HI, My friend has just started surfing, but she only has an 80’s dog to learn on, we are thinking of getting her a custom , Any ideas on shape and size, i know she should learn on a log but i would prefer her to have somthing she can turn. she weighs about 100 lbs, i thought either between a 6’4 to a 6’7, but how wide/ tail design/ width, and where should the wide point be for stability for a beginer, I know most of the sutulties of the board will be lost on her, but i’m interested in giving her a board with all the helping hands possible built in, I would be greatfull for any info, or pointer to web site i could find this info from. thanks keith.
HI, My friend has just started surfing, but she only has an 80’s dog to > learn on, we are thinking of getting her a custom , Any ideas on shape and > size, i know she should learn on a log but i would prefer her to have > somthing she can turn. she weighs about 100 lbs, i thought either between > a 6’4 to a 6’7, but how wide/ tail design/ width, and where should the > wide point be for stability for a beginer, I know most of the sutulties of > the board will be lost on her, but i’m interested in giving her a board > with all the helping hands possible built in, I would be greatfull for any > info, or pointer to web site i could find this info from. thanks keith. I’m venturing into sexist territory. Regardless of what we want to think, on average, women don’t end up at a surfing place nearly as butched-up as men. So plan the next step accordingly. First take her to a shop and let her put some boards under her arm. Find the maximum width she can comfortably carry in a board with average deck and rails. Get a funboard or an egg, depending on whether she wants to tackle point breaks (funboard) or screaming beach curls (egg). I’m thinking a 7-0 to 7-6 board. Get plenty of tail rocker, up to 3% of board length. For weaker paddlers you want a pretty wide tail, maybe 14.5" for a 20" wide board. It will plane earlier on takeoff. To replace the resulting lost turnability without losing wave catching ability, add tail V, centered at the front of the center fin. For the same reason she needs changeable thrusters, toed in only 1/8" front to back (pointed in front of the nose). This probably isn’t what you wanted to read.
i’ve made more boards for novice women than anything else(started with my girlfriend) and a 6’4"-6’7" is WAY to small to learn on, for anybody in my opinion, unless you want to make sure they give up after a few times. clark has a great blank for beginner boards, the 8’4"S. i squeeze full 8’4"‘s out of it, basically mini longboards, around 21.75" wide. flat bottoms, little nose concave, 2+1 setup with a protek fin. these boards float and catch waves great and are really easy to turn. for a first board i wouldn’t go under 8’.
Whatever kind of board you decide on, try to find an appropriate beginners spot for her to ride it. Don’t know where you live but I’m thinking small Waikiki, San Onofre, Mondos kind of waves are best. Tankers seem to glide effortlessly in those kinds of waves and offer plenty of stability. Check out photos of Brittany Leonard or Cori Schumacher if you don’t believe your friend can progress on one.
All good advice above! This is what I did for my wife. A full 9’ foot by 23" (template by Noodle). At 5’2" my wife cant get her arm around it, but she can carry it. I usually carry it for her and push her into waves as she paddles. I know that it’s way big for her, but I wanted guaranteed success and the board did not disappoint, she was up and surfing the first time out. When she is ready for a shorter board, I’ll probably shape her an 8’ something out of the 8’4"s. Have FUN and be very patient. Good luck, Scott
I think everyone would suggest a bigger board, definitly bigger than the 6’7"range. Go that short she may get frustrated and ditch a fun hobby and a new board. I’d agree with mini-log fun board, better yet LONGBOARD on the performance side. Riding a longboard she WILL catch waves and enjoy herself, it also forces you to learn the correct way to turn which makes switching to shorter boards easy.
