What surfboard should i buy (SHORTBOARD?

What size surfboard should I get?

• Hi, i'm a beginner surfer and am ready to buy a board for myself. I was wondering what size surfboard I should purchase. I'm 5'7 and I weigh 175 pounds. Is it better to start with a longboard or shortboard?

• Answer:

  Lessons are the best way to start. Lessons can come from a professional instructor, or surfing family members or experienced surfing friends. You have to learn surf etiquette (so the experienced surfers in the line up don't want to drown you), how to paddle and take off on a wave, and how to ride a wave. The last thing experienced surfers want is for inexperienced people to just grab a board, rush into the surf and get in our way. Lessons shorten the learning curve significantly. And they help keep ignorant, un-prepared kooks out of the water and out of the way of more experienced surfers. . Beginners should take advantage of renting boards and wetsuits while taking lessons. If it turns out you don't like surfing, you haven't wasted a whole lot of money on gear that you are not going to use. When you are ready to buy, don't waste your time on line, go to a good local surf shop to discuss your size (weight is import, height isn't), skill level and local wave conditions. After 45 years of surfing, I still get my surfboard buying advice from good local shops in the places where I surf. A surf shop is also the best place to find information on instructors. Almost ALL instructors will start you off on a longboard. It is just too difficult for most people to learn how to surf on a short board. Most get quickly discouraged, and just quit. Now, over the years, I have seen some young surfers start out on short boards and master them in time. There are no RULES on what kind of board you learn on, but it's just common sense to learn on a long board. And, I know there are lots of nice kids who want to share information with you on line. But don't take the advice from youngsters, who may know even less than you do about surfing, a surfboard is a big investment. I hope you are mature enough to read through the BS that lots of people throw at you on line. So, I would be very careful about who's advice you take. I have been surfing since 1966, and it has provided a lifetime of fun for me. If you take the time to learn the right way, it will be a lifetime of fun for you too.Good Luck