Photo of a surfer with huge selection boards

The first thing a beginner gets acquainted with during surfing lessons is not the ocean at all, but a board. On initial stages Training takes place on special training boards - softtops. They are large, forgiving of many mistakes, and also safe, since they are covered with soft rubberized material. As surfers progress, they move on to “real” hard surfboards. It’s about them that we’ll talk today: what are the main characteristics of the boards, what do they influence and how to choose suitable board for surfing.

Main numbers: 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: 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.

Anatomy of surfboards: noses, tails and less noticeable parts

The general outline of the board is called shape, that is, shape (from the English “Shape”). The obvious parts of a surfboard are the nose and tail, but there are others that are just as important. Let's take it in order:

Schematic representation of the main elements of the board

Nose

The nose, that is, the front part of the board, can be anything from wide, round to pointed. The width of the nose adds volume to the board, which makes it easier to paddle into waves, but makes it difficult to turn. The lightweight narrow bow, 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 options

The back of the board can also be wide or narrow, but there are many more options for shapes. There are sharp, round, square, rounded square (squash) and even double tails. The wider the tail, the better it is pushed by the wave, 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 “rip” the board, that is, make very sharp maneuvers, while a round tail, on the contrary, smoothes out movements. The pointed pintail 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 maintaining the trajectory is easy. The forked swallow tail 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 stably along the wall thanks to one of the pointed edges, and when turning sharply it simply switches to the other.

Rocker

Rocker is the bend of the board from nose to tail, dividing it into tail and nose, since they can be different in size and have different effects on the behavior of the board. A sharp bend, both at the nose and at the tail, gives the board agility. At the same time, a small bow rocker adds buoyancy, which makes raking easier, but a flat rocker at the tail allows you to gain speed better.

Rail

Rail shape diagram

The rail is the outline of the cross section of the board at the side edge, that is, roughly speaking, the shape of the side. Rails can be hard, with a sharp edge, or soft, rounded. The principle of operation is the same as that of the tail; the more rounded the shape, the smoother the surf moves along the wave. The soft rail flows around the water, and the board rides steadily in a straight line. The sharp edge of a hard rail, on the contrary, pushes out water, 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 there are small depressions in it, 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, or 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 you gain speed, while a split concave improves maneuverability and makes turns more powerful.

What types of boards are there: longboard, shortboard and everything in between.

All surfboards are conventionally 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 longboards as they are called for short, are long boards ranging 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 inhabitants of ancient Hawaii and the first Americans and Australians who got hooked on surfing rode on long boards; until the middle of the last century, there were basically no other options. Typically, longboards are quite wide, from 20”, and thick, from 2.5”. Due to their large volume, they are very buoyant, it is easy to row on a longboard and you can take on even small waves. With proper dexterity, sharp turns can be made on a long board, and specific longboard tricks resemble a dance: the surfer walks on the board and rides on the very nose, with the toes of one or two feet hanging over the edge.

Minimalibu

Minilibu photo

Minimalibu is a shortened longboard with a length of 7 to 8 feet, an intermediate option for those who are gradually moving to shorter boards. This board is also very buoyant and easy to rake, and it is even easier to control than a longboard, since due to its shorter length, it is easier to take off and maneuver on sharper waves. In shape, minilibu are quite wide and rounded.

Fanboard

Photo fanboard

Another step towards the short board: a funboard is still a wide board, but a little shorter. The name comes from English word“Fun”, that is, this board is literally made for fun. You can ride on any kind of waves on funboards; it handles well, turns quickly and accelerates well. The nose is often made pointed, but in general the board is wide along its entire length.

Shortboard

Shortboard photo

Short boards are designed for sharp maneuvers. Shortboards include surfboards up to 6’6” in length; they are already quite narrow, from 18” to 20”, and thin, less than 2”. The specific design of shortboards allows you to take on very sharp waves, stay in the critical section, ride in tubes and make tight turns one after another.

Fish

Phish 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” - fish), and in Russian we most often call them “Plyushka”. The large volume and wide nose of these boards allows you to rake and gain speed on small and weak waves, and thanks to their 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” - gun), 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 their stability is top level, because when you start on a wave with a height of two-storey house, somehow there is no time for turning, you need to resist and drive in a straight line. Beginners need to know about the gun so as not to accidentally mistake it for a good long board for learning. If the board is long, but visually looks more like a piece of wood than a raft, it is most likely a gun, and it is absolutely not worth learning on it.

Surfboard volume: another important figure

The fourth number that characterizes the board is its volume in liters. We deliberately held it until the end of the article, because it plays a significant role only for short boards. Indeed, in longboards the difference between 60 and 70 liters is not fundamental, but in shortboards the count is in milliliters. Or rather, for half liters, the volume scale of the boards has a step of 0.5 liters. The volume of the board determines the buoyancy of the board, how easy it is to rake and push on it to do a duckdive. Accordingly, fairly experienced surfers should know about the volume. The more you weigh, the more buoyant you need your board. At the same time, the better you skate, the smaller the volume of the board you can afford. Below is a table with the recommended board volume for surfers different weights and skiing level, the numbers are calculated using special coefficients, so they must be rounded.

