You are a beginner ready to go out to sea and you have already planned your surfing. You head out but you do not know what is the right surfboard for you. The surfshop might help you with choosing the right board but most of the time you will not get any input. If you are buying a surfboard the chances are it will be your companion for a long time to come. So choosing a surfboard and knowing what size suits you is really important. This article will discuss what you should look for to find the perfect surfboard for you.
Where to Start: Using a Longboard
I think every surfing beginner should start with a longboard. The design makes it able to catch any wave that has some strength to it and it is much easier to catch waves which helps with the initial feeling of accomplishment. It also helps to give you more practice on most days as well. Surfboards are generally made of fiberglass or foam. Most surfshops will start you off with 8~9ft (2.4m~2.7m) foamie or even a 10ft (3m) one if you are a heavy person, they are cheap easy to carry and above all else they are safe for a beginner. Longboards are also a great way to keep on learning about balance on a surfboard. I recall in the very beginning I rode a 8’6ft foamie it was quite fun thinking back until I got my own surfboard.
What types Of Surfboard Out There
Here are a few types of boards you can check out. You will find them in and around your area sometime and if you are interested you could try them out (after mastering the longboard). They are all used in the art of surfing.
- Longboard – 8~14ft surfboards, your place to start with their good buoyancy and standing area they allow surfers to catch waves that are too small for shortboards. You can have 1 fin or the typical 3 fins, some even have 4 fins to improve the glide along the waves. On days when the is good waves a skilled longboarder can “walk the board” (walking up and down the length of the board, “nose on the toes” (stand on the edge of the board) and hang-ten (10 toes on the edge of the nose). Interesting note big wave surfers surf with a variation of a longboard.
- Shortboard – these vary from 6~7ft in length, they may possess a pointed nose with a round or square tail. Shortboards also typically have 3 fins but some designs can possesses 5. Due to the size of the board you need to paddle harder find steeper waves and faster take-offs maybe even going in just before the wave breaks. Most surf barrels with shortboards. Though, these surfboards most professional do a lot of tricks like 360 ° (entire turn on the surfboard), throwing buckets (quick turn that throws a surfer bit out the wave and aerial.
- Funboards / Malibu – are usually 6 – 8 feet long and are really buoyant. They are normally used for someone who wants to transition to a shortboard but still likes to keep it easy to catch waves. The overall design helps you catch waves.
- Fish – they are broader, shorter and flatter than a shortboard which makes it good for mushy waves. They’re flatter rocker helps to cover more of the waters surface which makes it good for paddling.
- Gunner – they are especially used for those big wave days, they range in sizes of 6’6 to 10ft in length with longer ones used for catching bigger waves, which allows the surfer to paddle faster and catch those large fast moving waves. It is designed for steep drops and catching fast waves, truly a surfboard for experienced surfers looking to catch giants.
- Stand-up Paddle boards (SUP‘s) – a typical SUP can be more than 9ft and even more than 12ft, and they normally use a paddle to catch the waves, it almost looks like you are canoeing while standing up. Some people find them fun but most surfers are wary of SUP as they are dangerous if you get hit by paddle or collide with one.
- Bodyboards – their length range from 3~6ft. you would see such surfers surf this on their belly. Instead of the typical paddling with your hands, the surfer uses flippers to propel them on the wave. Another interesting fact it seems that David Cameron (previous PM of UK) used to bodysurf as well.
Regardless of which kind of board you use the surfer is the one having the most fun. Later we will go into the different variations of a longboard, shortboards and maybe SUP and bodyboards too. What you have to understand you will encounter these on your surf sessions and always be on the lookout for them.
Basic Makeup of a Surfboard
Here is just a general understanding of a makeup of the surfboard. Most surfers sometimes talk about it when you are having training. Really do not have to have remember the names but just understand the placement of your body on the surfboard and where to paddle. 
- Deck – that is the general flat surface of a surface where a surfer paddles on for take-off and where a surfer would stand on
- Nose/ Rocker – the nose is the tip of the surfboard which during paddling should be a few inches out of the waver.
- Tail – is the backend of the surfboard beneath it you would have the fins for gliding on the waves
- Rails – that is the edge of the board which runs from the edge of the board to the nose of the board. Most surfers love to talk about how the shape of the rails help with their surfing of the wave.
- Stringer – a strip that runs dead center of a surfboard. Some boards do not have it but if you are a beginner stringer’s can really help you with how your body is placed on the board and your overall balance.
That is a general make-up of a surfboard but there are also other other parts to it that is also important such as:
- Leash – that is a rope that ties your surfboard to you by the ankle (sometimes around the knee). The make sure when you lose your surfboard it does not fall far from you or hurt anyone around you.
- Fins – the attachment at the bottom of a surf board. You can surf with just 1 one but most surfers who start buying surfboards insist that the more fins, the more glide you get along the wave. Which is true but is not the absolute. If you looking for a surfboard you can have 5 fins if you really want.
- Surf Wax – When you have your own surfboard, it is good to apply as much of it as possible on where you stand and where you hold the surfboard during paddling.
I feel that these parts are important on a surfboard and it would have helped if I knew a little about them when I started surfing. Let me know anything else you feel I might have missed on on the anatomy of a surfboard.
When to Start Using Shortboard
Most kooks (beginners) or just everybody else thinks that surfing is about riding a shortboard on huge barrels. That is not the case as surfing is also a learning curve as well. As mentioned you need bigger waves and strong propulsion to be able to catch the waves. You must be able to paddle harder, hold your breath longer during wipeouts and be a good swimmer. Therefore you must be strong in body and mind in order to use a shortboard and maybe do a little transitioning with a longer shortboard before going straight into it. Make sure you are ready for it. As mentioned shortboards are not suited for smaller waves so even if you have a shortboard it would be good to still possess a longboard for those more quieter days.
Choosing the Right Surfboard – It Matters
After riding a foamie you will start looking for a better surfboard and once you buy your first surfboard it will accompany on most surf days. It will be your trusted companion if you decide to go surfing often so choose wisely. I will be going into details on next articles on various longboards or shortboards.
Free to me a comment on your first surfboard.
Here are some cool beginner surfboards:
The Daily Pumpernickel 