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Surfing question

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.SteezusChrist.
Posts: 2296 - Karma: 276
so for any surfers out there, i got a little question

my school has a surf club and we will surf while it is not freezing a day or two each weekday and i wanna get into it and do it weekends too

so i was wondering if it would be a lot harder to learn on a short board, because they are sooo much cheaper then long boards and i need to use my money from this summer to buy it. i wakeboard, wakeskate, and wakesurf so i have a pretty good sense of balance. i know lots of people start on longboards, but i dont really wanna spend that kind of dough for a board that i will use for a little bit until i can move to a shorty

can you guys give me your opinion

thanks
Sep 13 2007 7:31PM
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doublexl
Posts: 8407 - Karma: 26
your gonna want a longboard cause they have more bouyancy and the wave pushez them with more force for eazier ups.
Sep 13 2007 7:43PM
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.SteezusChrist.
Posts: 2296 - Karma: 276
ahhh, thanks, not what i wanted to hear but w/e

so is it impossible with a shorty?
Sep 13 2007 7:51PM
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Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
you can learn on a shortboard but it will be tough. you could try a funboard, it's wide like a longboard but no nearly as long and it allows for more maneuverability. there was a thread on surfing awhile back that I posted a bunch of stuff in; I'll see if I can find it.
Sep 13 2007 8:04PM
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josh.
Posts: 3469 - Karma: 42
were are you going surfing
Sep 13 2007 8:08PM
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Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
here's the thread..
https://www.newschoolers.com/web/forums/readthread/thread_id/317611/
Sep 13 2007 8:10PM
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beer.
Posts: 3096 - Karma: 44
well depending on where u are a longboard is gonna allow u to catch waves way easier so if the waves are tiny or you arent a real strong swimmer longboard is the way to go. I dont know a ton about surfing I only do it on vacation, but I've tried a shortboard and it was way harder to use.

you probably have good enough balance though, its just harder to catch the actual wave in my experience.
Sep 13 2007 8:11PM
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Rooddss
Posts: 1420 - Karma: 14
start out with a longboard just to get the feel for it. trust me it will help a lot. once you got ur balance and your used to getting up on the longboard, go to shortboard and then never look back
Sep 13 2007 8:17PM
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bigwhite.steeze
Posts: 8227 - Karma: 1,030
just get like a 6'6 its not too long and not too short. you should be fine, itll just take a while to get the hang of it.
Sep 13 2007 8:17PM
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hans_aschim
Posts: 1188 - Karma: 11
if the waves are big, get a big(ger) shortboard and tough it out. if not, get a funboard and have fun and catch waves. or, be cool and get a longboard. they are not 'boring' to surf at all. obviously you cant ride huge swells on them, but anything from 1 to 5 or 6 feet is way fun. and! as long as you dont ding it too hard, you can probably sell it for as much as you bought it for once you feel confident enough surfing. but, as with anything, have fun and do what you want, learn how you want to and surf how you want to. that's just my advice.
Sep 13 2007 8:24PM
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zylstra
Posts: 3613 - Karma: 125
sounds swell.
Sep 13 2007 8:39PM
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Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
a long board is easier to learn on.

FYI
i have a short board for sale. i'm askin $200/OBO.
it's a 90s quiet flight. 6'4". i epoxied it and surfed it. worked out wonderfully. could use a little more wet sanding on the bottom though.
anyone?
Sep 13 2007 10:59PM
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rockymountainmilitia
Posts: 2706 - Karma: 12
6'4"-6'6" fun board. not an aggressive short or a gun or anything. look for a board with an egg shaped nose, or close to it. and 2 3/4"-3" thick. just go talk to a surf shop let 'em know you new and just learning, but want a shortboard you can progress on. My first board was 6', thin and had a really aggressive rocker. it made it fucking tough to learn on. I borrowed a buddies 6'4" after a few sessions on that I traded in my shorty and got one of those. I still rock it whenever the surf is shit and im just looking to mess around.
Sep 14 2007 1:32AM
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foodisfun
Posts: 5427 - Karma: 287
honestly, it's a personal opinion, but i'd suggest starting with a shortboard.  everyone you ask is gonna have a different opinion, but i really like a challenge, and i started out with a 6'4, and i couldn't be happier.  longboards are really fun to learn on and mess around on though, so it's really just what you wanna do.
Sep 14 2007 2:29AM
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snowbladesforlife
Posts: 2033 - Karma: -3
What do you mean you epoxed it? You just layed expoy down over the fiber glass? Fucking floridiots.
Sep 14 2007 2:42AM
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Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
wtf?

