up their the only kinds of surf shops i see is like the really expensive kind. We always go to huntington beach and i dont mind spending a lot of money on a new surfboard but most people say to buy a used one. The only shops that are around are like Jacks surf shop and huntington surf and sport where they have like the new boards. Any suggestions?

[kieran]

longboards ARE for fat, old or wussy men and chicks

Some of the greatest surfing pioneers used longboards.

No offence the drop that the early big wave surfers had to make on some of those waves is incredible. I seriously doubt the were fat, old or wussy men.

[Uluwatu]

..... We always go to huntington beach and i dont mind spending a lot of money on a new surfboard but most people say to buy a used one. The only shops that are around are like Jacks surf shop and huntington surf and sport where they have like the new boards. Any suggestions?

Ok if your pockets are deep go for the Girl's Funshape at Jack's (not sure of the exact name ask for it...--its length varies from 6'8" all the way to 8'6" and the width and thickess varies exponetially from 18 1/2" to 21 3/4" with a rounded nose, lower rocker and rounded pin tail. (I call the shape "a speed egg" or a "gun with ears." Its in the middle row of racks and on the left side facing the back of the store) they start at $350.00 for the 6'8". It has has a very forgiving shape that is easy to paddle and surf with, and it is supposedly shaped specifically for girls.

If your pockets aren't so deep, look for a low rockered, full-nosed board: a fish, funshape or best yet a longboard. If you want to go shorter, but without that "wobbliesness", look for "rounded pin tail" on the shorter board. The rounded pin works just like a rounded nose, its more stable at speed, just harder to drive into turns....

at HSS across the street, in the back corner behind the sandal wall, they have used boards. Its a crap shoot but you can sometimes find a used one there.

[Brent]

Hmmm, lots of stuff has come out in this thread, as you can see...everybody has an opinion. And they all love to share it.

I stand behind my original idea which is, as you clearly stated you want a shortboard, you like them because they're "easy to carry", and you were able to "stand up" or at least sort of stand up on your first go. From your first post you stated you simply like the idea of a shortboard also.

I believe a 6'4" to a 6'8", with a nice full rounded shape, a good thick middle, and no extreme angles or edges on it.

The reason why people say don't buy a brand new board or spend too much money is, well, basically it's going to get a hammering. You're going to be physically hard on it, you will dent it, you're going to do dumb stuff with it when you're carrying it.....like you're going to bang into things like door-frames as you turn around with it under your arm, you'll drop it when you're carrying it (in front of a whole bunch of boys too) & ding it. Hell, we all did stuff like that.

The idea is, buy something to learn on, then go & order a custom when you've got it wired...

I can't recommend a shop, brand or even what to pay as this email is coming to you from Tauranga, New Zealand. I am completely unfarmilar with your area. I stand by my original comment...walk into a real surfshop & ask for help.....and you will get it.

Go to it ;-)
B