Help with first surf board purchase...

[jra007]

Where in MI are you? We ride on Long Lake in Cloverdale. If you are near you can try an IS Blue and IS Sweet Spot. The Blue is a great, easy cruising board that lets you carve a bit. It's actually maybe a little to big for me (5'8" 165) but it is still fun. Just got the Sweet Spot last weekend, very fast board. I think it is 4'9" but very wide. Still getting used to it. A friend who is 6'0" 210 can ride it no problem. Also tried a Grindwater Slaysh, did not like it all, very slow board, really need to work it to stay in pocket...big guys would find it almost impossible to ride. Ride a Ronix Koall 5'6" sometimes, nice board, again too big for me...great for big guys. Also rode a Hyperlite Swell, 4'3" I think...very slippery, I don't like that much but owner likes it. He is about my size but bigger guy can ride it also, fast board.

As far as durability, IS are great. The Ronix is made like a true surfboard and it show wear quite easily.

Thanks for the offer... but im on the other side of the state, Waterford area. Thanks for all the tips though... hoping to buy something this weekend!

[BobP]

No worries. Have you tried Action Water Sports in Fenton? We went to the one in Hudsonville and they had a good selection of boards...they may let you demo. The store in Fenton looks like their flagship location so it might offer more.

[jra007]

Thanks for the info guys. I ended up getting the Triple X composite 58" board. Couldnt pass up the price. I only have one ride on it and so far i really like it. Though i did swap out the stock fin with a 2.25" that i had laying around. The stock fin was maybe only 1" and basically useless anytime the board was on edge. Even with 2.25" fin, it still spins fine.

[Sled491]

Thanks for the info guys. I ended up getting the Triple X composite 58" board. Couldnt pass up the price. I only have one ride on it and so far i really like it. Though i did swap out the stock fin with a 2.25" that i had laying around. The stock fin was maybe only 1" and basically useless anytime the board was on edge. Even with 2.25" fin, it still spins fine.

Do i undeerstand you correctly, your doing 3's and you just started wakesurfing?

[jra007]

I just started surfing this year, so i have a few months under my belt. But i have been wakeboarding for 10yrs, so surfing is not completely "unfamiliar" to me. I just happened to purchase my own surf board over the wknd.

As far as pulling off 3's, generally its a 180 (pause) then another 180. When ever i try to do a 360 all in one movement, most of the time i bail... though a few times i have made it all the way around but i lose the wave n the boat pulls away from me.

[Sled491]

Still impressive. I bet 90% of the surfers on this board including myself can't do the 180's!

[jra007]

Still impressive. I bet 90% of the surfers on this board including myself can't do the 180's!

Thx... i got a great tip from a friend that really helped. (im goofy footed, btw). Basically get up riding switch with the board backwards, its difficult at first because there is no fin on the nose, (which is now the tail), and your heels will be against the wave. Get familiar with the loose feeling and dont bother letting go of the rope (save your driver the frustration!)... then try to 180 around which will put you back toes into the wave and fins in the rear. Its easier to 180 into a comfortable position than into an uncomfortable position. After a while you will find that its comfortable (well comfortable-ish) to initiate a 180 from a regular or backwards starting position.

[Sled491]

Very cool, I'm goofy footed as well so I'll have to try that. Bummer is our lake is 11" over slow no wake, so it will be a while before we can get out again.

[Jeffro]

We use the hyperlite, 4'4", but you might need a bigger board