Beginning surfer new board

New surfer

You didn't make a bad decision. A 6'1 board will be good for size just starting. Stick with it and you will be fine. If your planning on riding a short board anyway when your done learning on a longboard then just start short

 

Be prepared for a much higher level of frustration as you learn. Short boards make it harder to catch waves, and way harder to actually stand up on the board. Far less stable. I'm sure people have learned on short boards, but it's going to be a lot harder.

All that said, if the board is in fair shape and doesn't take on water, you got yourself a damn good deal. If you struggle just resell it for more than what you paid and buy a 9ft longboard.

 

I'm 5'11 in height (most days) and have rode a 5'10 board since the 5-month mark of my surfing. I'll up it to over 6ft if I need more paddle in winter waves and a heavy suit. Like you, I bought a 6'1 to start and it was way too tho and high performance for me. Granted, whatever dimensions it is it will be bigger and more floaty for you than I. However, I didn't make any progress at all or begin to acquire any basics until I jumped up to a 7'4 for a month. Starting with at least a mid-length will keep you from feeling like you're on a boat but give you the reps (and stoke) you'll need to progress.

 

A short board with low volume will make a newbie irritated as hell...but being that light, that board may do, providing it's not super narrow and the thickness isn't a potato chip. Really need dimensions.

 

Learn to spell, and the use of proper syntax, or you'll be waiting on tables for peanuts the rest of your life. Not everybody gets to be Kelly Slater or Steve Jobs or an astronaut when they grow up.

 

metard posted a thread earlier today bout a brand new shortboard he's got his eye on. Think it would be perf for this beginner. yankee, thanks for serving as spell check for this new brah. That's like scratching an itch for me.

 

keep the shortboard but also look for a used longboard or even a softop like from costco so you've got some options, especially if its a smaller wave day. i moved to fla and started surfing 2 years ago and although i have shorter boards, my 9'6" is the one for me right now.

 

From my limited experience so far, when learning to surf, you want high wave count, i.e., you want to be able to catch as many waves as possible. A longer, high volume board will contribute to that. Bear in mind that actual ride time is only a small fraction of total time in the water during a session. There's also at lot of paddling, and the longer/larger boards are easier to paddle.
There are a multitude of other skills, knowledge, and accumulated wisdom, involved in surfing. Surf etiquette, safety, and water survival skills are no less important. A lot of things you just pick up along the way. Get out on the water as much as possible. But I'm no expert. Only been at this a little over a year and a half (...but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night). There are folks on this Forum who have been surfing 30-40 years,

 

Please refer to the many other threads on this as well. Ya ****ed up bad and now you're gonna hate surfing

 

I also learned on a short board. I am sure it would have been a lot easier on a long board, but regardless, I picked it up pretty quick. Good luck!

 

Seriously- a longboard is the way to go, unless your like 12yrs old or something...

OVERALL- you will learn quicker and have MUCH more fun on a longboard then a shortboard. Most ppl get a shortboard and get frustrated quickly and give up... you will probably take most of the summer just learning and ride your first wave correctly sometime in august... while on a longboard youll learn in a month.

just so you know.. this can be a hot subject... some ppl say shortboard, but they learned to surf when they where young or have never rode a longboard. If your over 18 get a longboard.

For that cheap, it would be nice to have a shortboard and you will look cool, but like everyone else said- your wave count will be less and your frustration level will be higher.

Get out of the deal and get a longboard- or at least a board over 7ft that has a lot thickness- or volume as we say. and stay away from high performance boards- with sharp edges and stuff. get something with more of a rounded outline. I started with a single fin longboard and loved it!

 

softop...IMO, great advice for the newbie without forking out the $, and it would be new...can find them for $100.

 

where are you located?

 

Not the biggest mistake one can make, who knows maybe you're a freak and will shred from day one... with that said if you can back out of the deal, do it, if not, clean it up and sell it for a small profit and get yourself a more appropriate first board. Longboards, larger fishes, mini simmons, or even a 6'5" or larger single fin will provide more glide and stability than a common shortboard.

 

I recommend a fun shape or egg...something in the 6'10-7'10 range. No bigger than 8'
Rounded nose
THickness 2.5-3.0"
Longboards are nice if you have a long mellow breaking wave like Waikiki...any tourist can learn there.
But for short steep EC beach break I think it's easier to learn on a shorter board.
See many beginneers pearling longboards, paddling in circles with the nose in the air, or trying to lean/turn and just falling off the side because they are not positioned right. (to properly turn a longboard you need to be back on the tail which no beginner is going to know how to do)
A medium length fun shape/egg will fit into the wave easier, easier to turn/go down the line, but still paddle ok and catch waves. Also easier to pick up and manuever in and out of the water.

 

My first wave was on a shortboard at like 8 or something but I learned on a longboard. I'm teaching a dude on a 7ft board and it's hard for him. Your trying to run before you can crawl. Where is this guys lokal break,I'm mad really mad,now and want to slash his tires. Wow wow wow john Wayne slow down. Btw I used a 10$ boogie yesterday and did a lip roll it was intense.