it was damaged. there were holes in the board. i rough sanded it. then i epoxied it. let it dry for eight hours. then i rough sanded over the dried epoxy area. then i wet sanded it to make a very smooth, shiny surface.
i did a damn good job too.
Sep 14 2007 11:04AM
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.makuma.
Posts: 2258 - Karma: 43
how are the waves..if there a decent size like chest + then i think youd be ok with a short board, but since you havent surfed yet and if the waves arent as big, go for like 9 footer so that your inbetween. also 9 footers have the feeling of a long board but you can turn easier than a real long board.
Sep 14 2007 4:16PM
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Microcosm
Posts: 4765 - Karma: 153
a 9 footer is pretty damn big, I wouldn't buy one to start with if I wanted to eventually get to a shortboard, but that's just me.
Sep 14 2007 4:22PM
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Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
7 ft is good.
Sep 14 2007 4:57PM
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vzdz
Posts: 782 - Karma: 87
don't get a longboard thats all balony. get a shortboard. get a small wave board. there are plenty of shapes that are easy at catching waves yet can still skate around....I'm talking short, WIDE, and something that's proper for your weight... i wouldn't go twin fin though...how much do you weigh?
Feb 24 2008 3:11AM
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Shpadoinkle
Posts: 10437 - Karma: 84
Date?
Feb 24 2008 10:11AM
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whattheshit
Posts: 6562 - Karma: 107
rental places usually have long boards for a reason. i haven't used a shorty but i used a long board this summer at tofino and it was enjoyable, good learning platform.



"charlie don't surf"
Feb 24 2008 10:47AM
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Billiards.
Posts: 6853 - Karma: 816
Surfing is a rippin good time. Ill be in Australia and New Zealand for 2 months, April and May. NZ will probably be pretty cold in May? But I would like to surf a good amount in Oz, is it as scary as surfing Northern California? Sorry thread jack.
Feb 24 2008 12:10PM
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MissMontana
Posts: 971 - Karma: 42
Yes. I love you for quoting Apocalypse Now.

Anyway, think about it this way: learning on a shortboard is like learning to drive on a stick-shift. Its harder but you learn the harder thing first. Its easier to learn on a longboard but then you only know how to surf on a longboard, not both.

Also, you can get cheap foam boards for rent or purchase. They're the best to learn on and when you fall they hurt less when they hit you in the face. So look for any BZ boards.

If you have a little cash, the best boards to learn on are SurfTec. They're cheaper than a hand-shaped board and are a LOT harder to ding. They're pop-out boards but they're super light and copy classic shapes from really good shapers. Check out the Haut boards if you can, they're so fun to learn on! I teach surf lessons at home and thats what I try to put my students on.

Good luck, be respectful and HAVE FUN!
Feb 24 2008 1:53PM
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603skier
Posts: 587 - Karma: 11
i learned on a short board.
Feb 24 2008 2:11PM
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spere
Posts: 6105 - Karma: 248
rent before you buy
Feb 24 2008 2:50PM
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.SteezusChrist.
Posts: 2296 - Karma: 276
look at the first date, i have been surfing for a while now... somebody just wanted to bring back a new post...
Feb 24 2008 3:09PM
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vzdz
Posts: 782 - Karma: 87
thats good your surfing but that would've sucked if you got a longboard
Feb 24 2008 3:17PM
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supportillmitch
Posts: 355 - Karma: 10
buy a used long board. geth the cheapest thing you can get, until you have mastered getting up and turning on shoulder-high waves. then sell the longboard for a cheap funboard or egg that is about 7'3''. Once you have gotten used to bottom turns and generating speed on your egg or funboard, buy a new shortboard no longer than 6'6". I would recomned a "Flyer I" from Al Merric. It is the most diverse one quiver board you can get. Long story short, buy cheap beginner boards to begin with, then pay full price for a shortboard once you are ready.
Feb 24 2008 7:29PM
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alev
Posts: 7819 - Karma: 410
check your pms.

i see you surf in 978 in MA, as do it. longboard is what you need for the summer here, but having a shortboard is ideal for spring and winter surfing, and later fall. fall is full of long rolling waves, PERFECT to shralp on a longer board
Feb 24 2008 7:34PM
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