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Photo of a surfer with a huge selection of boards

The first thing a beginner meets in surf lessons is not the ocean at all, but a board. At the initial stages, training takes place on special educational boards - softtops. They are large, forgiving many mistakes, and also safe because they are covered with a soft rubberized material. As they progress, surfers move on to "real", solid surfboards. It is about them that we will talk today: what are the main characteristics of the boards, what do they affect and how to choose the right surfboard.

Key figures: length, width and thickness of the surfboard

The photo shows the length, width and thickness of the surfboard

Surfboards usually have three numbers written on them, such as 5’6” x 20 ¾” x 2 5/8”. They are listed in a strictly defined order: the length, width and thickness of the board in feet and inches. The fact that units of measurement are not taken in the metric system has developed historically: the world's first factory for the production of boards was located in California, and the American system of measures was adopted there. Everything is clear with the length, it is measured from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail, but the width is measured at the widest point of the board, which is not necessarily in the middle. Do the same with thickness.

Surfboard anatomy: noses, tails and less visible details

The general outlines of the board are called a shape, that is, a form (from the English “Shape”). The obvious details of a surfboard are the nose and tail, but there are other equally important ones. Let's take it in order:

Schematic representation of the main elements of the board

Nose

The nose, that is, the front of the board, can be anything from rounded wide to pointed sharp. The width of the nose adds volume to the board, which makes it easier to rake on a wave, but makes it difficult to turn. A lighter narrow nose, on the contrary, allows you to make sharp maneuvers, but it is more difficult to catch waves with it. Roughly speaking, the wider the nose, the more stable the board, the narrower, the more agile.

Tail

Image of surfboard tail variations

The back of the board can also be wide or narrow, but there are many more shape options. There are sharp, round, square, rounded square (squash) and even double tails. The wider the tail, the better the wave pushes it, which means the easier it is to generate speed on the board. At the same time, regarding sharp corners, the rule is simple: the more rounded the shape, the smoother the turns will be. A square tail allows you to "tear" the board, that is, to make very sharp maneuvers, and a round tail, on the contrary, smooths out movements. The pointed pintail (Pin tail) slows down the board a little, thanks to its shape it seems to stick to the wave, it is difficult to maneuver with it, but it is easy to maintain the trajectory. The forked tail “swallow” is the most interesting: it is wide, that is, it accelerates well, but at the same time it works like two pintails: the board rides steadily along the wall thanks to one of the pointed edges, and when turning sharply, it simply switches to the other.

Rocker

Rocker is the name given to the bend of the board from nose to tail, subdividing it into tail and bow, as they can be different in size and affect the behavior of the board in different ways. A sharp bend, both at the nose and at the tail, gives the board agility. At the same time, a small nose rocker adds buoyancy, which makes it easier to rake, but a flat rocker at the tail allows you to gain speed better.

Rail

Rail Shape Diagram

Rail is the outline of the cross section of the board at the side edge, that is, roughly speaking, the shape of the board. Rails are hard, with a sharp edge, and soft, rounded. The principle of operation is the same as that of the tail, the more rounded the shape, the more smoothly the surf moves along the wave. The soft rail is streamlined with water, the board rides steadily in a straight line. The sharp edge of a hard rail, on the contrary, pushes the water out, making maneuvers more abrupt.

Concave

Photo of the bend of the bottom of the board

The most inconspicuous part of the board design is the shape of the bottom. At first glance, it seems that it is flat, but in fact it has small recesses, concaves, which are guides for the flow of water under the board. The concave can be straight (single concave), then the water flows exactly under the board along its length, and it can be bifurcated (single-to-double concave), then the water comes out from under the tail of the board on both sides. A straight concave helps speed up, while a bifurcated concave improves maneuverability and makes turns more powerful.

What are the boards: longboard, shortboard and everything in between.

All surfboards are conditionally divided into several types, based on the shape and length of the board.

