Am I Too Old To Start Surfing Again?

Question

Hi all. I'm 47 years old and used to surf a bit, but that was over 20 years ago! I'm now living in Cornwall and would love to start surfing again-am I too old? I am slim, and pretty fit and healthy. Would I need to build up a certain level of fitness? And what sort of board should I get? My surf shop said as I haven't surfed for a long time, get something with a lot of float i.e. a 9ft. (they said don't get anything under 8ft 5). Thanks for any advice...

Answer 1

you are definetely not too old.and u should get a long board

Answer 2

No, there are guys in their 80's still surfing. Go ahead.

What kind of board did you used to surf? go from there.

Big boards are easy but short are a lot more fun.

Answer 3

Your never too old to do anything that makes you happy!

Answer 4

No dude

surfing is the one sport

that has no age limits

go for it duude

stick to the surf shop

and have fun you aint to old by far!

my dad is 50 and hes out surfing every now and than

Answer 5

Not even close to being too old.  About one in five beginners in my surf school are in their mid-40s or older.  Many have picked the sport up fine and I now seem them all the time in the water.  I'm much older and still have a great time on every wave I catch.   The board size sounds fine.  About the only problem you might have is endurance when the waves are challenging,

Answer 6

no your not too old my dad goes surfing with me and he's 50.  his board is 8.2 but he is pretty advanced.  definetly get a long board or even get a foam board.  good luck

Answer 7

Yeah, go for it. If you once surfed, you'll get back into it easy.

I'm 48, & have a stack of different sized boards. Cornwall is a slow weak sort of wave, can I suggest you get a longboard to start, say 9 footer. One of those Bics will do the job nicely. Why? Because they're tough as, and nice & easy for beginners to learn on. (Maybe look for a 2nd hand 1 to begin with) As you progress, you may want to get  a shorter board, or maybe a nice McTavish Fireball.Get the fibreglass model, not the Tuff Lite.. dead easy to catch waves on, easy to turn, and well made. Just a bit exy to begin on if you decide it's not 4 u.

Have fun!

Oh P.S. Invest in a nice warm steamer, gloves, booties, helmet....ha! Water temp in Sydney is 22 deg. C, air temp 25 deg. C....wouldn't swap with U for quids!!!

Answer 8

as everyone else would say, you're never too old to learn.

my dad was an avid surfer as a kid but he stopped for years until he started back up with me when he was 50. He may not be the most talented guy out there, but the smile he gets on his face each time he hits the water definately shows that surfing has no age limit.

as long as you feel your fit and healthy enough, i don't see any reason why you shouldn't get back out there. as you surfed before, im sure you know the proper precautions.. always go with a buddy blah blah blah

but yeah, as far as boards go, anything with some length on it will help you out as your learning. my dad has a 9'6" and it works great for him

best of luck, hope to see you out there

Answer 9

HA HA HA!!! Are you kidding... Ive seen 80+ surfers, you sound ready just maybe begin again with a longboard, at your age you want stability and a smooth ride.  Like your surf shop said 9ft would be a very good size. After that you'll probobly need to start from scratch if its been 20 years +.  Start with the whitewaters and than gradually move up to the smaller waves than into some nice sized waves. Good Luck.

Answer 10

No way are you too old.  A 9ft board should be good for you.  The bigger the board, the easier it is to catch waves at the expense of maneuvering and performance.  Might want to get in shape by swimming but the best way the get better at surfing is to get out there in the line up.  Just be sure to familiarize yourself with the area you are surfing before paddling out.  Consult the locals who have experience about hazards and conditions.

Answer 11

Only you can answer that question. Whatever you perceive/believe you can do is attainable.

General fitness would suffice as you will need leg strength as well as upper body strength.

What board type did you previously use? In 20 years, technology has changed dramatically.  Why not try out different boards prior to settling on just one???

Good luck and have a BLAST!

Angel hugs'Tina

Answer 12

No, your not. Start out slow though and take it easy. Til you get the hang of things again. Good Luck

Answer 13

Of course your not to old! My dad is 50 and he still comes surfing with me almost every weekend. Hes not in the best shape but that doesn't stop him from surfing like a pro! The board to use, well, it should be LONG! Thoughs are the easiest to start on, and even if you have had some practice you should still use a long one. They are easy to balance on and are the "lucky charm" for every surfer in my family. Good luck and kudos for surfing again! See you on the waves!