Surfers here?

[Brian 89 325i]

Ive always wanted to learn how so, Im going to teach myself how to surf. Im currently looking for a used board. I dont want a foam or long board so im looking for a beginner friendly large short board, somthing for 6'8 to 7'. (Im 6'1" 200lbs) Does anyone here have any tips for what to look for and some helpful hints for my first few days? Thanks

Brian

[LikeCDoos]

i gave up and kept on bodysurfing. It's pretty hard but it looks fun as hell, good luck.

[DSchultz325e]

im a websurfer LOL!!!

[Brew]

Re: Surfers here?

Ive always wanted to learn how so, Im going to teach myself how to surf. Im currently looking for a used board. I dont want a foam or long board so im looking for a beginner friendly large short board, somthing for 6'8 to 7'. (Im 6'1" 200lbs) Does anyone here have any tips for what to look for and some helpful hints for my first few days? Thanks

Brian

I've been surfing for a few years now. As for a board, you want the widest, thickest board you can get. You may want to try and look for an older board from the 70s. I learned on a 6'9" fun shape from 1969. The thing is massive and very stable.

You also might want to practice pushing yourself up onto your feet out of the water. The key part is to go straight to your feet in one fluid motion. A lot of beginners have trouble because they get to "drop-knee" position and then can't get up the rest of the way. Also, I always found it easier to push yourself up with your hands on the top of the board rather than grabbing the rails.

And to catch waves, you want yourself as far forward as you can get without making the nose of the board go under.

Its a blast, and once you get the hang of it, its like riding a bike. You'll never forget.

Good luck.

[Mystikal]

im a websurfer LOL!!!

Did you stay up all night for that zinger? ;)

[boricuabimma']

I used to surf bodyboard... I like it more than the "traditional" surf

[Digitalwave]

Re: Surfers here?

Ive always wanted to learn how so, Im going to teach myself how to surf. Im currently looking for a used board. I dont want a foam or long board so im looking for a beginner friendly large short board, somthing for 6'8 to 7'. (Im 6'1" 200lbs) Does anyone here have any tips for what to look for and some helpful hints for my first few days? Thanks

Brian

I've been surfing for a few years now. As for a board, you want the widest, thickest board you can get. You may want to try and look for an older board from the 70s. I learned on a 6'9" fun shape from 1969. The thing is massive and very stable.

You also might want to practice pushing yourself up onto your feet out of the water. The key part is to go straight to your feet in one fluid motion. A lot of beginners have trouble because they get to "drop-knee" position and then can't get up the rest of the way. Also, I always found it easier to push yourself up with your hands on the top of the board rather than grabbing the rails.

And to catch waves, you want yourself as far forward as you can get without making the nose of the board go under.

Its a blast, and once you get the hang of it, its like riding a bike. You'll never forget.

Good luck.

I don't really agree with this. I learned on a thin 6'0" board, and while the learning curve is steeper, I think you get better, faster. Once you get comfortable with your 7' short board you are going to want something much shorter anyways. I guess it really depends on the person though. I was into skim boarding and skate boarding before I started surfing so it was a little more natural for me.

[e30bop]

BICs are good starter boards. they're cheap too. i tried out a 7'3" minimal bic a few weeks ago and it was a BLAST. I usually ride a 7'9" bic. that one is fun and it was a good learner board but now that I've got some more experience I'm really liking the feel of the shorter one. I'm looking around for a used 7'3" bic now.

[Brew]

Re: Surfers here?

Ive always wanted to learn how so, Im going to teach myself how to surf. Im currently looking for a used board. I dont want a foam or long board so im looking for a beginner friendly large short board, somthing for 6'8 to 7'. (Im 6'1" 200lbs) Does anyone here have any tips for what to look for and some helpful hints for my first few days? Thanks

Brian

I've been surfing for a few years now. As for a board, you want the widest, thickest board you can get. You may want to try and look for an older board from the 70s. I learned on a 6'9" fun shape from 1969. The thing is massive and very stable.

