For beginners who want to start on shortboards…

[surf patrol]

im finally able to stand up properly and actually ride waves after 6 or 7 weeks of going 3-4 times a week for at least 2 hours at a time. it takes a hell of a lot of time and work if you wanna do the whole shortboard thing, but it can be done. if you want to make learning a much more positive experience, dont even think of something short, go for something long. just thought id post that up here for all to see…


( Also read Looking for that first board? [take my advice]. SP )

[mmdb]

I agree, I started on a long board and recently took out the shortboard. It was 4x as hard to catch the waves than on the long board.

[Grey Ghost]

How short is your board?

[Dropping Ahead]

I did try for many seasons surfing in a Short...I use to toke my girlfriend but I couldn´t stand up. I don´t know the reason but after go to the beach (not surfing), I loose 3 girlfriend.
Now I only surf in a Longboard Pipeline, and keeping the same girlfriend ..eheheh....try :

[tomcat360]

are you from brazil?

[DeanSurf]

not meant to be bragging but i started on a large shortboard and stood up on my first session. ( i skate though.. i heard skating helps alot)

[secretservgy]

Oh this isn't good. I'm new to surfing n got a used JC 6'4", guess thats gonna cuse me a hard time? I am a mad awesome sponger (bodyboarder), maybe that will help.

[dondiemand]

i started with a 9 footer sponge, then went to 7'4" funboard, now Im riding a 6'2"..im still working on my turns though, and yes, it's really hard switching to a shortboard, but it's so much fun once u get the hang of it..although, longboarding looks fun as well

[Forfeit]

Hi, I started yesterday on a 6.3. I´m 1.83 tall and weight 75kg.

And it looks like it will be a long road ahead, since today was my second day and I only now managed to sit properly. And I only learned to duck dive today too.

Dunno, looks like things will be hard, but not too hard. By the way things are going, I guess I can get the hang of it in 15 days, going two times a day for at least one hour.

[baldie]

Now I only surf in a Longboard Pipeline

How's the waves in Pipeline??? Is it dangerous??? I started surfing at Diamond Head for six months now. Should I try Pipeline in small waves??? What do you think???

[baldie]

I started with a 7'0 fun board six months ago. It took me 2 weeks (surfing 4 times a week) to stand up. I was thinking to start off with a shortboard but I think it will be a little too difficult.

[dreamer]

I started about 2 months ago on a 7'4" shortboard - it took a fair while to get stable on the board while paddling, and now i'm really only just getting used to turning on the waves, still don't know how to do cutbacks, which has been my main focus the last week.

Advice for anyone starting - get a board that doesn't have a pointy nose, has a wide body & is at least 18" taller than you.

[Naomi_10]

i hav just got a shortboard after surfing on foamies wiv a surfschool. went surfing da otha day but no waves. i'm real worried now, does it mean i wont be able to stand up for ages? i'm scared, i wanna get out there and catch some waves

[Brian]

...just dont expect to go out there and cut up the waves...it will come in time...

[Likeable Villain]

I started a year ago taking lessons on a 9'6" foam. I got up on my first few tries. didn't learn how to catch waves until months later of taking classes once a month. Got my own board 6 months ago. A 9'6" longboard. didn't go often enough for a while, now I'm going twice a week. Now I'm working on tweaking my turn and mastering board control.
I'm thinking about getting a shortboard for the winter's bigger surf. what would you guys recommend? I'm 155lbs 6'2".

[joel22]

Question. im kinda skeptical on this whole thing. some say theyre easy, and some say they are hard. i am a talented snowboarder/skimboarder (like i ride the waves) and i caught my first wave on my second try at my first session on a 8 foot fun board. i then continued to easily catch them, and recently bought a discounted 6'9" shortboard. im not so sure about how easy itl be. any advice?

[twerked]

i started on a 6'4", i could kind of stand, but i couldn't really ride it like it should have been. lots of rocker in the board, thin, super hard turned down rails. so i started just messing around with the longboards from work. spent a lot of time on those, it was sooo much easier. then getting back on the shortboard afterwards was a lot easier. it's do-able, but it's difficult. if you really want to, you can

[isaluteyou]

in general its most people have a better time on a longboard when starting out not to say they cant/wont drop in sizes pretty quick. i.e some work it like so on a 9ft -7'6+ - 6'8 - 6'4 or 6'2 or whatever works.

However i know a few people that started on 6'0 potota chips and got on fine and they had never done anything like it not even skated. I also have known someone who had snowboarded/skated their whole life and absolutely struggled to get surfing right. So it makes no ryme or reason. You gotta find whats comfortable for you

[drowningbitbybit]

^^^^^
Yup, took me ages to be comfortable on a short board.

As well as random talent and perseverance, there's a couple of other factors...

Weight and height - its MUCH easier for a shorter/skinnier guy on a shortboard than a taller/heavier guy. Extra muscle means nothing helpful either - increased strength is more than offset by the extra weight.

Where - powerful spots make surfing a shortboard a lot easier, as the wave does so much of the work for you. But a weaker wave means you'll struggle to get the speed up enough to do anything with a shortboard.

Crowds - to get anywhere on any board, but particularly a shortboard, you'll need to catch a wave again and again. If you're surfing in a crowd and you screw up the take off (as you will at first on a shortboard) then you wont get another wave.

[Heathen]

I have been surfing now for about 7 weeks going out 4 days a week I brought a 9'3.

I got up second wash and rode it right in and being a skater i feel very comfortable when i am on the board but that's not the hard part relive me you can snow board skate whatever and yes you will have much better balance but that's the only part where your experience will transfer over.

I spent about 4-6 hours in the wash getting my pop up sorted and getting comfortable on the board then started going out the back this is where it gets tuff endurance but the biggest thing is first picking the right wave and being able catch it this as been hard after maybe 3-4 weeks my fitness improved and also my paddling which makes catching waves easier I got my first face last week a good 10-15 second ride I drop in a on a lot of waves but they close out bad spot or wave choice.

I still have trouble catching some waves but the biggest thing i am trying to learn now is the timing on when to pop to soon a lot of the time and I go over the back but getting better.

The fact is learning to surf is hard and the way i look at it learning to surf on a short just makes it even harder.

I am sure there are people that learn on them but for most of the jo blogs average people it will be a hell a lot harder.

Also consider your local break as the guy in the surf shop told me for our local break a long board is a great investment we get good surf here but there is more days when its only 1-3 foot and really only good for fish fun boards or longs so even if I go to a short board one day which is my goal I will still be using my long board a lot and there hell of a lot of fun to ride as well.

Honestly save yourself extra heart break and get a long board or mini mal it make the learning process so much easier.

And if you think long boards are uncool and that's your reason well your going to look just as uncool learning on a short board lol.

Go rent a board first try a short and a long.