Beginners guide

If you're new to surfing, you're bound to be confused when it comes to choosing your first surfboard. Simply, the bigger the board the easier it is to catch waves and the more stable it will be once you're up and riding, the secret is to get the right size board, not to big and not to small, the rest is down to time in the water, a few surfing lessons will definitely help. At some point you will have to get some advice, be careful, some hotshot 16 year old shop assistant might be a great surfer and be very enthusiastic but very rarely has the experience to offer the correct advice.

Kids - suitable boards - shortboards (with volume), fun boards, mini mals

Often parents are on a budget when buying their children their first surfboard, so for very small kids, old shortboards can be great, the reason they are better if they are old is that older boards used to have loads more volume than modern boards (we're talking 20years old here). They aren't that easy to find but they are around and you should be able to fined one for less than £100. Funboards are fine for kids as are mini mals, a quick phone call or email will point you in the right direction.

Ladies - suitable boards - funboards, mini mal, mals

Girls and women have a different problem, normally females are lighter, smaller and not so strong, my advice is to go for the biggest board you can carry, to a point that it is uncomfortable, this will pass, you'll soon get used to it.

Men - suitable boards - mini mals, mals

The Guys need big boards if they want to learn to surf and enjoy the experience, why waste time trying to surf a board that is to small, if you’re small fit and supple a mini mal will be fine, if you're not which unfortunately applies to most of us you'll need a longboard, lots of people give up learning to surf because they have been sold the wrong board, please don't let it happen to you.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch, we can guide you on choosing your first surfboard.

Happy Surfing

Mike Peet