The best surfboard for an absolute beginner
As a beginner, the most difficult part is getting up on the board, so you need a very stable board.
That’s why a long, wide and thick board with a round nose and minimal rocker is best. As you’ll be surfing in white water, a soft top construction is recommended for safety.
Who is an absolute beginner?
An absolute beginner is a surfer who takes off and surfs in front of the already broken wave, also called whitewater.
What is whitewater and why start there?
Whitewater is the already broken wave. It is the easiest place to start because the wave helps you.
In the whitewater, something is pushing you. It helps with paddling and taking the wave. Everything happens a bit slower, so it is more forgiving. The surface is flat and stays flat, so timing is not so important.
In unbroken waves, nothing is pushing you. Taking the wave is more difficult. The surface is curved and changing, so timing becomes crucial. One small mistake and you will fall.
That is why whitewater is the best place to start.
Challenges for an absolute beginner
When you surf in the whitewater, you will face a few key challenges.
- Catching the wave (staying in front of the whitewater)
- Getting up (most difficult part)
- Staying up and finding stability
You need a board that helps you catch the wave easily and that is stable enough to let you get up and stay up.
What this means for the board
The board needs to match these conditions.
- It must be easy to paddle
- It must work well on a flat surface
- It must handle low speed
- It must be stable
Basics of surfboard shape
A surfboard is defined by a few key elements.
Length is the distance from the nose to the tail. The nose is the front of the board and the tail is the back.
Width is measured at the widest point.
Thickness is measured at the thickest point.
Volume is how much space the board takes up and is measured in liters.
Rocker is the curve of the board when you look at it from the side.
The right board for an absolute beginner
Surfboard shape
You need a big board with enough volume. This gives buoyancy, so the board and you stay on top of the water. Paddling becomes easier. Since speed is low, it is mainly the buoyancy that keeps you afloat.
The board should have almost no rocker. A flat object on a flat surface is more stable. A flat surfboard also goes faster and more speed gives more stability.
You only need a bit of nose rocker to avoid nose diving.
The most important thing is stability. Instability comes from rotation of the board.
There are three types of rotation: roll, pitch and yaw.
Roll is the most important one. You can reduce it with a wide and thick board.
Pitch can be reduced with a longer board and a full nose and tail.
Yaw can be reduced with fins.
For whitewater, you only need:
- One big fin or
- Three fins pointing in the same direction
Surfboard material
For beginners, a softboard is ideal.
The board is always close to you and attached to your leg with a leash. You surf in shallow water and you do not have full control. There is a risk the board might hit you. A softboard hurts less.
Buying an absolute beginner board is a tricky question. Some surfers move to the next level quickly so renting or taking lessons can be a good idea.
If you decide to buy, the board should be strong and water tight. It should have fibreglass and resin. To put it simply, fiberglass makes it strong and the resin makes it watertight.
Do you need wax on a softboard?
Wax is important for stability. Something slippery makes it difficult to stay stable.
There is a simple test. If your fingers slide, your feet will also slide. In that case, you need wax.
You will find that also on most softboards it is better to put some wax.
Summary
As an absolute beginner, you need a surfboard with:
- Low rocker
- Wide, thick and long shape
- Full nose and tail
- Fins pointing in the same direction
- Softboard with fibreglass and resin
- Wax to prevent slipping
Example of an absolute beginner board. Many similar models will work just as well.
Now that we know the right surfboard model, the next step is finding the right size for you. To do that, we need a few details like your weight, fitness and how often you surf. You can enter these in the Magic Board Finder to get your exact board size.