Help with board choice please :)

There’s no reason why your current board wont/shouldn’t work for you, but as it does with snow gear, a new (can still be second hand) board, or even a new wettie for that matter, can give you that added bit of stoke in order for you to take on the challenge in a whole new light!!!!!

And ya dead right about paddling bein the key!!!!! make sure that ya conscious of ya body position when paddling as this is where most people learning fail terribly!!!!!

It can be very similar to someone that’s leaning to snowboard, as weight distribution staying more centered will help the board do what it was designed to do, and that’s to stay as flat as possible in order to plane across the surface of the water!!!!! Too far back on the board and you will never catch a wave, too far forward and you’ll nose dive at every opportunity!!!!!

nthnbeachesguy - 23 October 2012 12:13 AM

DRC you kinda know yourself where this is going, nothing will beat progress more than time in the water.  You want to catch more waves go buy a 10ft mal, you’ll get way more waves on small days which might make it more fun and in turn make you surf more.  The best way I can put it about learning to surf is what would I put my girlfriend on?  Honestly I would get her a lightweight 8-9ft mal thats very stable allowing her to stand up and have as much fun as possible as quickly as possible so she gets the bug and wants to keep doing it.  She’s a rank beginner though so it’s a little different, unfortunately without actually watching someone surf it’s a little hard to really get a feel for what would benefit them most.  Most people find it hard to be honest about their standard at anything which can lead to the wrong advice being given.

I definitely agree with this!!!!!

Andy Aitken - 22 October 2012 11:40 AM

Holy Crap! I just bought my first Surfboard!!!

<img src =“http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/boarderline00/Untitled-1.jpg” width =“600”>
Isn’t she pretty

Thanks loads for all your help guys and girls. I would have bought any old plank without your advice.

Nice one, Andy! Enjoy!

nthnbeachesguy - 23 October 2012 12:13 AM

DRC you kinda know yourself where this is going, nothing will beat progress more than time in the water.  You want to catch more waves go buy a 10ft mal, you’ll get way more waves on small days which might make it more fun and in turn make you surf more.  The best way I can put it about learning to surf is what would I put my girlfriend on?  Honestly I would get her a lightweight 8-9ft mal thats very stable allowing her to stand up and have as much fun as possible as quickly as possible so she gets the bug and wants to keep doing it.  She’s a rank beginner though so it’s a little different, unfortunately without actually watching someone surf it’s a little hard to really get a feel for what would benefit them most.  Most people find it hard to be honest about their standard at anything which can lead to the wrong advice being given.

Yeah exactly mate, If i’d just stuck with it and pushed myself to go out in variable conditions I think I’d have it down by now. As it is I tend to more often than not end up saying well it’s too small or too big to bother today I’ll swim instead.

Mizu Kuma - 23 October 2012 12:14 AM

There’s no reason why your current board wont/shouldn’t work for you, but as it does with snow gear, a new (can still be second hand) board, or even a new wettie for that matter, can give you that added bit of stoke in order for you to take on the challenge in a whole new light!!!!!

And ya dead right about paddling bein the key!!!!! make sure that ya conscious of ya body position when paddling as this is where most people learning fail terribly!!!!!

It can be very similar to someone that’s leaning to snowboard, as weight distribution staying more centered will help the board do what it was designed to do, and that’s to stay as flat as possible in order to plane across the surface of the water!!!!! Too far back on the board and you will never catch a wave, too far forward and you’ll nose dive at every opportunity!!!!!

I concentrate so much on my paddling and have tried so many different things I’m probably confusing myself now.

I position myself so the nose is just out of the water. I have my knees slightly bent keeping my toes from dragging with chest up and back arched. I’ve tried fingers opened and closed, arms all the way in or just to elbows, s shapes or straight down the rail of the board. I get by but noticed the most difference when I quickly need a burst of speed to get in position to take off.

I’m probably doing something fundamentally wrong but without any surfing buddies it’s a bit hard to work out. On top of that it’s often described as a “feel” thing which doesn’t really help. Any BW surfing legends want to earn a few bucks coaching?? 

I’m now strongly considering going back to basics, waving the white flag and doing some group lessons. It’s the complete opposite approach I would normally take to things but I really really want to be crack this surfing.

