1.CHOOSING YOUR FIRST SURFBOARD: Buy a 2nd hand surfboard. Surfboards that are suitable for beginners are always in demand, They will hold their price if kept in reasonable condition. Generally you'll want it for about 6-8 months before you are reday to upgrade to something a bit more suited to your surfing ability.The point is keep the budget in check. Don't be too concerned over condition at this point. It's not a fashion accessory it's a tool.
2. LENGTH: Choosing you first surfboards length can be determined sometimes by what's available in a budget price. Try and go for something in the range of 16- 20 inches longer than yourself. It's a strange thing but the more length of board you have in the water, within reason, the easier it is to paddle. This is because their is more foam underneath you but also you are more balanced on the board making for less dead weight. When starting your on your surfing lessons you don't want to be hindered by a lack of flotation , you want to be catching as many waves as you can, and until your your arms develop their paddling strength, you need all the flotation you can get, and help to keep you motivated.
3. THICKNESS: Like the length and width thickness means flotation. By now i think you'll be getting the picture that when buying your first surfboard, choose a board that will be easy to paddle, maximising your chances of catching waves. For thickness this means a surfboard with about 2 and a half inches of foam. Its thickest point should be near the halfway point of your surfboard.
4. WIDTH: Most modern surfboard widths these days are around the 18 to 19 inches. Choose something more towards 19 inches. It'll give more stability and will be a lot easier to sit on while waiting for a wave, and like the extra length it too will aid in the paddling department. The waves you'll be practicing in will be fairly small most likely in the one to three foot range, and as a beginner you'll stand heavy on your board, so a bit of width will give you a more feeling under foot. and the chance of 'bogging down' will be reduced.
5. OUTLINE: The widest point of a surfboard is usually found just forward of the centre point and then running back towards the tail for about 3 inches. By increasing the width of the nose of a surfboard you will aid it in paddling. Shapers use this trick to hide a little extra foam in a surfboard. This has the effect of drawing the plan shape or outline out, so the widest point will be a little longer. Measure back from the tip of the nose 12 inches or 300 mm and if the measurement is around eleven and a half inces to twelve inches then this is quite a good width nose and should paddle easy.For the beginner surfer a board whose nose seems a little wide is better. Now measure 12 inches back up from the tail along the stringer. Measure across the surfboard at right angles. If it reads something around 14 inches that'll be good. At this stage i wouldn't be too worried about the actual shape of the tail but a rounded square or round tail is probably the most suitable.
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