Kid's board

I need some advice on a board for my kid, he’s 12, 5’ and 100lbs. He’s been using his cousins old 8’ softtop for the past year, I could be wrong but it seems too much for him to be using. I don’t recall the width, but he has trouble paddling with too little of his arms in the water. When I push him in to a wave, he does alright. Obviously we’re looking for something stable, easy for him to paddle and catch and move to the next rung on the learning curve. Any suggestions on shape and size would be appreciated.

Check further down the line or in archives. I just saw something like this the last couple of days. Anyway, someone came up with the key; measure the distance between your son’s armpit to his curled fingers and you’ll have the proper width. Then just scale down the length to fit. I’d go with a single fin (less stuff to get in the way). And they’re bit more stable in the white water. Have fun!!!

I need some advice on a board for my kid, he’s 12, 5’ and 100lbs. He’s > been using his cousins old 8’ softtop for the past year, I could be wrong > but it seems too much for him to be using. I don’t recall the width, but > he has trouble paddling with too little of his arms in the water. When I > push him in to a wave, he does alright. Obviously we’re looking for > something stable, easy for him to paddle and catch and move to the next > rung on the learning curve. Any suggestions on shape and size would be > appreciated. Important to remember…look forward. Your kid is going to increase in size and weight quickly at his age. At 12 and 100 lbs. you could be looking at a significantly changed individual in just 6mo. to 1 year. Remember the Pontiac commecial “Wider is better” (for beginners) If he can’t get it under his arm then he can carry it on his head or with two hands. I am a proponant of the Egg for beginners. Hell …I’m 46 and still love em. Try 6’ to 6’ 2" approx 2.5’ thick…maybe a 13 to 13.5 inch nose and tail or variation on this. Rails should be forgiving. It’s better in my opinion to have fun when you are learning than to look cool with a board that won’t float you or provide the stability and is way too advanced for beginning surfers. When he says “but dad…i can’t duck dive it!”…your response will be “are you going duck diving or are you going surfing?” I can’t tell you the # of kids that come to the surfcamps in the summer with these competition models that are glassed all around with 4oz. and are about 17.5" wide and 5’6" long and can’t figure out why the aren’t getting it. I put all my child students on fat little pig fish or eggs. They look funny but you know what…they surf! Hope this helps. JC

When I made my son’s first board, I drew up a bunch of plan shapes on paper and let him design a bunch of graphics. He picked the design he liked best and we transferred it to the shaped blank via airbrush. We also explored the options of single, tri or quad fin and he chose tri-fin. For some reason the actual shape was less important than the color scheme and fin set up! It became a 5’10" single to double concave squash tail that I recycled out of one of my beaters. One of my old room mates borrowed it frequently and referred to it as a “fish.” We still have it.

Egg is the thing you want at this stage of the game. 7-0 to 7-6. easy to ride and SAFE with round nose and tail. You want a Protek rubber tipped fin (yellow). Single fin. let him get into multi fins later. These boards are pretty boring and the kids want flashy boards. I get around this by big spray jobs(flames, etc.) the kids love it and they have a practical board to progress on. You say he does allright when you push him in; he needs to catch his own waves as soon as possible. Too small a board will hinder his progression. Too big a board will be a chore for him to turn and to move around in he water. Good luck!! aloha, tom

I need some advice on a board for my kid, he’s 12, 5’ and 100lbs. He’s > been using his cousins old 8’ softtop for the past year, I could be wrong > but it seems too much for him to be using. I don’t recall the width, but > he has trouble paddling with too little of his arms in the water. When I > push him in to a wave, he does alright. Obviously we’re looking for > something stable, easy for him to paddle and catch and move to the next > rung on the learning curve. Any suggestions on shape and size would be > appreciated. DAVE: Making boards for kids is the best, heres how I size them up make a scale from 1-5 1)never surfed 2)surfed but no fundamentals 3)average surfer with all the basics & then some 4) typical local hot shot 5) top am or pro now for your benefit say its your kid if he was a 5 and hes 5’ tall he would ride a 5’ now add 4" for each number you go down on the scale --example sticking with your son #4-5’4" #3-5’8" #2-6’2" #1-6’6" these are minimum requirements on the length for say skinny or normal kids heavier or bulkier require a slight lengthening and the width thing is armpit -wrist for the wide point —now the shape my rule of thumb is all #1s and #2s get platters or eggs cause what else is better for them nose and tail widths go for the max as long as you get the curve and outline your looking for:: longbds are the easiest to ride but our right they can’t carry or paddle them which makes having fun too hard----best of luck to you on this ,I had my 9yr old daughter out there today and watching her ride was way cool-----and I agree dress it up ,my wife got some posca pens and did the whole Blues Clues cast on my little boys board,he loves it.

