It's very exciting that feeling of choosing your first surfboard , shopping around seeing which one catches your eye or picturing yourself hitting the waves on that board but there are a few mistakes beginner surfers tend to make when selecting their first board here are 5 you should try to avoid.
1 - Not Choosing The Right SurfBoard Size
It's easy to make the mistake of choosing the wrong board size if you don't have any friends who surf that can guide you in the right direction or maybe you haven't found any useful information online, it is quite confusing starting out .Choosing the right board size makes such a difference in your ability to pick up surfing faster as well as being able to catch waves easier and paddle out with ease.
Beginner surfers will usually want a surfboard that is longer and has more volume to make standing up easier and having more buoyancy will help beginner surfers find their balance quicker.
How can i choose the correct board size ?. You can check the chart below to find the right board size depending on your weight ,we also have another article you can check out that goes more in depth finding the right board size.
2- Choosing The Wrong SurfBoard
Im sure for anyone starting out its pretty tempting to want to jump on a glass shortboard and think they will be ripping straight away , unfortunately surfing is just one of those sports that takes a lot of time to get good at .Some beginner surfers choose a shortboard straight away or a advanced fibreglass board ,which is not the right direction to take as a beginner surfer.
You want to progress slowly and as you get better and more confident in your surfing abilities you can move up to more advanced surfboards .
Beginner surfers should generally start of with a longer ,wider soft top surfboard as its easier to catch waves , find your balance and is safer for you and other surfers around you as the board is soft.If you went out surfing on a glass board with sharp fins not knowing what you are doing you could injure yourself or other surfers around you as you have less control over your board when learning to surf.
Stay humble and start slow with a soft top or "foamie ".
3- Purchasing a Second Hand Board Without Knowing The Condition It's In
Let's be honest its pretty appealing to find a cheap second hand board , the price point alone is usually what drives beginner surfers to purchase second hand boards but the problem is not knowing what condition it is actually in. Most the time you will get lucky with second hand boards and the person before you has taken good care of their board and its in tip top shape but there are times when people purchase second hand boards and maybe quite soon down the line the board starts falling apart or the board has little breaks and fractures on the inside you maybe can't see that destroys the structural integrity of the surfboard , you don't want that.
So if you do opt in for a second hand board make sure you look over it well , ask the owner how much usage it has and just be a bit cautious.The good thing about purchasing new boards is they are brand new they will look mint and hold up for a long time , most board shops offer warranty on new boards which is great .If price is a reason holding you back look for suppliers with payment plans , take the stress out of it.
4- Purchasing One Board For Multiple People
Unfortunately most surfboards are not a one size fits all. As it may seem like a good idea to purchase one board for you and your friends to share or your family to share everyone has different weight and height and this determines the board that is right for you .
But hey if you have a family of identical triplets go for gold you should be good there .If you buy a board for you and your friend to share then you wont be able to surf together and where's the fun in that ? .
Stick with buying a surfboard that is suitable for you and your requirements.
5- Not Getting A Leg Rope
Why should i have a leg rope ?, having a leg rope on will ensure you can retrieve your surfboard when you fall off and will stop it from getting away from you possibly hitting someone paddling out in the surf.
While most beginner surfers out there use a leg rope there are a few that forget one or cant be bothered putting one on, this isn't great if you come off your board and it goes all the way to the beach leaving you swimming for it looking silly.Keep others safe by putting on a leg rope and make it easy for yourself retrieving your board quickly when you come off.
You should choose a leg rope that is the same size as your surfboard , if you cant find one the same size just go one up.
Eg : 7ft board - 7ft leg rope
Eg : 7'6 board - 8ft leg rope
If you are looking for your first beginner surfboard to get you ripping on those waves in no times feel free to check out our beginner surfboards.We offer FREE shipping Australia wide and have been using these boards with our surfboard hire businesses for years with no problems.They are great for beginners and can withstand the harsh Aussie conditions and all the wear and tear.
www.noosasurfboardco.com.au
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