First time surfer

I had my first lesson up in Standhill yesterday. I absolutely loved it. Was just wondering how long it would take to get up to an ability to surf by myself. I live in Leitrim so I don't get much chance to get up to Standhill/Bundoran. I will also be back in college in Aberdeen after the summer. If I got about 5 or 6 more lessons before the summers end, would I be able to buy a board and kind of lean my myself in Scotland( I know the waves aren't the best there)?

Mickeroo

Deleted User wrote: »

I had my first lesson up in Standhill yesterday. I absolutely loved it. Was just wondering how long it would take to get up to an ability to surf by myself. I live in Leitrim so I don't get much chance to get up to Standhill/Bundoran. I will also be back in college in Aberdeen after the summer. If I got about 5 or 6 more lessons before the summers end, would I be able to buy a board and kind of lean my myself in Scotland( I know the waves aren't the best there)?

If you get out as much as possible over the rest of the summer and do a couple more lessons you'll be grand. It's better to go out with others rather than by yourself, but as your confidence grows you'll feel more comfortable. Your college is bound to have a surf club no? If it doesn't then i would suggest founding one!

Oh. I wouldn't go out on my own. I meant go out with friends. I wouldn't be a confident enough swimmer to go out on my own yet. I would be a strong enough swimmer but I wasn't at all comfortable with swimming with the board. Must be something that I'll get used to.

What kinda board would I be looking for starting off? 8/9 foot?

CRenegade

Deleted User wrote: »

I had my first lesson up in Standhill yesterday. I absolutely loved it. Was just wondering how long it would take to get up to an ability to surf by myself. I live in Leitrim so I don't get much chance to get up to Standhill/Bundoran. I will also be back in college in Aberdeen after the summer. If I got about 5 or 6 more lessons before the summers end, would I be able to buy a board and kind of lean my myself in Scotland( I know the waves aren't the best there)?

I bought my first board and gear after one weekend of surf lessons and havn't looked back. Try get a mate or two on board - its easier and safer to get into it and progress with a couple of friends.

Mickeroo

Deleted User wrote: »

Oh. I wouldn't go out on my own. I meant go out with friends. I wouldn't be a confident enough swimmer to go out on my own yet. I would be a strong enough swimmer but I wasn't at all comfortable with swimming with the board. Must be something that I'll get used to.

What kinda board would I be looking for starting off? 8/9 foot?

Everyone always recommended me something between 7 and 8 foot, Mal's seem to be the go to boards for beginners. I'm still more or less a beginner myself, I got a Bic 7"9 second hand pretty cheap and it's served me well so far. Next year I will upgrade i think.

runman

I both my gear after 2 lessons. I knew id love surfing instantly.. Get together with a club here/scotland. The more people you have around you to help you and share the water with the more enjoyable the surfing is.
Best of luck.

gumbynation

get a longboard 9ft plus:
you will catch more waves and get better quicker.
FACT

a mini mal is a waste of time full stop.
too small to nose ride and too bulky to really throw around unless you are sunny garcia.
id say most people buy em cos they are easy to fit under your arm and lighter to carry from the carpark to the beach, whether they admit to that or not, is another story.

Mickeroo

gumbynation wrote: »

get a longboard 9ft plus:
you will catch more waves and get better quicker.
FACT

a mini mal is a waste of time full stop.
too small to nose ride and too bulky to really throw around unless you are sunny garcia.
id say most people buy em cos they are easy to fit under your arm and lighter to carry from the carpark to the beach, whether they admit to that or not, is another story.

that and the price, that seems like a pretty elitist view you got there,would love to have got a proper longboard, unfortunately I couldn't justify spending a fortune when I had barely been surfing before.

kodute

You can get a 'proper longboard' for pennies if you check out the second hand ads. In fact second hand mals tend to be more expensive in relative terms than second hand longboards.

gumbynation

Mickeroo wrote: »

that and the price, that seems like a pretty elitist view you got there,would love to have got a proper longboard, unfortunately I couldn't justify spending a fortune when I had barely been surfing before.

im sorry to hear you didnt have the funds to buy a 9ft+ mal.
doesnt change the fact that a mal is a much better board for a beginner than a minimal.
Leaving money aside for the moment, name a scenario where you'd rather surf a mini-mal instead of a 9ft+ board?

Regarding money, buying a pop out is good as they are indestructable etc, and hence seem to hold the resale value well, but once your done with it, your done. in small stuff it will be sluggish and frustrating. where as a proper mal is endless fun.
You can pick up a second hand mal from 300 euros. But even if they are that bit more expensive, why would you ever want to sell your mal? theres always a place for a longboard in your quiver. Always. Out of interest Mick, what do you plan to do with your 7'9 when upgrading?