Maybe I’m just oldfashioned but I say go long.My boy started at 6 on a 7’10" mini longboard and moved on to longer and longer boards.For several year(10-12) he rode a wide and very thin 9’8".He is now 13 and rides a 9’4’’ single fin.He is 5’7’’ 105lbs.Sure, I had to carry his board alot when he was little but he got good at paddling and aways caught alot of waves and learned alot from his surf elders.He loves classic longboard style and is accepted as a peer amoung the older hot longboarders.I guess its all what you’re into-we surf longboard friendly points mostly.

Maybe I’m just oldfashioned but I say go long.My boy started at 6 on a > 7’10" mini longboard and moved on to longer and longer boards.For > several year(10-12) he rode a wide and very thin 9’8".He is now 13 > and rides a 9’4’’ single fin.He is 5’7’’ 105lbs.Sure, I had to carry his > board alot when he was little but he got good at paddling and aways caught > alot of waves and learned alot from his surf elders.He loves classic > longboard style and is accepted as a peer amoung the older hot > longboarders.I guess its all what you’re into-we surf longboard friendly > points mostly. Maybe your just selfish(no play on words), is that a pun? Can’t cut the cord? Let the little stud surf a short board, or two now and then. Broadin the horizons. You could still live your surf life left through him. Just think!! here comes my dad ! I want to meet your little surf stu,… Selfish! aren’t they selling those out of Santa Barbara, or Ventura, maybe that was just a pun, or a Maui and Sons kids kinda thing Shelve`fish, maybe that? huh? My dad likes to carry my board. I like to carry my sisters fish. You like fish? Bed time, schools out fri (nopun) I’ll be able to spend all nite here! can’t wait, love ya already

When I made my son’s first board, I drew up a bunch of plan shapes on > paper and let him design a bunch of graphics. He picked the design he > liked best and we transferred it to the shaped blank via airbrush. We also > explored the options of single, tri or quad fin and he chose tri-fin. For > some reason the actual shape was less important than the color scheme and > fin set up! It became a 5’10" single to double concave squash tail > that I recycled out of one of my beaters. One of my old room mates > borrowed it frequently and referred to it as a “fish.” We still > have it. I have made boards for all seven of my kids. The first one they get while really young is about 15-16" wide. really forgiving nose and tails, no points anywhere. The fins are like half circles, rounded front and rear (drag is of no concern at this time). The best plan is to design it so no part of it can fit into a mouth or eye, if you ever want to be able to come home again!

Hey Coral you are missing the Beavis and Butthead special on T.V. tonight.I say get off the computer and try to learn something.

I have made boards for all seven of my kids. The first one they get while > really young is about 15-16" wide. really forgiving nose and tails, > no points anywhere. The fins are like half circles, rounded front and rear > (drag is of no concern at this time). The best plan is to design it so no > part of it can fit into a mouth or eye, if you ever want to be able to > come home again! Hey Jim you made me my first board back in 1964(we were both kids).It was a 9’6" with a checkered wood tail block and a 3/4" redwood stringer that we got from the Honolulu dump.Hand shaped with a block plane and glassed on my Dads patio on Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.I would give my left gonad for that old board.Damn…1964,it still feels like yesterday.Oh well…we still do it for some reason.

Hey Coral you are missing the Beavis and Butthead special on T.V. > tonight.I say get off the computer and try to learn something. Dude I’m with you!!! Is that guy doing the pream free association or what? Beavis & Buthead Huh…huh,huh,huh. Too much espresso. JC

No contributions (to mike) or useful information to the forum?! Send him to detention and take away his internet privileges!

Hey, doesn’t this board store IP adresses? Maybe you could give his internet provider a little hint and he’ll be gone for a while.

Hey-I don’t really get what you’re talking about. I’m happy that my kid loves to surf and still likes to hang with Dad and the other old codgers.He’ll go off and do his own thing, they all do(we all did) but for now we have alot of fun together. I’m sure the other surf families on this board can relate to how good it is to enjoy a session together.Family surf trips rule!In a world fun of angry mean-spirited people it is nice to feel at peace and contented at home and in the family. P.S. can’t cut the cord if you don’t wear one. P.S.S. you got one thing right-he is at 13 better than I’ll ever be and I am proud(and a little envious) I hope things are o.k. in your life and that surfing makes you happy

Heh Heh…you said “piece of Coral”…heh heh