3 questions from a surfing beginner.?

Question

I only did surfing twice but I really loved it. And I have many questions.

1. Are there surfboard rental store in Venice and Malibu beach?

2. What length of board should I buy? (I am 5"2' female with slim body.) Any recommendation for brand?

3. I am driving a Toyota Celica 2002. Is there a rack for carrying a board which can be attached to Celica?

If you can give me advice, it will be great! Thanks in advance. =)

Answer 1

1. Malibu-

Malibu Surf Shack - Shop

22935 Pacific Coast Hwy

Malibu, CA 90265

phone: [phone]

I'm sure they rent boards, or they can at least direct you to a place that would. Same with Venice Beach. I don't live near there so sorry I'm not more help.

2. I think I can help here though. I am almost your same height and similar build. Rent some boards again before you buy. Buying a long board is expensive.. Make sure this is what you really want to do!

What size board did you rent before when you surfed the other two times? Did that work? Did it feel too big? Too small? I'm assuming it was a longboard... Not knowing what you have ridden before, I would say rent anywhere from an 8'0 board to a 9'0. Anything over that is really overkill because you are small enough where you can ride a smaller longboard and have it work. Rent a longer board, then go smaller and see if you can handle it.

Then figure out what type of surfing you want to do. Do you want to be a longboarder? Riding small, slow waves and just gliding across them? Maybe be able to nose ride one day? Or do you want to get into shortboarding? Do you want to be able to do cutbacks, riding a more performance type board?

If you want to longboard, see how you did with the softtops rentals and buy a real surfboard that is similar. If you can ride the 8'0 board, then buy an 8'0 board. You don't want it to be too thick because then you will be floating on top of the water too much and won't be able to turn it well. And keep in mind, the wider it is, the more stable it will be. But again, you don't want it to be too wide because again, it will be harder to control.

If you want to shortboard, realize that it is harder than longboarding. No one really rents shortboards, but find the smallest board they have for rent and try it out. I ride a 6'0 x 18 1/4 x 2 1/8. Don't go smaller than 6'0, at least at first.

With either a longboard or shortboard, look into buying used. This will save you a lot of money. Make sure it's in decent condition so that you don't end up throwing it away after a few surfs. There's plenty of used boards out there, you can find one you think you might like and see how it goes.

3. Yes, go into a surf shop and tell them the car you have. They will give you the correct racks. Remember there are two kinds, soft racks, and the kind that you have to permanently attach to the roof of your car. The soft racks are cheaper and removable, and the hard racks are expensive and permanent.

Sorry if that was too long or if I was rambling on. But feel free to contact with with more questions.

Answer 2

1. Yes, there are many shops that rent boards. If you are just starting out you might want to start with a soft top board like a Doyle. These should be easy to find. Here is the name of a place in Venice:

J's Rentals

Address:   1501 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291  

Phone: [phone]

2. If you go with the soft board, they usually only come in a couple of lengths. For a beginner a bigger board will give your more stability. But you sound kind of petite so don't go too big or the board will be harder to control. I would say around 8' would be a good starting place.

3. Yes, most surf shops also sell a cheap rack that straps to the top of your car. The kit will only cost about $40-50 and is easy to install. You shouldn't use it for longer trips but for just running around town, it should be fine. If you are really going to get into surfing and want a more permanent rack for your car, try Thule or Yakima. You can find they racks at sport chalet, REI, or Sport Rack Vehicle Outfitters.

Have a great time and enjoy the waves.