Chart comparing surfboard types by length and shape

Longboard

Longboard photo

Longboards or, as they are called longs for short, are long boards from 8 to 12 feet. They are not only the longest in the surfboard family, but also the oldest, they can be called the great-grandmothers of all boards. The indigenous people of ancient Hawaii and the first Americans and Australians who got hooked on surfing rode precisely on long boards, until the middle of the last century there were no other options in principle. Usually longboards are wide enough, from 20”, and thick, from 2.5”. Due to the large volume, they are very buoyant, it is easy to row on a longboard and you can take even small waves. With proper skill, you can make sharp turns on a long board, and specific longboard tricks resemble a dance: a surfer walks along the board and rides on the very nose, hanging the toes of one or two legs from the edge.

Minimalibu

Minimalibu photo

The Minimalibu is a shortened longboard, 7 to 8 feet long, an intermediate option for those who are gradually moving to shorter boards. This board is also very buoyant and easy to rake, while being even easier to steer than a longboard, as the shorter length makes it easier to launch and maneuver in harsher waves. The shape of the minimalibu is quite wide and rounded.

Fanboard

Photo funboard

One more step towards a short board: a funboard is still a wide board, but a little shorter. The name comes from the English word "Fun", that is, this board is literally created for fun. You can ride funboards on any waves, it rakes well, turns quickly and accelerates perfectly. The nose is often made pointed, but in general the board is wide along the entire length.

Shortboard

Shortboard photo

Short boards are made for sharp maneuvers. Shortboards include surfboards up to 6'6", they are already quite narrow, from 18" to 20", and thin, less than 2". The specific design of shortboards allows you to take very sharp waves, stay in the critical section, ride in pipes and turn one after another sharp turns.

Fish

Fish board photo

There are boards even shorter than shortboards, in which the lack of length is compensated by volume: short, but very wide boards in English are called Fish (from the English "Fish" - a fish), and in Russian we most often call them "Plyushka". The large volume and wide nose of these boards allow you to paddle and pick up speed in small and weak waves, and thanks to the short length and forked tail, they turn very sharply.

Gan

Gan board photo

A rare but important type of surfboard is the Gun (from the English “Gun” - cannon), special boards for surfing on big waves. Ghana are very long, sometimes almost like longboards, but at the same time narrow and thin, with a pointed tail. Their maneuverability is poor, but stability is at the highest level, because when you start on a wave as high as a two-story house, somehow you don’t have time for turns, you have to resist and go in a straight line. For beginners, knowing about the gun is a must so as not to accidentally mistake it for a good long board for training. If the board is long, but visually it looks more like a chip than a raft, it is most likely a gun, it is absolutely not worth learning on it.

Surfboard volume: another important figure

The fourth figure, which characterizes the board, is its volume in liters. We deliberately kept it until the end of the article, because it only plays a significant role for short boards. Indeed, in longboards, the difference between 60 and 70 liters is not fundamental, but in shortboards, the count goes to milliliters. Rather, for half a liter, the scale of the volume of the boards has a step of 0.5 liters. The buoyancy of the board depends on the volume, how easy it is to rake and push on it to do duckdive. Accordingly, quite experienced surfers should already know about the volume. The more you weigh, the more floating you need the board. At the same time, the better you ride, the smaller the volume of the board you can afford. Below is a table with the recommended volume of the board for surfers of different weights and levels of skiing, the numbers are calculated through special coefficients, so they must be rounded.

Correspondence table for weight, riding level and recommended volume of a surfboard

How to choose a surfboard

The two main factors to consider when choosing a board to ride are your experience and the quality of the waves. The smaller and weaker the waves, the more board you need. The less experience you have, the more board you need. In general, the correct tactic for learning to surf, which we follow in regular and advanced lessons, is to start with a large board and gradually move to a smaller size. Gradually - it's really very slow, you have to roll on each new board, learn how to take enough waves on it and confidently do basic maneuvers, this can take months, but this is normal. As for the quality of the waves, this is a variable factor that determines not which board you ride in principle, but what to surf specifically today. Even if you are an experienced shortboarder, but the waves are small and very weak, it is better to take a funboard or a fish, ride and have fun. For everyone who is just mastering the art of riding the waves, we recommend taking lessons, the instructor will select a suitable board and help with the choice of waves.