Table of weight, riding level and recommended surfboard volume

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 tactics 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 - this is actually very slow, you need to get used to each new board, learn how to take enough waves on it and confidently do basic maneuvers, this may take months, but this is normal. As for the quality of the waves, this is a variable factor that determines not what board you should ride on in general, but what you should surf on specifically today. Even if you are an experienced shortboarder, if the waves are small and very weak, it is better to take a funboard or fish, ride and have fun. We recommend that everyone who is just learning the art of wave riding take lessons; the instructor will select a suitable board and help you choose waves.

Wishing you magical inches and ideal displacement!

When you come to a surfer’s beach, your eyes literally run wide from the variety of surfboards that people ride on the waves. There are short and long boards, narrow and wide, with round and sharp noses. To help you not get confused in all this variety of surfboards, in this article we will tell you what types of surfboards there are and how they differ from each other.

Longboard. Long surfboards.

The longest and widest boards of all are longboards. They are also called Malibu in another way. A longboard is a board with a round nose that is longer than 8.5 feet and wider than 21 inches. Because longboards are longer, wider and thicker than other boards, they have much higher buoyancy, making the board more stable in the water. This means that it is easier to maintain balance, easier to row and catch waves. But due to the fact that longboards are heavier than other boards, they are much more difficult to control. Depending on the type of longboard, it may have either one large fin, sometimes with two additional small fins on the sides, or three or four small fins.
Longboards can also include training boards, which are called soft tops. They are covered with a rubber coating that softens impacts. There are three fins on such boards; they are soft and made of dense rubber.

On the other side of the barricades are shortboards. These boards are less than 6.4 feet long, have a pointed nose, and are very thin and narrow. Shortboards are light and maneuverable, but due to the fact that their total volume is very small, rowing and catching waves on them is much more difficult than on wider and longer boards. They jump airs on shortboards, make very sharp turns in the most critical sections of the wave, and ride in tubes. These surfboards usually have three or four fins.

Another type of surfboard that combines the advantages of both longboards and shortboards. Phishes are surfboards that are 5.4 to 7 feet long, very wide, thick, with a pointed nose and a very wide swallowtail (forked tail). In addition, they have a flat bottom and deck, as well as two large fins on the edges of the board.
Fishes are designed specifically for small waves. The width and thickness of the fish compensates for their short length and they are almost as easy to catch waves as longboards. Thanks to two fins and swallowtail they are much more maneuverable than long boards.

The name Minilibu speaks for itself - it is a shortened version of longboards. They also have a round nose and are approximately 7 to 8.5 feet long. Minilibu or fanboards are intended for those who have outgrown the longboard and want a shorter surfboard - it is much easier to catch waves on minilibu than on short boards, and they are a little more agile than longboards.

Another type of transitional boards, which is much closer in shape to shortboards. They already have a sharp nose, and they vary in length, 6.2, 6.6, 6.8 or even 7.2 feet. Typically have three or four fins. These boards are shorter than minibibu, but longer, wider or thicker than shortboards. They start riding hybrids after Minilibu.

Ghanas are boards for guys with nerves of steel, because they can conquer waves larger than three times human height. They are characterized by an elongated shape with a very sharp nose and a sharp tail. They are narrower than any other surfboard, but also longer - from 6.4 to 10 feet. 10ft surfboards are used for huge waves more than 10 meters in size.
Unwind on big wave which is much faster than smaller waves, the length of the gun helps, and the sharp tail increases board control at high speeds.

The list is far from limited to the above types of surfboards. Shapers have been experimenting with boards since the late 60s and since then a huge variety of surfboards have been created. Experiments continue today. And who knows, maybe in the near future we will see new surfboards that will be strikingly different from what we ride now.

A surfboard is an important piece of surfing equipment. Skating is impossible without it. The modern surfboard has come a long way in design and creation. The first skateboards used by the Hawaiians were made entirely of wood. The modern surfboard, lightweight and durable, is handcrafted by professional shapers from polystyrene foam and then coated with a layer of fiberglass. But this is not static art; Surfboard design evolves as quickly as a wet surfer changes clothes in a cold wind. Let's look at the names of the different parts of a surfboard so you'll look knowledgeable when you're trying to convince your mom to buy you a new chalkboard.

