Board types questions

[Beachbum]

Hello I'm new to the forums and I'm still kind of new to surfing. I have a 7"4 and I'm around 5"5 and weigh around 100 pounds. I can pop up on it since its a type of funboard and what not but I want a shortboard since I like the style of those tricks your able to do. I tried a shortboard on my friends which nose was pointy and I kept pearling . I dont know why I would try to move back on the board but everytime I tried to pop up the nose would sink and I would go over the wave.

I would like to know some advice if I should keep my 7"4 for a while or get a shortboard which I want around 6". I heard about those fish type boards which are wide that may help me stop pearling, but I'm not sure.
Please help a surfer out...

[bluesnowcone]

well a fish would be good,but the can be a bit small length wise, but if you want a shortboard you would probably want to go for a 6'6"+ and with a bit of volume, and the perling, you just going to have to find the sweet spot on th board.

[Dec]

I find that pearling usually comes from the paddling. If you dont paddle hard enough you get thrown over the falls, or if you do catch it..its a steep drop.

[drowningbitbybit]

The board doesnt do the tricks, the surfer does.
If all you can do so far is pop up then you've got a long way to go before you're doing airs on a shortboard.

A 7'4 funboard will be able to do plenty - it'll not catch air or do snap turns real quick, but will plane across the face and be able to do decent bottom turns etc. So learn on that. If and when you're starting to do manouvres on that, then is the time to think about a new board.

And a fish isnt any more suitable for learning on than a shortboard. True, they have more volume, but they tend to be shorter and very loose which to someone just beginning means 'wobbly'

[Driftingalong]

Keep at the 7'4" for awhile. Get good a doing bottom and top turns, cutbacks, etc...

Also, you can keep borrowing you're friends board if he/she let you. To help with the pearling you're going to need better wave positioning and paddling...continuously moving back on the board is not good.

[Beachbum]

I'm able to angle down the wave and I think I can do bottom turns. I just want a shortboard since people will stop thinking me as a kook when I paddle out and stuff . I like the style of shortboards being able to cutback and do many other tricks. So should I stick with the 7"4 for a while since I dont really have the money for a shortboard and I hate pearling .

[drowningbitbybit]

No easier way to look a kook than ride a shortboard that you cant surf

A shortboard will make your surfing worse. Not better. Stick with the 7'4

[GowerCharger]

Probably the lack of volume in the nose which is making you pearl, also you wanna angle your take off on steeper waves. You can learn to cutback on a ny board, its one of the basic manouvers which goes all the way back as far as surfing itself and if you get good at it on your 7'4 then youll be able to pull much sharper cuttys when you get a quicker turning shortboard cos youll be used to committing your weight to it to get it round. i dont see any reason you couldnt move onto a shorter board if you can already paddle out, drop in and make basic turns, but i think you answered your question yourself when you said you couldnt afford it - you could get a shorter board for when the waves are good (4-5ft) but if you had too sell you other board to get it then youd be stuffed when they where smaller and crappy. Why not start saving now, and by the time you can afford one easily youll be ready for it and can keep the 7'4 for the weaker days.

[Driftingalong]

If people see you surf well on the 7'4" (catch waves, ride down the face, cutback, etc...), then they won't be think of you as kook...

[Beachbum]

Hmm how do you do the basic tricks on a shortboard anyway? So I should pratice cutbacks on my 7"4 and wait a year or so until I get a shortboard? Where can I find good shortboards since those T&C surf shops boards are around $700 and up which seems a bit crazy.

[tomcat360]

don't worry about tricks.....just get down the basics. it'll all come naturally....

[GowerCharger]

try this-
http://www.surfingvancouverisland.com/s ... /index.htm

you need to get a good bottom turn and top turn and learn how to pump power out of small crappy waves, then move on to making tighter turns and cuttys, then you can start on the flashier stuff like reos, floaters and tubes (if you got waves that tube).

[Beachbum]

Will pumping and getting better at bottom turns, top turns work on my 7"4? I'm not sure how to pump and my bottom turn isent really that good lol. Will it all come naturally with practice or is there another link for doing the basics as I listed?

[GowerCharger]

practice, until youre tired, then go practice more, until your skin shrivels up from the water, then go practice more, and when youve been in the sea soo much your throwing up seawater and have kelp growing in your hair... go practice some more. You can pump any board even a mal, ands the same goes for turns.

[tomcat360]

I seem to be saying this a lot:


people air 9'6" longboards. Anything is possible.

[surferdude_scarborough]

yup its all possible i pulled a little snap on a begginners epoxy mini mal the other day n im not even that good so anythings possible. i say stick to the 7'4. mid length boards like that are fun creations when you cant be arsed with a shortboard! i think im going to get me a miniman or big funbaord after i go to biarritz.