Im 19 ‘5”9 & 150lbs I Wanted To Learn How To Surf..whats A Good/cool Surfboard To Start With?
Monday, February 15th, 2010 at 10:54 am
I wanted to learn how to surf and i also wanted to learn by my self of by help by fello surfers at the beach.i wanted some advice on what kind of surfboard good to start with but yet still cool.and does anyone have any pointers?IM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING THIS SPORT..as i love boogieboarding!!
Category: Learn to Surf
Tags: '5''9, 150lbs, Good/cool, Learn, Start, Surf..whats, Surfboard, Wanted, with
February 15th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Put the breaks on my friend. Learn the sport, and decide you like it (for real) before you invest in a surfboard. Unless you have pals who surf, keep in mind, most surfers are not going to give you any help leraning. Lessons are the best way to start. Lessons can come from a professional instructor, or surfing family members or experienced surfing friends. You have to learn surf etiquette (so the experienced surfers in the line up don’t want to drown you), how to paddle and take off on a wave, and how to ride a wave. The last thing experienced surfers want is for inexperienced people to just grab a board, rush into the surf and get in our way. Lessons shorten the learning curve significantly. And they help keep ignorant, un-prepared kooks out of the water and out of the way of more experienced surfers.
Beginners should take advantage of renting boards and wetsuits while taking lessons. If it turns out you don’t like surfing, you haven’t wasted a whole lot of money on gear that you are not going to use. When you are ready to buy, don’t waste your time on line, go to a good local surf shop to discuss your size (weight is import, height isn’t), skill level and local wave conditions. After over 43 years of surfing, I still get my surfboard buying advice from good local shops in the places where i surf.
Almost ALL instructors will start you off on a longboard. It is just too difficult for most people to learn how to surf on a short board. Most get quickly discouraged, and just quit. Now, over the years, I have seen some young surfers start out on short boards and master them in time. But it’s just common sense to learn on a long board. Rememebr, it is not a question of “cool” .
When you are ready to buy please avoid popouts in general, and especially popouts made in third world country sweat shops by People who have probably never seen the ocean.
Here is a list of sweat shop popouts http://bp3.blogger.com/_hPACOtZKKko/RkST…
And here is why to avoid ALL popouts:http://www.mckevlins.com/nopopstory.htm
Anybody who would give you SPECIFIC advice as to what size or type board to buy on-line is foolish. Anybody who would take that advice is more foolish
And, I know there are lots of nice kids who want to share information with you on line. But don’t take the advice from youngsters, who may know even less than you do about surfing, a surfboard is a big investment. I hope you are mature enough at 19 to read through the BS that lots of people throw at you on line. You don’t know anywhere near enough about surfboards to by one from an on-line web site without getting disappointed. Don’t waste your time on line, go straight to the source, a good local shop
I have been surfing since 1966, and it has provided a lifetime of fun for me. Good Luck
February 15th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
I was in the same frame of mind when i started; i just wanted to get teh coolest board as soon as possible.
Do you want to start on a longboard or go straight to a shortboard, some people will say its not a good idea; but i think its fine. I am abou the same height/weight as you and i decided to start on a shortboard and its been insane! I was able to pick it up relitively quick with a lot of practice and patience.
My shortboard is a lost speed demon III at 6″6 x 19 1/2 x 2 1/2 – its large enough to keep me floating and stable in the water. If you go too small you will sink if you’re a beginner.
But that being said you definatly should go into your local surf store and talk to the guys in there, they will be able to help you pick the best board for you’re height/weight and skill level.
Good luck mate, surfing is a heck of a lot of fun!
February 16th, 2010 at 12:30 am
Some great advice on here already. However, I’m not entirely sure about the “longboard to start” approach. That said, I DID start on a 9′, then went to a 7′6″. If I did it all over, I would have just started on the 7′6″, which is considered a hybrid/mini-mal/funboard. I’m about 6′ tall. I also took some lessons, and from the first time I rode that big blue foamy straight into shore I was HOOKED.
So, I’d say buy a 7′6″ or 7′2″ for your height/weight. It’ll have the float of a longboard but with a lot more maneuverability. Plus you won’t look like THAT much of a kook. However, that depends way, way more on your etiquette, attitude and ability than size/shape of board.
I’ve been called a kook while sporting my 9′ and dropping in on people without the slightest clue. BAD. Now I ride a 6′6, carve down the line and always look both ways before paddling into a wave.
Yes…ALWAYS look both ways before paddling into a wave!
Good luck
February 16th, 2010 at 3:57 am
it depends on you, if u cant afford to buy a longboard, than a shortboard another couple months after, than start with a shorboard… personally i would reccomend a fish, its a combination of a longboard and a shortboard. it floats well, is easy to learn on, and it will look much cooler than rolling up with a longboard… trust me, its a hybrid of all types of surfing rolled into one, u cant go wrong with this, hope it helps
February 16th, 2010 at 8:49 am
Always start with a longboard. You will learn 10x faster and you will not pick up bad habits that could come from learning on a shortboard. Not to mention how stable and smooth longboards ride. As for which exact board to, you should talk to the guys at a local surf shop.
The Surfboard Manhttp://www.thesurfboardman.com/
February 16th, 2010 at 9:46 am
At age 19, you should know better than to ask questions like that on this bullshit site. Surfboard Man and John F, and Michael seem to know what they are talking about. But the rest of these douche bags are probably little kids who have never surfed a day in their life. Go to a surf shop and start there.
February 16th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Ide say go for a longboard if you really have to buy a board, maybe a 7 footer but make sure its thick. But if i were you, i would rent one first to make sure you really want to persue surfing before you buy a 200-700 dollar board
February 16th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Don’t let anyone talk you into a short board. Get a 7′0” to 7″8″ “fun shape” or “egg” as they call them. Any surf shop can get you that board. Nice and thick on the rails, not too fancy.
February 16th, 2010 at 11:19 pm
well u sude know it depends on age