Surfboard parts and elements

The picture below shows the different parts of a surfboard and what they are called. The images show a standard board, but the names of the various parts refer to each type of board - be it shortboard, funboard, longboard, gun ( gan, “gun”) or fish (fish, “fish”). (See types of surfboards for additional information about these types of boards). So first the top view: The first thing to note is that the nose of the board is the forward facing part. The surfboard is positioned in the water so that the deck (that is, the part on which you stand) is directed upward, as you probably already understood. Deck The deck is the top side of the surfboard that the surfer stands on while riding a wave or lies on while paddling. Wax is usually applied to this surface to improve adhesion to the board. Surfers often use a tractionpad for extra grip. If you look at the deck of a surfboard, you can usually see a slight bulge from the side to the middle then back to the opposite edge. It is known as a domeddeck, that is, a domed deck that promotes more easy movement mrail-to-rail (rail-to-rail), that is, from edge to edge of the board. Another type of deck is flat; it’s not hard to guess what this type looks like. Nose The bow of a surfboard protrudes from the water. Shortboards, gans and fisheyes tend to have a pointed nose, while fanboards and mini-longboards tend to have a rounded nose. However, this is by no means an ironclad rule. Some surfers use a protective cap for this part of the surfboard, which can protect it from damage, as well as the surfer himself from a good poke from an angry board! Tail The tail is on the back side of the board. There are quite a lot various forms tail, and each of them provides a different “behavior” of the board on the water. You can find out more in the section on the tail shape of surfboards. As noted in the figure above, the tail also has a special connector for attaching a cord, the other edge of which the surfer fixes on the ankle. The strap is passed through the hole and looped. Edges (Rails) The side edges of the surfboard extend from the tail of the nose and are where the deck and bottom meet. As with the different tail shapes, Various types The edges of the board provide different characteristics to the surfboard. These shapes may not be exactly what you had in mind, but take a closer look the next time you're at a surf store. Stringer A stringer is a strip of reinforcing material (usually wood) that runs the entire length of a foam surfboard. It is already present in the blank board, even before the latter begins to be shaped. Epoxy boards, soft boards, and carbon fiber boards (seriously space age!) usually don't have stringers. Now you know all about the top side of the surfboard, let's move on to the bottom of the surfboard. Also pay attention to the section on different types of surfboards.

GoSurf Limited is official distributor world famous surf brands: Channel Islands, LOST, FireWire, Pukas, Torq. We have collected for you best models surfboards in Moscow with the possibility of delivery anywhere in Russia. Always in stock a good choice surfboards for different levels of riding, which you won’t always find in surf shops 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 from us a board of any model and any size from the presented brands. 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 coating or soft tops (board lengths from 6 to 9 feet) are intended mostly 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 a 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 shortboard. This is an ideal choice for surfing in windy waves. When the size of the wave and its energy are not enough for a full-fledged shortboard, the funboard rides almost on the flat.

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

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

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

Previously, everyone was guided by the length of the board, because... The shape of the surfboards was approximately the same for all models. Volume is important now, because... A huge number of hybrid boards of different shapes have appeared. Shapers experimented a lot and without bending the volume it is not possible to navigate surfboards.
- there are many parameters that characterize the shape of the board (nose and tail shape, rocker, concave, rails). General advice like this: a wider surfboard is suitable for small waves, a more curved surfboard for sharper waves and tube sections. On boards with less aggressive and flat rocker and more volume in the bow, it will be 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 with a specialist in a surf shop or a more experienced surfer. You can always get advice on choosing a board in our store, by phone or email.

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

A surf is a convex elliptical board weighing from two to four kilograms, a width from 30 to 100 centimeters and a length from one to four meters. The purpose of a surf is to glide along the waves, sometimes even performing various tricks.

There are many in surfing various types boards differing in parameters and shape. A longboard is popular among beginners and even some professionals - a board more than 2 meters long, thinner and lighter than a classic surfboard. This board is less fast and technical, but it is easier to control 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 a professional sport. Shortboards are characterized by 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, which easily pick up speed even when moving in a straight line. Typically the width of these boards does not exceed 83 centimeters.

Sometimes fans of waterboards use the word “fanboard”. This was once the name given to wind-resistant surfboards, but now almost all boards have this characteristic, so “funboarding” is simply walking on sliding, planing boards.

The boards also differ quite seriously in their coating surface - 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. But the main disadvantage of such boards is their fragility; when flying and hitting the bottom, they can easily break.

Epoxy boards are brand new boards that are ideal for teaching. They are resistant to all kinds of impacts, have high speed, but too expensive and a bit difficult to control in rough waves.

Plastic boards usually used for training, they are very cheap, do not break, but are not very maneuverable and have no good characteristics.

In general, when choosing the material from which the board is made, you should consider your budget. If it allows, then you should definitely take epoxy. Due to lack of experience, beginners often beat their boards, so epoxy will last much longer. It is also convenient for those traveling to the ocean. If you live right next to the skiing area or are limited in finances, then you can take a fiberglass board.

The boards also differ in the amount of resin. The more resin, the heavier and stronger the board, and the less, the lighter and more fragile it is, accordingly. Professionals usually use boards with a minimal amount of resin - these boards are easy to perform tricks on, but they break all the time. If you are not a professional, then it is better to buy simple board mass production 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.

The quality of the resin is equally important. In almost any coastal country there are craftsmen who can make you a board for half the price of a store-bought one, but the low 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 on it. And here are the boards famous brands, despite the high price, they often live much longer.