I think everyone would suggest a bigger board, definitly bigger than the > 6’7"range. Go that short she may get frustrated and ditch a fun hobby > and a new board. I’d agree with mini-log fun board, better yet LONGBOARD > on the performance side. Riding a longboard she WILL catch waves and enjoy > herself, it also forces you to learn the correct way to turn which makes > switching to shorter boards easy. Just thought I throw a few more ideas your way. First, it’s gotta be fun and for beginners stability, floatation and smooth paddling make learning much easier. At only 100lbs she doesn’t want something she can’t carry easily so she needs to be able to reach around it without too much difficulty. All this said, it needs to be fairly responsive or she’ll have difficulty learning to turn it and ample nose and tail width are very helpful and more forgiving in the early stages of learning balance and wave timing. Consider an 8’6"x 15.5"x22x14.5"x3" Rounded pin or drawm in to a 5.5"swallow tail. Set it up as a truster and use 3.5’ rail fins and an 8.5" center fin. As far as rails are concerned consider eggy rails in the middle of the board tapering to a hard down rail departure for a good compromise. Keep the bottom flat with a slight vee in the tail section. Be sure to go and have her pick up some boards of different sizes so she can get a feel for how much she thinks she can handle comforably. She can start in some real small stuff with a board this size and get her confidence up. You’ll no doubt want to depart from these ideas some depending on the surf conditions she’ll be in but a board set up similar to the one above will paddle like a dream and shouldn’t weigh more than 12 or 13lbs glossed and polished with 3/4 deck patch. I’m interested in knowing what you decide on so let me know. Good luck and good surfin’. Best, Rich
I can back up the others stressing to NOT get board that is too heavy or large. I bought a 10’ yater spoon with the idea that the old lady (115#) could also learn on it. No such luck – she can barely carry it let alone fit her arm around the thing. Let her “test carry” a few at the local shop. Also, I strongly agree with the others – anything under 7’ is WAY TOO SMALL! I’d suggest b/w 8-9’ feet. Good luck.
I can back up the others stressing to NOT get board that is too heavy or > large. I bought a 10’ yater spoon with the idea that the old lady (115#) > could also learn on it. No such luck – she can barely carry it let alone > fit her arm around the thing. Let her “test carry” a few at the > local shop. Also, I strongly agree with the others – anything under 7’ is > WAY TOO SMALL! I’d suggest b/w 8-9’ feet.>>> Good luck. I’ll bet it a beautiful 10’ Yater Spoon. Did you keep it for yourself?
Just thought I throw a few more ideas your way. First, it’s gotta be fun > and for beginners stability, floatation and smooth paddling make learning > much easier. At only 100lbs she doesn’t want something she can’t carry > easily so she needs to be able to reach around it without too much > difficulty. All this said, it needs to be fairly responsive or she’ll have > difficulty learning to turn it and ample nose and tail width are very > helpful and more forgiving in the early stages of learning balance and > wave timing. Consider an 8’6"x 15.5"x22x14.5"x3" > Rounded pin or drawm in to a 5.5"swallow tail. Set it up as a truster > and use 3.5’ rail fins and an 8.5" center fin. As far as rails are > concerned consider eggy rails in the middle of the board tapering to a > hard down rail departure for a good compromise. Keep the bottom flat with > a slight vee in the tail section.>>> Be sure to go and have her pick up some boards of different sizes so she > can get a feel for how much she thinks she can handle comforably. She can > start in some real small stuff with a board this size and get her > confidence up. You’ll no doubt want to depart from these ideas some > depending on the surf conditions she’ll be in but a board set up similar > to the one above will paddle like a dream and shouldn’t weigh more than 12 > or 13lbs glossed and polished with 3/4 deck patch. I’m interested in > knowing what you decide on so let me know. Good luck and good surfin’.>>> Best, Rich Thanks for all the advice guys, I think you are all right about the board, but its up to her and i think she a bit adimante to have a cool short board, i will try to get her walking, as she seems to want to run, but as a few of you say, i dont want her to ditch a fun hobby either,
Remember…this is VERY important! Whatever you do…don’t accidently buy her ha beginner Boys board!
Thanks for all the advice guys, I think you are all right about the board, > but its up to her and i think she a bit adimante to have a cool short > board, i will try to get her walking, as she seems to want to run, but as > a few of you say, i dont want her to ditch a fun hobby either, Just to save alot of time and energy, go rent or borrow a few boards before you make your final decision. Best, Rich