Learn to Ride the Surfers Short Board

Beginner students aspire to ride the surfers short board. New students see movies and think it looks so easy. In the movies, riding waves looks simple, but the movies never show new students learning to surf. They are two different realities.

In Oceanside Surf lessons, new students begin with 8′ and 9′ soft top surf boards. To learn the fundamentals, it is easier if the surfboard is not a hindrance. Riding the surfers short board is a feat of its own and only reasonable for advanced surfers. So how do you get advanced?

Progressing from Foam to Real Waves

Learning the fundamentals on a soft top board, you progress through catching foam waves to riding real waves. If a new surfer has good timing, catches waves, and can pop up with balance, he can begin trying the surfers short board.

Oceanside Surf lessons begins teens and adults on 9′ soft tops. In as second lesson, a student can drop to an 8′ surf board. If the student has mastered the fundamentals, they are good at paddling out and catching bigger foam waves and can begin catching real waves.

The surfer short boards are designed for only real waves. Because of their low volume length x width x thickness, they need the wave to arc over the board to get the necessary push down the face. Getting in this position requires timing, skill, and courage. Mistakes are easy for beginners and they wind up with crashes.

Moving to Shorter Surf Boards

It is best after mastering the soft top to move shorter six inches at a time while maintaining the width of 21+” and the thickness of 2 3/4 “. From soft tops, you are progressing to what are called fun boards or mini-longs. Short boards start at 6’10”. If it takes a year to get to a true short board, it will be time well spent. Moving too fast leads to crashes and frustrations.

Note that a short board is more difficult to paddle, more difficult to catch waves, and more difficult to ride after popping up. You do not want the fun to disappear while learning. The goal for most surfers is to get as many rides as possible. A day with no rides is not fun.

Catching a Wave on a Short Board

To catch a wave on a short board, the surfer observes where waves are arcing and then breaking. He paddles to that area which is usually denoted by the line up. The advanced surfers are sitting where the waves break and taking turns catching them.

Understanding etiquette would be important here. The surfer closest to where the wave shows foam at the lip is at the apex. He has the right of way over all surfers in the direction the wave is breaking. Sometimes waves break right and left and two surfers can catch the wave. If you are not near the apex, you have to watch for surfers who caught the wave and are coming your way. They have the right of way.

When it is your turn, you paddle to the approaching wave. You get in position so it will roll under you. When you are at the top one third of the wave, you paddle hard down the face and pop up. It is good to practice on small 2′ to 3′ waves before moving to bigger ones. Surfing is a slow progression to bigger waves and more courage.

Learn More:

For Oceanside Surf Lessons, see the Home Page

See the Post Surf Lessons Begin with Foam Waves

See the Post What You Learn in a 2 Hour Lesson

See the Post How to Progress in Surfing

See My Dry Land and In Water Demo video

See How to Catch a Green/Real Wave video