Magic inches and perfect displacement!

GoSurf Limited is the official distributor of world famous surf brands: Channel Islands, LOST, FireWire, Pukas, Torq. For you, we have collected the best models of surfboards in Moscow with the possibility of delivery to anywhere in Russia. There is always a good selection of surfboards for different levels of riding, which you will not always find in surfshops in other countries. We will qualitatively help you choose a shortboard, minimalibu, longboard and buy a surfboard that suits your level of riding and the specifics of the waves. You can also pre-order a board of any model and any size from the presented brands from us. Now you have the opportunity to buy a surfboard, the price of which will not exceed its cost abroad.

There are many types of surfboards.

Boards with soft surface or soft tops (board length from 6 to 9 feet) are mainly for beginners, but there are also models for technically difficult surfing.

Longboards - boards from 8.6 to 10 feet are suitable for beginners and riders who prefer the classic surf style on small gentle waves.

Minimalibu (fanboard) is a great option for those who are already confident on a longboard, but are not yet ready for a short board. It is the perfect choice for wind surfing. When the size of the wave and its energy is not enough for a full-fledged shortboard, the funboard rides almost flat.

Shortboard - a short board for technically difficult surfing with a lot of maneuvers, turns, tricks.

When deciding to buy a surfboard, answer the following questions for yourself:
- what is your level of surfing?
- What is your height and weight?
How often do you plan to ride?

Here are some general rules that will help you buy the right surfboard, in surfboards 2 parameters are important: shape and volume:

Previously, everyone was guided by the length of the board, because. the shape of the surfboards was about the same for all models. Now the volume is important, because. a huge number of hybrid boards of various shapes appeared. Shapers have experimented a lot and without understanding the volume it is not possible to navigate in surfboards.
- there are many parameters that characterize the shape of the board (nose and tail shape, rocker, concave, rails). The general advice is: a wider surfboard is good for small waves, a more curved profile for sharper waves and tubular sections. Boards with less aggressive and flat rocker and more volume in the nose will make it easier to paddle into the wave and get up in its comfortable phase. The width and shape of the tail affects maneuverability, etc. and so on.

In any case, if you need a surfboard, it is better to buy it after consulting a specialist in a surfshop or a more experienced surfer. You can always consult on the choice of a board in our shop, by phone or e-mail.

Call 8 926 072 88 72 and you will receive high-quality advice and we will 100% select the surfboard that you need!

Once upon a time, there were only two types of boards on the beach: longboards and shortboards. And since all boards had similar characteristics, in order to choose a surfboard, it was enough just to find your “length”.

Now surfboards are created in different shapes: longboards, shortboards, hybrids, fish, retro, twin and others. The 20" shortboard used to be the widest, now 23" is the new 20. It's the same with thickness. It was rare to see a projectile larger than 2.5 inches. Now there are both 3+ and less than 2.

So length is no longer the most important factor. Selection based on the length of the surfboard in the past.

What design do I need a board?

The design will give a complete list of the deck's performance characteristics. Now there is a huge choice even within one category - forms.
Here are some examples of why design is the main and first selection criterion:

1. Beginners need a deck design that is easy to paddle and catch waves. This can be anything from flatter rocker hybrids to funboards and longboards (those are three different basic design types.
2. An experienced surfer looks at a shortboard for small to medium waves. Which to choose?
3. You need a board that will unleash the full potential of a small but very relentless surf.

Let's move on to talking about deck design. Some designs have less volume because they have wide tails or a deep concave to create lift. Others are bulkier for paddling and have a flat bottom shape for easier turns. The design of the board should be the determining factor before moving on to the next options.

Here are a few characteristics that will help you choose a surfboard design:

• Flatter rocker for flat colliding waves.
• Cool rocker for hollow lush waves.
• Wide noses and a flatter nose rocker make paddling and catching waves much easier. Even when compared with simply adding the length of the board or volume.
• Wide tails create more lift and speed, but the ride is shorter than boards with regular tails.
• Narrow tails create less lift as the board sits deeper in the water during turns. This is suitable for higher speeds and big waves.

