New to this, advice needed!

Board too small?

If you are first starting out - you need to add a few feet to your board. That 7'3" is for a more accomplished surfer AND larger waves. As for waveage ask the locals or go online to look for surf breaks. (areas with surfable waves) There could be a 3' break right around the corner where your looking at flat water. Good Luck
PS... I have a 9'4" Stewart for sell. Old and dinged but it is fast and it is $300. I live on Hilton Head Island, SC.

 

Your well on your way to being possessed with the surfing bug!

July had some very consistent surf, and now unfortunately we have hit a very flat spell over the past week or 2. Keep it tuned into Swellinfo to find out when the surf heights will pick up again, and then look around your local area.

I don't have any MB experience, so I'm no good for local spot advice .

 

They are right, a longboard is much better for a beginner and is easier to catch our local small swell. I live in Myrtle Beach and can recommend a few spots. Waves around here are tricky. For example, 48th Ave N in MB can stink and down the street at 64th Ave N can be rideable. That is my favorite local spot. Springmaid Pier is an option. On the south end Surfside Beach has its days and 13 Ave S in GC is another good spot. Pawleys can get good, but you have to know where to go and where to park. It's trickier. Close local travel options are Wrightsville Beach and Holden Beach. FL can be good and OBX is probably the best in the SE. Folly Beach near Charelston is also good. Good luck and welcome.

 

First of all, I think a 7'3 would be fine to learn on if the other dimensions were sufficent. Not if it's a gunn shape, but if it's a fun shape (i.e rounded nose lots of thickness and width) you should be okay for the most part. Something like a 9'2 is gonna be good for catching waves and learning to stand up but once you can do that, you'll most likely be held back by all that board as you try to learn to do bottom turns and go down the line. I suppose if your resources can allow, it might be a good idea to buy one of those big foam boards for now and moving onto the 7'3 once you get the hang of standing up and such. The advantage with them is that you won't have to worry about leaving it in your car all day, it falling over in the parking lot, and other hazards associated with fiberglass boards. But do what you want, while somethings will decrease the learning curve, anything will work.

 

just go out and rent a board and find a spot that has surf but isnt crowded and just surf. or you can take private lessons from all these surf schools that are out if you want to learn the right way.