Here’s a big question I have though. Is anything I actually learn on a foamy or big mal going to be applicable to my board when I jump back on it? I’m pretty sure it’s just a minor technique/positioning adjustment that could work wonders (I do get that odd moment where my board feels like it’s planing and not so much hard work) So how will the positioning I learn on the surf school boards going to transfer to my setup?

On the other hand maybe I should just stop talking about it and actually get out there and clock up some hours in the surf and the improvement will come with time and practice.

Paddling is a bit of misunderstood part of surfing because once learned it’s so second nature you don’t even think about it.  To really get the most out of paddling I find that I liken it to my freestyle swimming stroke.  Once the hand has entered the water and the is about 1/4 way through, bend the elbow and pull your hand through closer to the middle of the board and then accelerate and extend the elbow back out to the end of the stroke finishing at the rail of your board close to your hip.  It looks like a little wiggle in the stroke when you do it, try exaggerating it at first till it starts to become normal.

This gives you an idea of it a little in these vids.

nthnbeachesguy - 23 October 2012 01:28 AM

Paddling is a bit of misunderstood part of surfing because once learned it’s so second nature you don’t even think about it.  To really get the most out of paddling I find that I liken it to my freestyle swimming stroke.  Once the hand has entered the water and the is about 1/4 way through, bend the elbow and pull your hand through closer to the middle of the board and then accelerate and extend the elbow back out to the end of the stroke finishing at the rail of your board close to your hip.  It looks like a little wiggle in the stroke when you do it, try exaggerating it at first till it starts to become normal.

Interesting! thanks nthn. I have that wiggle in my freestyle stroke and had experimented with it on the surfboard (I’d referred to it as doing an S) but actually felt I was travelling faster when I did long strokes straight down the rail. I’ll need to give the wiggle another go next time I’m in the water.

Don’t forget also that where you would normally sit, and therefore start to paddle to catch a wave, will change dramatically when you change board lengths/types!!!!!

I have a 9’6” Noserider that I can sit out further than anyone on, and virtually get up and riding way before guys on shortboards are even beginning to paddle!!!!!

That feeling of the board starting to plane, once it’s up to the same speed as the wave, will feel slightly more pronounced on a bigger board also, but that feeling where nature starts to take over is still evident no matter what!!!!!

Again, positioning and wave selection are critical, and something that also needs more repetition than anything else in order to learn what’s going to work and what isn’t!!!!!

Also look for a wave that rolls more so than one with a lip that breaks all the way to the bottom of it’s face!!!!! This type of wave will give you a bigger window of opportunity to get the board to plane, as well as one that allows a little forgiveness when ya about to stand up!!!!!

Cool, thanks for all the tech talk with the boards guys. I like to really understand why and how things operate if I’m going to be using them.

Those videos about paddling were interesting too. I had no idea people paddled like that, I’ll have to start practicing.

Northern Lights - 22 October 2012 08:01 PM

Nice Andy. I’ll have to borrow a mates stand up and re learn that on the smaller days. How long is postage?

Not sure, but their factory is only about 2 hours drive from my house so I’m hoping it will be here by Monday-ish.
I’m also hoping that the weather goes back to being in the 30s like it was last week. It’s too damn cold right now.

So I’m going to have to go to a surf store to get a leg rope and some wax.
Would you guys recommend getting a tail pad too?
I’ve never used them so I don’t know if they help much or not, do you guys use them?

I reckon that you’ll be fine without one, but they can be a good tool to teach you where to position your foot by using it as a marker!!!!!

A good wax job will always keep ya foot from slipping!!!!!

Basically, if ya got the dough to get one, then why not!!!!! If ya wanna save ya cash, you’ll be fine without one!!!!!

Get a decent leg rope too. Initially my board came with a cheapy and it snapped after not much use when I was fairly far out. Fortunately I’m a better swimmer than I am a surfer so got in without any issues but I replaced it with a decent (but pricey) O&E with some crazy warranty on it.

Yeah, a good leggie is a must!!!!!

One that has swivels at both ends, along with a rail saver!!!!! (webbing that protects the board from comin into contact with the rubber when under force)

I like using a tail pad but I’m not referring to the flat ones. The tail pads with a ridged spine or mound through the middle can give your back foot a more solid platform and more grip. It’s also a good reference point for position when popping to your feet (more important as a novice). Personally I’m a fan.

As a rule of thumb you want your leg rope the same length as the board.

The tail pad that I have on my shortboard!!!!! DaKine Bruce Irons model!!!!! Has a good arch, and a solid tail block!!!!!