Three standard surfboard designs

Longboards- long and wide. Suitable for beginners. These are stable boards that accelerate even from a small wave near the shore. As a rule, a longboard has a wide nose and a shape tapering towards the tail.

Fanboard- medium sized boards. An intermediate link between the first type of boards and the third. Suitable for both beginners and advanced riders. Also pay attention to the width of the body, the rocker, the shape of the nose and tail.

Shortboard- short compared to other surfboards. Very manoeuvrable. Designed for big and fast waves. Shortboards are narrow at the waist with pointed toes and various kinds of tails. There are also shorts for small waves - these are more flattened, wide boards with a small rise of a flatter nose.

Boards for the most experienced - Ghana, long boards like longboards, but much narrower. Designed for high waves. A beginner will not be able to stand on such a board.

What size is right for me?

Roughly speaking, the volume of the board is how much the board takes up space in space. For example, three boards of equal length have the same value at their widest point, but are so different in shape that one board is 40 liters, another is 45, and the third is all 50. Here's the thing.

The volume determines how deep the board will be submerged under water. Professionals choose boards in the region of 3 kg / l, a board with a ratio of one to one or close to it is suitable for a beginner. It depends on how easy it will be for you in the water.

What are the best surfboard sizes?

What material will my projectile be made of?

What is your level of riding?

A softboard is a good option for a beginner as they are buoyant and stable boards. They are quite voluminous, it is easy to rake on them and get into the wave in the forefront.
The added width and thickness combined with the overall contour on these boards (wider, rounder nose and wider tail) provide more stability when trying to get into a wave.
Once you understand the basic principles of riding, you can switch to fiberglass decks and start downsizing and looking for a new design to suit your ability and riding conditions.

By answering the main questions, you can choose the one that you need. Decide on your level, imagine what waves you will ride and choose the right board design. Then compare its volume with your weight, find the optimal solution and decide on the dimensions of your future "projectile". After that, you will only have to decide whether it will be a classic polyurethane surfboard or you need new alternative more expensive technologies.

Surf is a convex elliptical board weighing from two to four kilograms, 30 to 100 centimeters wide and one to four meters long. The purpose of the surf is to glide over the waves, sometimes even performing various tricks.

In surfing, there are many different types of boards that differ in size and shape. Longboarding is popular among beginners and even some professionals - a board more than 2 meters long, thinner and lighter than classic surf. This board is less fast and technical, but it is easier to handle and is well suited for riding on low waves.

Boards shorter than two meters are considered shortboards. By the way, racing on such boards is the main discipline in surfing as in professional sports. Shortboards are distinguished by their maneuverability, which allows surfers to perform very original exercises and tricks, which are called freestyle.

But the new “freeride” is practiced only on very short boards that easily pick up speed even when moving in a straight line. Usually the width of these boards does not exceed 83 centimeters.

Sometimes fans of water boards use the word "funboard". This was once the name given to wind-resistant surfers, but now almost all boards have this characteristic, so "funboarding" is just walking on sliding, planing boards.

The boards also differ quite seriously in terms of the surface of the coating - this also affects their characteristics.

Fiberglass boards are the cheapest and therefore the most common boards. In addition, they behave very gently on the waves, which is a significant plus. And the main disadvantage of such boards is their fragility, when flying and hitting the bottom, they can easily break.

Epoxy are groundbreaking boards that are ideal for learning. They are resistant to all kinds of shocks, have high speed, but are too expensive and a little difficult to manage in rough waves.

Plastic boards are usually used for training, they are very cheap, do not break, but are not very maneuverable and do not have good characteristics at all.

In general, when choosing the material from which the board is made, it is worth proceeding from their budget. If he allows, then you definitely need to take epoxy. Due to lack of experience, beginners often beat their boards, so epoxy will last much longer. It is also convenient for those who travel to the ocean. If you live right next to a skiing area or are on a budget, you can also take a fiberglass board.