Perhaps you'd be good enough to explain why its an elitist view i have regarding mini mals.

Is it an elitist view because you think i assume he has funds to buy a new longboard, and therefore rendering me some sort of rich snob? because that would give me a right chuckle!
Why would i expect him/her to buy a new board for his first board? that would be foolish given the likelyhood he/she is going to bash the bejesus out of it.

Or is it elitist because you mistakenly think im one of those longboarders who labels shortboarders/mini mal riders 'butt wigglers' etc? In which case, you couldn't be further from the truth. I ride shortboards about 90% of the time.

Is it an elitist anti Bic thing? Then why not a 9ft bic?

I'm just surprised by how quick people are to recommend 7'9s for ideal starter boards. Granted you can learn to surf on them but why are people so insistent on them being the ideal starter board when any fully grown adult will learn to surf quicker on a 9ft+ board?

Hope this helps clarify my elitist views.

Mickeroo

Maybe I took ya up wrong, apologies! I wasn't disputing a long board would be better, I just thought it was lousy to suggest the only reason someone would buy a board is because it's easy to carry. I'll hold onto the 7"9 when i upgrade.

gumbynation

apologies accepted mick!
Good luck with the upgrade be it longer or shorter.

Mickeroo

gumbynation wrote: »

apologies accepted mick!
Good luck with the upgrade be it longer or shorter.

Cheers gumby. In a perfect world it would be one of each

So should I go for a funboard or a longboard if I were to buy one.

gumbynation

longboard.
see above posts

I think I am going to buy a 8" 4 Bic Magnum. I have been learning off an 8 foot board. Is this a reasonable board to begin with?

seachto7

should be perfect to learn on...

Have ordered off Kingofwatersports on Thursday. On the e-mail tracker. It is still saying "awaiting payment". I rang up BOI and they said they hadn't tried to withdraw the money from me yet.

spaceHopper

Deleted User wrote: »

Have ordered off Kingofwatersports on Thursday. On the e-mail tracker. It is still saying "awaiting payment". I rang up BOI and they said they hadn't tried to withdraw the money from me yet.

When you get it sign not checked or check the board to make sure it didn't get dammaged, if you do then it's covered by insurance if not it's hard luck.

Happened to me ordering a board on line, small dent in a bic for the OH nothing to worry about but she wasn't happy.

Wexford Blue

Hello all,

Reading this thread with interest as i had a lesson in Strandhill on Sunday.. Loved it but would like to try a few more times before investing to make sure. Is it easy enough to rent gear? Would like to go back and try Strandhill again, nice place, nice beach.

This seems like a good deal? - http://www.kingofwatersports.com/bic-surf-84-magnum-mens-package-2010-i10828.html

Any feedback much appreciated..

Mini Driver

Just back from some lessons on Strandhill fantastic place for beginners IMO

spaceHopper

Wexford Blue wrote: »

Hello all,

Reading this thread with interest as i had a lesson in Strandhill on Sunday.. Loved it but would like to try a few more times before investing to make sure. Is it easy enough to rent gear? Would like to go back and try Strandhill again, nice place, nice beach.

This seems like a good deal? - http://www.kingofwatersports.com/bic-surf-84-magnum-mens-package-2010-i10828.html

Any feedback much appreciated..

The suit is a summer suit I'd get a better one, it's never that warm here so if you are going to have one suit get a winter one 5/3

Got in contact with them today. They can't do the surfboards with the 10% discount. So it is looking like 50 pound delivery for the two boards + full price. Was looking at surfworld.ie
You can pick up boards(cortez 8 foot) for 355 euros with all included?

Would I be better to stick with a Bic though?

spaceHopper

Deleted User wrote: »

Got in contact with them today. They can't do the surfboards with the 10% discount. So it is looking like 50 pound delivery for the two boards + full price. Was looking at surfworld.ie
You can pick up boards(cortez 8 foot) for 355 euros with all included?

Would I be better to stick with a Bic though?

Know nothing about cortez, look on gumtree.ie and donedeal.ie and you'll get a good second hand board

rodento

spaceHopper wrote: »

When you get it sign not checked or check the board to make sure it didn't get dammaged, if you do then it's covered by insurance if not it's hard luck.

Happened to me ordering a board on line, small dent in a bic for the OH nothing to worry about but she wasn't happy.

Whats some wrong with the chapter board