[Falling Down]

Kids surf again for me,my 10 year old has now progressed from a 7`4" bic to a 5` 9" al merrick flyer. I bet him £5 and the board (picked it up for £90) that he couldnt paddle into a wave on it and stand up, three goes laetr i was £5 down and less a board.

Due to the kids surfing i have done what i always claimed i never would and bought a longboard, it means i can surf with them when its small rather than just swimming around with them. have not seen it yet and all i know is is £180 and 9 foot long.

If its shit i can always cut it in two and makee a couple of kids boards.

 

Just don't try and turn it like a short board 

Your session sounds Ace Chris.  I have along weekend in Wales coming up this weekend so I'll hopefully get some.

[gme]

Its all about headstands isnt it.

[ben]

can't wait till I can take the boy surfing (assuming he'll want to..)

Found this pic online of me from a session back in January.  First reasonably decent shot of me surfing ever I think..
http://www.surfphots.co.uk/Gallery/displayimage.php?album=70&pos=24

it was baltic though

[SA Chris]

can't wait till I can take the boy surfing (assuming he'll want to..)

It will happen before you know it!



Not mine btw; our wee man loves being in the sea, but is not quite ready for a waves (yet!)

[Fultonius]

Chris - I want to surf. Sort me out.

How much for a second hand board that I can learn on, but not be too limited by when I quickly develop a mastery of surfing 

What sort of length/style make etc. should I be looking for?

I've got some old wetsuits kicking about so shouldn't need that straight away. Certainly winter should be ok in my 9mm 

[SA Chris]

Not an easy question!

Standard answer is a mini mal of around the 7 ft 6" - 7ft 10" range unless you want to put a lot of watertime in on something smaller initally accepting you will struggle at first, but progress faster later on. Second Hand anything from £80-100 for something pretty knackered that will last you a few mothns before you decide on something shiny and new to £200-250 for something decent that will last you right through from starting up to being a competent intermediate.

Alternatively you could head across to Coast to Coast at Dunbar and hire one of their foamies or larger minimals / mals a couple of times to start off with and see if you really enjoy it before parting with any cash. Not best time of year to learn though; often flat ot feeble waves. Might be better to give it a month.

Or just give me a shout next time you are up here for a few days and we can see if there are any decent waves about.

[Idol eyes]

I have four Longboards for sale!
9.1
9.2
9.6 pricey! Not a good beginner board!
10.

[SA Chris]

Or even sooner if mum is an expert longboarder

[SA Chris]

There's an amazing clip of Ryan whatisname doing the rounds on Facebook from Cloudbreak on Wednesday.

Some more here

http://www.surfline.com/surflinetv/primetime/tavarua-dreaming-part-one_57636

check out the ballsy attempt at a top turn at 52 secs. Some narrow escapes and some punishings too! Worth waiting for the ad to finish.

[Falling Down]

Amazing....


 Love the guy with the paddle 

[SA Chris]

indeed. Hope the paddle smacked him around the head and made him realise what a bad idea it is.

[gme]

Both my kids were in the sea and on bodyboards before they were 18 months, they love it. The youngest one couldn't even walk when he went in clinging onto my back, it was in Portugal mind and a lot warmer than the north sea.

The only thing that stops them getting in all the time is the temps of the north sea, even with wetsuits on they get cold after 1/2 hour on all but the hottest days. Kids wetsuits don't fit very well and leave gaps on the neck and ankles so they just flush through.

Get your little one in the water this summer Chris on your longboard, just put one of those buoyancy swimming vests on.

Great fun and it freaks out all the mothers who think your being irresponsible.

[Davo]

Nice vid but I reckon I would give a bit of respect to the sea sweeper there. That board would weigh a ton and to have the balls to get into a wave like that deserves a lot of respect.

Not that I would ever go out on a wave like that but if I did then I would prefer to be doing it without a huge board and paddle ready to kill me!

[SA Chris]

Ballsy or silly? Full marks for giving it a go, but clearly not the right tool for the job.

[Davo]

Guy looks pretty competent out there! Maybe he is good enough to make a decision about ballsy or silly? Also he is pretty close to making it out of that huge grinding beast!!

Anyway at the level I surf it is worthless arguing. Just impressive to watch those guys charging, it is virtually a different sport to what I do...

[Idol eyes]

Anyone seen the SUP comps in Puerto Escondido,

There is a movement really pushing the limits of SUP, and getting the results! I think its fuckin radical!

[Idol eyes]

BOOM!

[SA Chris]

Just wish they all pushed the limits on them, miles from crowded linups where the majority of them are a liability.

[gme]

I just dont get it. Why ride something that makes it more difficult. I get the idea of different board for a different wave and can see why it makes a difference to ride a longboard on certain waves as they are just not fun on a short board but SUPs are just stupid, what purpose do they serve. If you want to paddle surely a canoe would be more practical, if you want to surf then a board makes sense.

Its like climbing one handed, a bit of fun with mates but not something that's taken seriously.

Someone towed chopes on a wakeboard which is probably even more impressive but again pointless. I think the people doing this sort of stuff are more commercially led than the Tour surfers despite portraying a soul surfer image.

I was always told to use the right tool for the job.

[Johnny Brown]

If you want to paddle surely a canoe would be more practical

That's very close to what Si said to me after my first session surfing Hell's mouth. Bastard.

[Baron]

Biggest swell since winter hits NE the weekend we break up for 6 weeks. And it's light offshore on MONDAY!

[SA Chris]

Shhhh don't curse it.

(already organising day off; banff point here we come!)

[curly ben]

I have a 6 2 Merrick Machado that needs selling. Surfed twice in Indo... pretty much pristine. no dings no pressure marks- gorilla pad. Hx Bought in Aus to beef up my quiver for an indo trip and didnt surf it as i had a magic board all trip! Im back in Uk for a while so wont really get surfed over here... and i need some cash to fund my way through med school. Any takers- great board for a good waves/travel board. can forward on pics as i seem unable to ever post up pics here.

[philo]

If anyone fancies a session on the east coast next week give me a shout, GME a perfect left reef (i sent you a PM with some vids of it) will be going mental this week. 

[dobbin]

so then wisened surf types, theres this mega swell around this weekend, but the wind also looks pretty epic. Is Scarborough south bay the only place worth a look in for those of us with only the weekend to work with?

I was thinking of going early on sunday morning, but that also seems to be the time of the peak of the biggest swell. My thought process was that going at this point would give me the best chance of lighter winds? So, am I talking nonsense and am about drown, or should I continue with my Sunday morning raid plans?