Also, the boards differ in the amount of resin. The more resins, the heavier and stronger the board, and the smaller, the lighter and more fragile, respectively. Pros tend to use boards with a minimum amount of resin - these boards are easy to perform tricks on, but they constantly break. If you are not a professional, then it is better to buy a simple mass-produced board with a normal amount of resin - this way it will live much longer, and the heaviness will even allow you to better get used to riding the waves.

Equally important is the quality of the resin. In almost every coastal country there are craftsmen who can make you a board for half the price of a store, but the poor quality of the material will play a cruel joke - such a board will quickly soften and turn yellow, so it will be impossible to ride it. But the boards of well-known brands, despite the high price, often live much longer.

When the question “What to do in Bali?” arises, the variety of options amazes even the most demanding and unrestrained guest of the island. Temples, rafting, fishing, a zoo and many other entertainments that will not let you get bored. However, one of the most important of them is surfing. Riding the waves can be a fun experience for you, or it can even leave you in Bali - it was by feeling the energy of the ocean that most of the expats now living on the island fell in love with this island. Getting to know this sport, which has rather become a kind of art, it is worth starting with its theory and integral attributes, namely, surfboards. We offer you a short excursion into this special world: how it all began, how this “board” industry developed and what we have come to at the moment. This topic will always be relevant, because the right approach to choosing this surf equipment is the key to good, productive and safe surfing.

The birth of surfboards

There is an opinion that surfing itself originated about 4000 years ago, at least according to the inhabitants of Peru. Hawaiians, more modest in this matter, refer to the 10th and 11th centuries. Surfing was considered the prerogative of kings, who, cutting through the waves, thereby showed their power (this is where the phrase “surfing is the sport of kings” originates). The royal family rode on Olo boards, which were 6-8 meters long. The commoners were entitled to use the smaller Alaia boards.

In the early 19th century, the British arrived in Hawaii on a religious mission. Unfortunately, in such a harmless conquest of the waves, they saw only the root of evil, referring to the excessive idleness of the life of the islanders. The sport itself was banned, and all Olo and even Alaia were ruthlessly destroyed. The entire culture of the local inhabitants of the island and all sports were under the threat of complete destruction. However, by the end of the 19th century, surfing was noticed by European adventurers with a broader outlook on life. It was they who contributed to the spread of surfing, thereby preventing its disappearance. In 1917, the world famous native Fr. Hawaii, which is considered one of the “fathers of surfing”, rode that same legendary 1.5 km wave on his “baby”. The parameters of the board, to put it mildly, differ from modern standards: its weight was 50 kg, and its length was 5 meters.

In those days, the surfboard was made from solid woods (for example, mahogany or pine). There was no talk of any accompanying surf accessories (leash, fins), maneuverability was absent, as was the control over the surfboard itself. All the fun on the waves was nothing more than just riding in a straight line. If the waves were more than 1.5-1.8 meters, these wooden “babies” simply slipped off the wave. Only closer to the middle of the 20th century, the improvement of these bulky devices began, special coatings, fins appeared, the shape began to change - the surfboard became easier to stay on the water, which greatly expanded the capabilities of the surfers themselves. By the 70s of the 20th century, huge and heavy logs completely took on more maneuverable and miniature forms: their length did not exceed 2 meters. In parallel with such changes, wetsuits and other attributes began to appear, which made it possible to expand the geography of surfing to cold water spots. This has been a great motivation for further modification of an important part of the surf industry.

Surfboard and its anatomy

Having undergone such a big revolution, the modern board is a whole structure with all sorts of shapes, types, materials of manufacture and purpose (depending on the style of riding, the size of the waves, and so on). It all depends on your needs and wishes.

Standard parameters: length can vary from 1.5 to 4 meters, the average width is 0.5 meters. The thickness of the board is uneven, the “nose” can be thinner or thicker, the same situation with the “tail”, but the thickness of both of these parts will in any case differ from each other. All parameters, including the shape of the entire surfboard, its “bottom” (back side), “nose” and “tail”, directly affect the riding style and your capabilities on certain types of waves (large or small, fast or not very fast, and so on) .

