I need help, first time surfer?

Question

I surfed for the first time ever today and I suck. I rented a board since I am on vacation down here and will prob buy one when I move down for good. i only caught one wave and was on it for a second. I feel a million times and was nocked over by the waves. i am also afraid of deep water so I was only out at shoulder deep. i need tips and advice. i want to try and make this my hobby. Also I am 5'7 195lbs, am I too fat to surf? The person at the surf shop gave me a 7 foot board... Thanks

Answer 1

Surfing is an ocean sport. before you decide to surf, decide to know and understand the ocean. Learn to be at home with its currents, rips, undertows and sometimes BIG waves. The original surfers were watermen (and women, both men and women surfed, but certain waves were reserved for royalty).

I spent almost all of my teen years, swimming, sailing, surfing, scuba diving and fishing. I even surfed in different places the Navy sent me, when it was possible.

There are good things about both long and short boards. I ride both (one at a time , of course). In the mid sixties, like almost everybody else, I started on a longboard. I went shorter and shorter every summer, during the 'short board revolution.' After getting out of the service, I had afew years of sporadic surfing, before I got back to surfing as much as possibly could. (I've driven 650 miles to go surfing!). I found some days that were just too small anything but a longboard. Just riding one size board is very limiting, conditions change daily in most places.

I am old, and fat and slow, so even my shortboard is 7'6". My 6'4" is a collectors' item now. Not every break has ripper, head high waves every day. A longboard is great for plenty of glide in that knee high stuff. One more reason to surf every chance I can.

Surfing is an ocean sport, to do it right, you have to be at home in the ocean, with its currents, rips, undertows and sometimes big waves. I don't just mean being good at swimming in a pool, the ocean can be very unforgiving. I have seen lots of really good pool swimmers have to get rescued. 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. You can't do that without an ocean.

Lessons are usually the best way to start, unless you are an adolescent or young adult with lots of pals who surf who can teach you. Go to a real surf shop. The folks there can hook you up with lessons, and even rent you a board to learn on. Just work on your basics, and after you feel good, think about buying a board, but don't rush into anything.

Some folks have said that skateboarding may help. Well, any balance improving activity can be helpful to improve your surfing. That could be skate, snow, wake or skim boarding, working out on a Indo board, or doing the balance beam. HOWEVER, surfing is nothing like skateboarding. You have to paddle and catch a wave. First, and most important, you have to be at home in the ocean. You need to learn the mechanics of surfing, paddling out, catching a wave and standing up on the surfboard. It is after you have gotten all that down, that your balance becomes important, and if you have good balance (because, perhaps, you skateboard), that will only help you ride better.

Be careful of what you read here on line. There are lots of really well meaning young folks who have neat answers about surfing, but at 55, I tend to classify anyone under 25 as a kid. After I found this site, I figured that I could answer a few questions, and spread the 'good news' of surfing. After you learn to swim and master the ocean, get your REAL advice from a surf shop, where industry professionals earn their rent money selling surfboards. You probably weren't in a real good surf shop, check out some others. However, if they think you are just a 'kook' tourist out to rent a board, you won't necessarily get the best attention.

You are not too fat, just too fat for that board. I am 5'10" 210 (yea! down from 225 just weeks ago!) and I rode my 6'4" at that weight, until I just got too old for it (too slow). You need a board that will float you well enough for you to take off (paddle and catch a wave). Most people learn best on long boards, although I have seen lots of surfers start on a short board and master it. Long boards are ideal for learners. There are also good internediate length boards to learn on, funshapes, mini-mals and some hybrids.

Good luck. Once you try surfing (and learn the 'right way') you'll have fun for life.

Take the time to check out the links, especially surfingforlife.

http://www.surfingforlife.com/history.ht...

http://www.mckevlins.com/nopopstory.htm

http://360guide.info/surfing/surfboard-t...

Answer 2

the guy at the surf shop ripped u off dude. if you told him that it wud be ur first time he just wanted to make some quick cash. what you need my frend is a 10 foot or a 12 foot board. for me, i just hoped onto a 12 foot board that my frends dad was using and i rode it with ease. then i got onto a 10 foot. 10 foots are easy too but not as easy as a 12 foot. after that i went to a 9 then an 8 somthing. i just bought a used 8 foot board yesterday and i plan to go down to shortboard wen i get better.

oh and btw im 5'2 120 pounds. and if u go a bit deeper it'll be easier to catch since the wave is a little bit stronger.

Answer 3

Everyone is rubbish when they first start and if someone says that they weren't then they were lying! It just takes practise so persevere and believe me it will pay off. The most important thing is that you get the right board for you and once you have got the right technique then size is practically no object! I am 55kg and I surf a 6"9 board so my advice is that you try a longer board, from my experience I think that an 8"4 board is probably the easiest board to start with. Good Luck and keep at it!

Answer 4

Okay, first off, you don't suck. You just needed a longer board to coincide with your weight. And you were not focused; you were concerned with the ocean. You need to feel comfortable in the ocean. That means being a confident swimmer and realizing that the ocean is a powerful force that you can't fight; you need to learn how to go with it. Start out with a board at least 9' or longer, and ride the whitewater in a hundred times. You'll be in shallower water and can focus on the basics of popping up, your stance, and balance. This will be a great confidence builder. Spend as much time as you can in the ocean, with or without a board. Even experts fall off their boards. Get out there.