OK... Going to the source of all knowledge...the longboard room, but yes my request is serious
I am about to shell out for son's first board.
Has been riding 6'6" and 7,0 soft tops in surf school and my 7,0 "big guys shortboard". Doing really well.
He is 12 weight 45kg and stands 5'4" and growing fast (he is a tall 12yr old).
Not wanting to make it difficult transition, not going to to go to a full grom board as he is not ready.
Thought has been on a
Simply thruster set up 6,4 x 19 x 2.1/2 or around these dims

As many here would have kids move into surfing, hoping the wisdom can be imparted,

thanks all and may Santa deliver your very wish

cheers

Gmac

I would go a 6'... sounds like hes going to be a tall lad.and he will grow into it, my son got into golf .I've got nothing really

Hey Climber.
He sounds about the same geometry as my son at that age. He's now 6'3". I bought a second hand Bic 9'1" mal for him for small days and picked up a 6'2" fish (about 22" wide and 2 3/4 thick). The fish has a flatter rocker, while most short boards are banana's and he will be pushing water when he is trimming. Funny enough he rode the mal almost as much as the fish.
He has never stopped and rides everything.
Good luck and take plenty of photos.
Cheers Sandsy

Thanks Sandsy
Im kinda scared as to how tall my son will be...hi geometry as you put it lining up to be tall..)His uncle was 6.9
Appreciate that thought in regards to boards.
My concern is that going to short to soon, the rocker and instability will take him out of the game, hence why I am looking for him to stay up in length on the board.
Kids just don't have the paddle power in the beginning it seems. Its all about fun in the sun ATM

Heh Wiery...nothin wrong with Golf...great game

thx
Climber

Hey,
Don't discount a cheapy mal. Set up as a single fin, teaches them good habits and he will really learn how to turn.
My baby, now 23!!!, rides a mal more than ever and it really suits tall guys. 6.9 is a bit scary though!!!
If you stick with boards that are 3" under the chest and low rocker he will be fine. My daughter surfs once in a blue moon and gets up straight away every time. She rides a McCoy Nugget 6.10 x 21.5 x 3 thick. Perfect for all occasions.

Single Fin - 6'6 x 20 x 2"7/8. It'll be like a mini-mal now, but as he gets bigger, it'll be perfect!

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Sandsy1 said..

Hey Climber.
He sounds about the same geometry as my son at that age. He's now 6'3". I bought a second hand Bic 9'1" mal for him for small days and picked up a 6'2" fish (about 22" wide and 2 3/4 thick). The fish has a flatter rocker, while most short boards are banana's and he will be pushing water when he is trimming. Funny enough he rode the mal almost as much as the fish.
He has never stopped and rides everything.
Good luck and take plenty of photos.
Cheers Sandsy

+ 1

Thats what I'd recommend, even a 6'0 would be fine. Stability pretty much comes from width not length...& if you grab him a mal too he's a very lucky boy to have everything covered except steep sucky take'offs. He'd only need one more board for that when he gets more experience

You would have to go for a mctavish 9.6 x 23 x 3,once he gets the sh1ts because its too big for him,you claim it
Dont listen to me

Mac, it's funny how 9'6 x 23 x 3 has been relevant since the 50's... Apart from that period from about 1970 to 1990!

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Simondo said..

Mac, it's funny how 9'6 x 23 x 3 has been relevant since the 50's... Apart from that period from about 1970 to 1990!

Oh really I missed all that,born in 1991

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62mac said...

Simondo said..

Mac, it's funny how 9'6 x 23 x 3 has been relevant since the 50's... Apart from that period from about 1970 to 1990!

Oh really I missed all that,born in 1991

From my perspective, I only really started ripping maybe a year or two ago. I really got into it about that age. I would say something skatie, but wide and stable. I am still on a 5'8 by 19 1/2 and 2 3/8 now.

I was on a 7'0 (dads board) then a 6'4, then a 6'3 by 20 by 2 1/2 fish, loved that board, then a 5'10 fish, then the wide 5'8. Now one a 5'8 DHD Project 15 on the smaller but still good days and a 6'2 by 19 by 2 3/8 for the big days.

Watching the younger groms around me, they all start on performance boards, too hard I reckon. Start big, learn to turn a board and about weight distribution, then as you get shorter start going wider for stability until you find it is too wide then go narrower and maybe same length.

That is my opinion anyway, I am about to drop to a 5'4 by 20 by 2 1/2. I reckon the single fin idea is great too. Mini mal maybe?

Cheers,
Tom.

Yep the single fin idea is great....on the fish vs performance boards. I would be steering the grom to a more user friendly hp board ie;one with lots of volume...I think the fish/hybrid boards can **** your surfing when your just starting....well that was said to me by a Surf instructor I know

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chrispy said..

Yep the single fin idea is great....on the fish vs performance boards. I would be steering the grom to a more user friendly hp board ie;one with lots of volume...I think the fish/hybrid boards can **** your surfing when your just starting....well that was said to me by a Surf instructor I know

True enough! I agree 100% with a high volume performance board. My way of going to one was a bit round about!

Tom.

Thanks all. Hmmmmm single fin 6.6. If I stretch t to 6,8. Well when he gets sick of it I get it
9.6 Mal got that covered
But. His board. Thinking of the wide thick easy board for him. Mid 6 ft plus. Easy profile say 19-20 wide 2 3/4 thick. Nice and floaty. Wide and stable and fairly flat rocker for easy paddle....
Thanks guys
Climber

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climber said..

Thanks all. Hmmmmm single fin 6.6. If I stretch t to 6,8. Well when he gets sick of it I get it
9.6 Mal got that covered
But. His board. Thinking of the wide thick easy board for him. Mid 6 ft plus. Easy profile say 19-20 wide 2 3/4 thick. Nice and floaty. Wide and stable and fairly flat rocker for easy paddle....
Thanks guys
Climber

Definitely a HV board, more paddle power means more waves and more waves means better improvement in surfing. Less frustrating too whilst learning. I always wanted to surf Dad's 7'0 over any of the shorter board which turned easier.

Keep him on the mal I say! Hanging ten before he is 13? Or keep a good mix of both. In my own experience, many other kids my age along with myself rapidly improved through this age and then even more as we grew physically bigger. Confidence is important too.

Lots of waves should keep anyone happy!

Tom.