New Topic

Bodyboarding advice

  • beemer
    December 2010
    Hi All,
    :D
    This a is great website and may just be what I need to steer me in the right direction. :D :)

    My son (10 yrs old) and I are very eager to take up bodyboarding. At this point we're not sure whether we're going to like it or not and am therefore abit cautious in spending too much money. I've been to Spormans Warehouse (Rondebosch), Atlantic Surf (Tableview) and The Surf Shop (Tableview, great guys working here)), and have been presented with the following board options for Myself:

    R650 Reef Revolver
    R650 Custom X Maniac
    R899 Custom X Wez Fisher
    R999 Mike Steward Science Pipe (seems to come highly recommended)

    1. Which board would you recommend, bearing in mind that this will only be a summer sport - perhaps bodyboarding every weekend
    2. Being a novice, will I be able to feel the difference between the various boards - is the extra money worth spending?
    3. What are the most common spots in Cape Town?
    4. How practical is it for me to use my second skin or is a wetsuit a necessity?
    5. And perhaps the most stupid question - how do you know if one is going to enjoy this or not :oops:

    Thanks All

Bodyboarding 4,621 views

7 Replies

  • craigtrilivascraigtrilivas
    December 2010
    Howzit!

    First thing: you will LOVE bodyboarding :mrgreen:

    Sure it will take some time to get the moves down but that applies to all sports, the more u do it the better u get.

    I personally would go for either the Wez Fischer or Pipe because theyr cores will be better, not sure what core the Fischer has but I know the Pipe has a DOW core which will give u a good feel for what the more top end boards are like.

    Cheaper board will always come with a leashplug already equipped, stay away if ur wanting a decent board.

    The cheaper boards will probably have the same or similar core but the other materials will probably be cheaper (slick,deck etc...)

    DOW is a little heavier and flexier than the high end norm Polypro though but the difference is not all too much if ur just starting :)

    I would spend the extra money as I think its worth it in the end, if u take care of the board it can last a long time or if u decide not to keep it it will be easier to re-sell

    On the other hand you could probably pick up a good 2nd hand board on gumtree if you dont want to fork out alot in the beginning, get a cheapie (or a laanie at a cheap price hehe) and take it from there to decide if u wanna upgrade or not.

    Sizewise make sure the board comes up to round about an inch or two from ur bellybutton, a new board should have weight recommendations etc on the wrapping and any good surf store salesman should be able to recommend the perfect size for your height and weight, even if they dont bodyboard!

    You will need a wetsuit as summer water is quite cold!
    You may be able to get by with a springsuit tho.

    Spotwise u can get ur boogie on anywhere really, just watch out for breaks with only one main peak cos there is bound to be angry locals about :lol:

    Maybe try out a nice shorebreak with ur son first to get some "inside the greenroom" barrell action for u both, this should spark the stoke for u both one time :lol:

    Have fun and give us some feedback!

    Craigis.
  • beemer
    December 2010
    Schoo!

    I like your confidence in knowing that I will enjoy the sport. I'm in my late twenties am I'm hoping that I'm not too old or will feel out of place amongst fellow boarders . I've come to grips with spending the money on a board and flippers, but am hesitant about buying a wetsuit especially if I haven't even tried the sport yet.

    I was thinking of boarding in Gordans Bay (although Muzenberg is alot closer) as the water is warmer there and so hoping that the suit can be put on hold abit. Do you think that's an option?

    What board do you suggest I get my 10 yr old son?

    Any other advice before I go on a spending spree ?
  • craigtrilivascraigtrilivas
    December 2010
    Yo!

    Bro honestlylate 20's is still young to start brother!!!

    I know people who only started at 36 :mrgreen:

    If your surfing the warmer sides then you might be able to get away with no suit for now but the more u start to enjoy it the longer u will want to stay in the water....then u will need a suit.

    No need to spend too much on flippers but buying a decent pair is pretty nb if u ask me.

    For your son, as he is only 10, I would say buy him a wave warrior or some other cheapie, but i would say get him something with a decent slick, deck and rails so he can have a decent ride.

    I started at age 12 on a leather-like Lazer 2 which had no slick and I still loved it tho 8)

    Im too sure u guys will love it hey, after one of the older guys told me how to ride the waves sideways along the face instead of just going straight....I was hooked for life!

