6’6 softie for a 6ft adv. beginner?

If you're up and riding and doing a few turns then it may be time to get off the softboard.

Thanks. Right ok...

Figured I hadn’t tapped out potential of the softies yet. And the safety aspect (given it's crowded Bondi and all..)

I doubt anyone cares but I ended up going to a softlite 7ft pop stick. Been good so far.

I do find myself getting on the face of a wave and wanting to turn sharp and feeling like I can't but I put that down to my beginner lack-of-skills status. Guess I need to work and properly putting it on rail and learning how to manoeuvre

Later I'd like to move to a 6'6, like a Lost puddle jumper, or some such other all round small-wave board.

It was interesting visiting a couple of surf shops this last weekend

I wasn’t really looking to buy a board but just browsing and taking with the staff

One suggested a 6’6, 44l big shortboard by their shop brand - said if I want o go that way eventually I should just make the jump now.. that it’ll be hard adjusting for a while but it would be the best

Another place had a 7’1 board by Sam Egan and suggested that. Sort of like a mal except the nose was more narrow and performance looking -

I left wanting a fibreglass board

look for boards with a lot of foam to get you into waves early. you want to get your wave count up. plenty of info online. once you get an idea what models are of interest, look on gumtree and ebay for 2nd hand boards. after a few years and a few boards you’ll be in a better position to buy a new board from a shaper if you’re so inclined

Thanks. Yeah I got some rough guidelines but from all the reading I’ve done, it sounds quite individual in terms of what exact volume, foil, length works for different people and different breaks. So like you say.. trial and error, which makes going through a few cheaper or second hand boards a smart move until I have a better handle on it.

• My current foamie is 54L at 7’ and feels sluggish when I get on the face of a wave. Got no problem catching waves and paddling hard so I could push myself a bit more I think.

• I was looking at Gumtree, then saw these are on sale for 3 hundy.
https://www.sxsurf.com.au/product/fish/
6’6 or a 6’8 has around 45L. Maybe I can try one out.

What do you weigh mate

I'm ~78kg, 6' tall.

IMHO you would want at least 45l more would better. Your foamy may just feel sluggish due to the plan shape rails, fins etc. See if you can demo a few boards and that way you can get a feel for the size and volume you need. Just remember as a beginner you want to be catching lots of waves and getting into the wave early, volume is your friend

Yeah trying them is a the tricky part. Most of the hire places just have shitty foam boards or those big ass NSP/BIC mals. All my mates have foam boards too

Thanks for the advice though. It helps. I'm probably going to push it and try for that 45L volume but I hear what you're saying . Hopefully I can try some different shapes out. Because right now I'm seeing boards of different sizes and shapes with similar volume, for instance:

A superfish 6'9 with ~45L

The fat/round shortboardy 6'6 that the Aloha Manly store suggested with ~45L

The 7'1 slimmer semi-mal/performance funboard hand shaped which is probably similar volume or maybe a bit bigger volume.

I'm sure they'll all ride pretty different.

have a look at the al merrick biscuit, webber fatburner - most of the big shapers have boards something along these lines designed with more foam to paddle in but shortboard/fish rather than mini-mal. you’re right - trial and error but err on the side of more volume rather than less. don’t be worried about fibreglass boards - just don’t ditch the board when u duckdive

I Ended up getting one of these fairly cheap - it’s a fish shape

6'6 X 21 5/8" X 2 7/8" 46.5L

Pic https://ibb.co/mzG2A9

I’ve taken it out a couple of times now. Definitely quite a difference but I think it’s going to be ok. I was out yesterday morning in really small surf and managed to get on waves - just took an extra paddle or two compared to the 54L Foamie

I try to nearly every day if I can, whatever the conditions as long as it’s not dangerous. I just want to improve as fast as possible.. but enjoying the journey