Fins, also known as fins, are a crucial addition to a surfboard, although, in fact, this is an independent element. The number of fins inserted into special compartments in the back (mortgages) can range from one to five. One fin is usually used for longboards (they are the famous retro Single Fin boards), all other set-ups, that is, a selectable set (number) of fins, are applicable to shorter boards. If you have to choose a surfboard for specific conditions in the ocean, then choosing a set-up is mostly up to you, depending on what you want to get out of riding.

Soft top

Opens this list, of course, soft top. Soft top is not just a board, but your friend during the first surf lessons, on it you will learn the basics of the basics: how to paddle into the wave, stand up correctly, keep balance, learn how to turn and much more. Soft top (English soft top - literally “soft top”) has a slightly different coating, which makes it possible to study with a minimum number of bruises. Soft tops come in a wide range of sizes, so when you want to get closer to shortboarding, you can start with soft tops of the same length.

Longboard

Longboard is the longest board: its length is 2.5 meters or more. On a longboard it is much easier to stand and rake, you can safely sit in anticipation of a wave and sunbathe. For many, these boards are associated with the initial stages of surfing, in fact, this is a separate discipline with its own tricks and nuances. The very manner of riding longs is less aggressive and more elegant compared to their shorter “colleagues in the shop”. The only thing that overshadows all the advantages is the weight of the board, which makes it difficult to dive under the oncoming waves.

Fanboard

The second largest surfboard after a longboard: its length ranges from 2-2.5 meters. The purpose of the funboard is fully consistent with the name: if you are looking for fun, feel free to choose this surfboard. It is also fairly stable due to its size, and the weight and more compact shape make the funboard friendlier in terms of maneuverability and controllability. In general, a minimalibu (another name for a funboard) is a cross between a longboard and a shortboard, both in size and in its capabilities. Ideal for beginners.

Shortboard

Perhaps, it is with this surfboard that many people associate the whole “sport of kings”. Shortboard is the choice of the most famous surfers, the name that is on everyone's lips. It is impossible not to agree that surfing competitions in the shortboard category are always more spectacular than in other disciplines, because the surfer has “where to turn around” in every sense. An endless number of tricks turn the competition into a real acrobatic show, gravity seems to be losing its power, and the surfer seems to be reading the ocean like an open book, knowing the behavior of the wave in advance and thinking through all the maneuvers in advance. Of course, it is not the easiest way to reach such a level of professionalism, since keeping a balance on a shortboard is not an easy task, because its length is only 1.5-2 meters. For beginners, this device will not only not bring any pleasure from riding, but, most importantly, is dangerous. Also not very well suited for small waves - on a shortboard they are much harder to paddle.

Fish

When the waves are small, it is not necessary to grab a longboard right away. Take a closer look at the surfboard called "fish" (fish). Its length is in the range of 1.5-1.8 meters. The main difference from the shortboard is the forked tail (back of the board) and increased thickness and width. It is these minor changes that allow you to use the fish even on small waves, while maintaining maneuverability. A must-have for all shortboard lovers in case of short waves.

Gan

Guns are longboard configurations with shortboard character. Despite the length of 1.8-3 meters, they are quite narrow, and the front and back parts (“nose” and “tail”) are pointed – just like shortboards. Such a complex appearance allows you to use the gun in big waves, as the shape allows you not only to maintain maneuverability, but also to control the board. These boards are used when riding large waves, the size of which sometimes reaches the height of a three-story building. Given this moment, the gun is many times wider than the shortboard, as large waves very quickly “bite” the boards, turning them into an unassembled Lego constructor. To master this board, you need physical training, like astronauts, boundless courage and a complete absence of fear.

As you can see, this surf gear has not only a rich history with its ups and downs, but also great prospects for the future. The sport of kings is much more than just a sport, because here you are dealing with a powerful element - the ocean. Therefore, while in Bali, take the chance to experience this incredible sensation of soaring for yourself!