which board

elheffe

hi all
i am buying a board and cant decide which one to go for. the bic 8"4 or 8"6. i originally got lessons on a 9"4 and i have been renting the 8"4 for long time now and can handle it way better. but does the two inches matter.... in surfing terms that is...... Thinking to myself that the 8"4 is a bit small but the 9"4 is too big. I am 6 foot 2 and as you can see confused......any advice would be great.
cheers

promethius

the length is only one dimension to consider, the width and thickness are other important dimensions which will affect the volume of the board and how well it floats. The rocker is the ammount of bend as you look sideways at the board, the less rocker the easier it paddles and will generally catch waves better. They're a few things to look out for, a 2 inch shorter board could paddle easier or harder than a longer one or the other way round.

I haven't answered your question
someone here will know those boards, i don't.
i learned on a 79 bic and they're great for starting on.
enjoy!

seachto7

have used both sizes and found the bigger one easier overall, but the 8ft 4 was good too. I am a similar height. It also depends how often you get out. A bigger board, I found, was easier to adjust to if you spent long periods out of the water....

elheffe

seachto7 wrote: »

have used both sizes and found the bigger one easier overall, but the 8ft 4 was good too. I am a similar height. It also depends how often you get out. A bigger board, I found, was easier to adjust to if you spent long periods out of the water....

thanks for heads up. i get out at weekends..... what did you learn on and what are you surfing now...

elheffe

promethius wrote: »

the length is only one dimension to consider, the width and thickness are other important dimensions which will affect the volume of the board and how well it floats. The rocker is the ammount of bend as you look sideways at the board, the less rocker the easier it paddles and will generally catch waves better. They're a few things to look out for, a 2 inch shorter board could paddle easier or harder than a longer one or the other way round.

I haven't answered your question
someone here will know those boards, i don't.
i learned on a 79 bic and they're great for starting on.
enjoy!

thanks for the info every bit helps.....i agree with you actually. what are you using now. did you drop down a size...

seachto7

elheffe wrote: »

thanks for heads up. i get out at weekends..... what did you learn on and what are you surfing now...

I chopped and changed over the years from 10ft longboards, 8ft 4 Bics, 7ft off Bics, and have a 9ft odd generic longboard now.

If found myself having more fun and wave (whitewater!) time on the larger boards, so stuck with the longboard. Good for cruising. Raging I am missing some good surf and great weather at the moment......

promethius

elheffe wrote: »

thanks for the info every bit helps.....i agree with you actually. what are you using now. did you drop down a size...

i have boards from 6'8" up to 9'6", a true surfer will surf anything to suit the conditions, the wannabees try to get the smallest board available (because that's what they think is the thing to do) and oftentimes sit on it catching few waves.

you should continue to develop your skills on the bigger board and then try out some different type boards. don't feel you should drop a size to progress, the opposite is often the case. shortboarding and longboarding very different, you should try both you will enjoy the journey :-)
there's loads of variations too, eggs, mini mals, superfish etc...

didn't mean to come across preachy there but so many surfers think the smaller the board the better. you're doing the right thing getting going on the bic, enjoy, there's nothing like the stoke of starting!

elheffe

promethius wrote: »

i have boards from 6'8" up to 9'6", a true surfer will surf anything to suit the conditions, the wannabees try to get the smallest board available (because that's what they think is the thing to do) and oftentimes sit on it catching few waves.

you should continue to develop your skills on the bigger board and then try out some different type boards. don't feel you should drop a size to progress, the opposite is often the case. shortboarding and longboarding very different, you should try both you will enjoy the journey :-)
there's loads of variations too, eggs, mini mals, superfish etc...

didn't mean to come across preachy there but so many surfers think the smaller the board the better. you're doing the right thing getting going on the bic, enjoy, there's nothing like the stoke of starting!

Great advice , appreciate the honesty..sounds like your well established... i will keep going the way i am. Can only improve i hope...cheers

elheffe

seachto7 wrote: »

I chopped and changed over the years from 10ft longboards, 8ft 4 Bics, 7ft off Bics, and have a 9ft odd generic longboard now.

If found myself having more fun and wave (whitewater!) time on the larger boards, so stuck with the longboard. Good for cruising. Raging I am missing some good surf and great weather at the moment......

Off shore winds, sun. i hope its not our summer.. hopefully more days like it will come. Seems like playing around to find the one your happy with is the way to go... thanks for the advice.. Cheers

seachto7

Yeah, I reckon if I got down more, maybe I would have been able for shortboards, (as in able to take advantage of them). I am happy enough to get in the water, and I seem to have gravitated towards a longboard........suits me anyways.......