You also might want to practice pushing yourself up onto your feet out of the water. The key part is to go straight to your feet in one fluid motion. A lot of beginners have trouble because they get to "drop-knee" position and then can't get up the rest of the way. Also, I always found it easier to push yourself up with your hands on the top of the board rather than grabbing the rails.

And to catch waves, you want yourself as far forward as you can get without making the nose of the board go under.

Its a blast, and once you get the hang of it, its like riding a bike. You'll never forget.

Good luck.

I don't really agree with this. I learned on a thin 6'0" board, and while the learning curve is steeper, I think you get better, faster. Once you get comfortable with your 7' short board you are going to want something much shorter anyways. I guess it really depends on the person though. I was into skim boarding and skate boarding before I started surfing so it was a little more natural for me.

I think it depends a lot on the area and the size of the waves. Around here, I learned on tiny waves, like knee high. On waves like that, you almost need a board with more flotation. And a skateboarding background will always help. Me, I never skated or skim boarded, so it was a little weird at first. My only other board-riding was snowboarding, and thats a completely different feel.

[318daily]

Advice: don't give up.

You won't shred your first day, that is if you can even paddle out to the lineup. If you stick with it, it gets easier.

Pick up a used board anywhere, as long as it floats. Once you figure out what you're doing then go look for a decent board.

That's about all you can read about, the rest of the learning comes in the water.

good luck.

[808BMW]

I used to surf bodyboard... I like it more than the "traditional" surf

I bodyboard too. I had a surfboard, never used it and my dad threw it away without telling me :( I really wish I had a chance to learn while I had the board.

[mspiegle]

I'm a somewhat beginner surfer. I started with a brand-new 7 foot board about 3 years ago. I surfed for a year, stopped for 2, and might be starting again. I've done every stupid and retarded thing that you could possibly do, and i have scars to prove it. Almost every time I went out, i've managed to hurt myself somehow. From this experience, I can tell you a couple things...

Generally, if you move to the front of your board, you could catch waves easier and go faster, BUT if you go too far up, you will 'pearl'. This is when the front of your board drops down into the water and throws you off... kind of like eating shit on a bike I guess.

If you move back on the board, it will be harder to catch waves and go faster, but you probably won't have to worry about pearling.

With this in mind, if a big wave is coming towards you, and you don't want to catch it because you are positioned wrong, its too big, or whatever, DO NOT just sit there at the back of your board hoping the wave won't catch you. You'll eat shit. If you're me, you'll have a big scar on your forhead afterwards.

To go past a wave, you can do 1 of 2 things. #1, paddle straight into it, then push the front of your board down into the water and try to dive "under the wave" (with your board), and if you're lucky - you'll pop out on the other side. The #2 method is to do a "turn turtle". Basically, paddle towards the wave, but when you get close or its about to break, rotate yourself from the top of the board, to underneath the board. While under your board, hold the nose down. Genearlly the wave will pass over you and you can get back on your board.

Actually surfing waves is a whole 'nothing thing... You should be able to ride the waves like a boogey board or whatever, but standing takes some good balance and a little method. You should try standing up with the white-wash waves first. Once youy get the hang of it, try riding waves straight. Once you're good at that, try surfing down the side of a wave like you'll see most other people doing.

Uh... I think that's all I have to say about surfing. It helps to have someone who knows what they're doing.

[Streetspec_iS]

no, sharks are scary.

[Brian 89 325i]

Thanks for the info, Ive been bodyboarding for years now, so i definately know about getting pounded while trying to get to the linup. I generally go to oceanside/carlsbad, so it never gets TOO scary unless theres a storm(or El Nino). I was planning on getting somthing around 6'8 long and 19/20 wide. I figure that should be able to keep me floating. I know how to skate but the only time(s) i tried to skimboard i ate shit in the sand. Ive practiced popping up before and im actually not that bad, and never drag a knee. Anyone selling any boards?

Brian

[elemental]

Out wake surfin on the local lake ,