    Go for it!!!
  • Inky
    December 2010
    Hey hey!

    Welcome brother!

    You two will love bodyboarding I promise! It will also be a great way to bond with your son! Craig is spot on with everything there, I would just like to add the following, board size, make sure you get the right size. Nothing worse that having to ride an over sized "tanker" :mrgreen:

    A quick way to gauge size is to hold the board in front of you, ideally it should come up to your bellybutton (as Craig mentioned). See below.

    Board size:

    [attachment=2]02.jpg[/attachment]

    Note that bodyboard sizes are measured in inches, so look out for that. I'm 1,74 and ride an 41" board, but later on you will find the size that works for you. I bought my 11 year old nephew a Science Pipe and bought it an inch to big, so that the board will last a bit longer. You know how quickly kids grow!


    [attachment=1]01.jpg[/attachment]

    Also...

    Wetsuits:

    [attachment=0]04.jpg[/attachment]
    I prefer my wetsuits a bit snug, that way I know it's keeping the water out. I would say REEF offers the best value and quality, you can't go wrong there!

    Fins:

    Make sure they fit snuggly but not too tight, also not to loose. Get fin savers, then you wont lose your fins in the water. You WILL get blisters, but it gets better after a while, I am yet to own a pair of fins that doesn't give me blisters. The easy way around that is to get fin socks, the REEF ones work really well. You will have to try the fins on, what works for you won't necessarily work for me.

    REMEMBER: Respect the ocean, never get yourself into situations you can't handle, if the swell looks to big, leave it, tomorrow is another day, this is Cape town after all and big swell isn't rare...."When in doubt, leave it out", never surf alone, speak to locals and learn from them, and always wear sunscreen! 8)

    Maybe also grab a bodyboarding DVD, it's a great way to get you amped for a session and you learn a lot.

    Most importantly: HAVE FUN!!! :)

    See you in the water bru!
  • samstar
    December 2010
    Hey guys
    i only recently started bodyboarding and i need some help.

    first of all no matter how hard i try once i reach the bottom of the wave i cannot get up to the lip any sugestions?

    and im also having trouble doing tricks can you give me some advice.
    do i need flippers?
  • Inky
    December 2010
    YES you need FINS!!! They make your life easier, paddling out, getting into waves. It helps if you want to stall to slow down, steer and so on, you need them!

    Have a look here http://www.sixty40.co.za/forum/viewforum.php?f=17

    Lots of useful tips and advice from the best guys in the country.

    And for your issue with your bottom turns, read here. Alistair Taylor is one of the most respected spongers out there.

    http://www.sixty40.co.za/tutorials.php?i=6

    It's all about flow and timing and putting your weight on the inside rail. Practice practice practice!! My advice, don't force tricks yet, you will know when you feel comfortable, it will happen. It takes time. Watch others, ask others, and don't freak if you don't get it right. I watched my bodyboarding movies stukkend man, you pick up a lot like that. I'm still learning and will never be as good as the other guys but I'm having fun. :mrgreen:

    Also use youtube for tutorials, it helps to see moves in action.

    Have fun!
  • beemer
    January 2011
    Hi all,

    I just got back from a weeks holiday in Sedgefield. Took with my new bodyboard and fins and was totally excited to try them out for the first time.

    The waves at Buffel's Bay were very rough. We actually struggled to go deep in, kept being pushed back and eventually just gave up. Besides, I could see the disappointment on my sons as well.

    The next day we went to Jeffreys Nay. The waves at Jeffrey's Bay were... WOW! What an experience! These waves made body boarding so easy, and the perfect wave just followed, one after the other. The later it got, the higher the waves were. I bought the Reef board and couldn't help but wonder if the experience would have been better with the Science Pipe board :?:

    We hardly used the fins. In fact, I found it easier walking in rather than swimming in. The fins just made swimming too difficult :shock: Was I perhaps doing something wrong :?

    After that Jeffrey Bay experience, I hope that I'm going to be happy with the waves at Muizenberg :)

    • Post a Reply

    You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

Copyright © 2024 Sixty40 Bodyboarding. All rights reserved.