CHOOSING A BOARD

Image from Wooden Surfboard Plans (notes mine)

At my first lesson, my instructor handed me 9'6 foam longboard. Nothing pretty to look at, but it's the least likely to give you a concussion (or result in a liability). Since then, I've been mostly riding 9' fiberglass boards, or longboards until I find one of my own. I was told by friend and Rockaway veteran Shawn Roche to get something more in the range of  8'. It seems the rule of thumb for beginner boards is to get something 22 inches taller than you, round nosed, and fairly wide and thick. I'm 5'4, so I could probably stand to get something in the 7'2 to 8' range — I guess you call this a funboard?

Longboards
The easiest to learn on, these logs give you maximum buoyancy and stability, especially on the tiny, knee high summer Rocka-waves.

Short performance boards
These guys are better suited for slightly bigger waves — waist to chest high and are meant for turning and carving. Harder to learn on (but easier to carry on the subway).

Malibu/Funboard
They say this is the board you'll have your whole life. These have the stability of a longer board, but will be easier to learn on than a short board and are best for most conditions.

Boards come in one of four basic materials.
Foam (soft top): Rent and learn on one, but don't buy one. They're cheap and ugly.

Fiberglass: These have a polyester foam core that makes the board feel more responsive and give the board weight — to smooth out chop (like driving a sedan). The fiberglass (polyurethane resin) also adds to the "lively" feel but leaves it prone to dings and dents, which can compromise the water tightness and are costly to repair.

Epoxy: These start with a Poly Styrene foam blank, and will be lighter, stronger, and less prone to damage. You'll also get a stiffer board which may or may not be your cup of tea. Less toxic than Fiberglass, but I mean, that's like comparing petrol to coal. Both fiberglass and epoxy will yellow with age and are subject to sun damage after prolonged use.

Wood: I have yet to see anyone riding one of these in the water, but it seems every vintage surfing picture has some tanned surfer standing against a beast of a board, the grain lean and dark, with a rich patina earned over years of use. Wood boards can be the most expensive, and while definitely the least toxic to produce, still have to be sealed with a poly-based resin. Newer boards are hollow, can have removable fins, and are finished in fiberglass or epoxy. They'll last you a lifetime, and will only look more beautiful with age.

THE DREAM

The Dream

JUST DOING IT

Once upon a time, I had this pie-in-the-sky dream that after I finished high school, I would take a year off to surf in Hawaii before I went to college. My parents nixed the idea immediately of course. A year off would surely lay fertile ground for avoiding college altogether and crush their hopes of me becoming a lawyer or doctor — neither of which I’d expressed the slightest desire of ever, EVER, pursuing. So when I ended up attending school at Indiana U, smack in the middle of a hayfield in the Midwest, the idea of surfing pretty much evaporated from my existence  — except for an extended layover in Hawaii, where I used my one day to hit the waves. Then The Dream burrowed itself away for a very long hibernation.

When I moved to coastal waters along the East Coast, I still had nary a thought about what seemed to me a very distinctly West Coast endeavor. But that dormant little seed finally took root and three years ago, a little internet searching led me to find surfing lessons that were held in the city. I started swimming regularly with the intent of taking a lesson that spring. Life got in the way again, but then this year, free from a 9-to-5 and with the ocean beckoning, I finally booked that first lesson.

It happened today. The basics of how to lie on a board: perfectly centered, toes touching the tail. How to paddle: back arched, one arm at a time. How to pop up: feet wide apart facing the rail, but perched along the center stringer, head turned forward. And most importantly, I learned to get past that initial hesitation and just get to the beach. The rest will take care of itself.