Custom Surfboards: Choosing the Shape Right for You Will Enhance Your Surfing Ability

If you are serious about surfing and you have already surfed hundreds of waves, then you might be ready for a custom made surfboard. You really need to decide what surfboard shape you want to begin with, as there are many shapes and styles.

In general the surfboard shapes are as follows: Fish, Shortboard, Funshape, Mini-Longboard, and Classic Longboard. I will go over the basic shapes of the surfboards and then I will give my recommendations so you can understand how I work with the shapers to get the surfboard that absolutely rips for me.

Fish Surfboard

The Fish surfboard or Retro fish, as some may call it, is one of my favorite surfboards now. Typically the fish is shorter that a regular short surfboard and is thicker and usually has a swallow tail. These surfboards, as all surfboards, can be customized to your exact specifications.

Shortboard

The shortboard is considered a high performance surfboard, usually these days shortboards are made with a tri-fin set up. These surfboards are normally for experienced surfers. They are thinner than the fish surfboards and require a bit more paddling.

Funshape

Some surfers call this surfboard an egg. These surfboards offer easy wave catching as well as maneuverability. Funshape surfboards are a good surfboard for beginners.Yes, they are fun, as the name states.

Mini-Longboards

These are great for people who might not want a huge log of a surfboard to drag around. Ladies often choose this type of surfboard because it's lighter and can be handled easier. They should have named them Mini fun longboards, because they are a blast.

Classic longboards

The classic longboards are the more traditional sized surfboards. They normally start a bit under 10ft long with plenty of floatation. With that much stick under you, you can catch a boat wake and ride it if you want to.

These are the 5 basic surfboard shapes, I suggest that you take a little time to check them out online or better yet at your local surf shop. Once you decide what type of surfboard that you want find a local shaper in your area and ask him to watch you surf on the surfboard that you already own.

Many shapers can tell the type of shape or general modifications that will enhance your surfing. While many of us think that we know what type of surfboard would work for our break and our ability we are often mistaken. Ricky Carroll has shaped surfboards for me before and while I have always had respect for Rickys shaping and surfing ability I was apprehensive when he recommended a certain shape for my style. He has seen me surf many times in small and large surf, of course Ricky was correct and the style that he recommended ripped for me.

Work with your shaper and be patient, the first surfboard you have custom made might not work exactly like you had planned. Go back to the shaper, tell him what your concerns are and ask him about modifications that will give your next surfboard the absolute advantage in the water.

Many shapers have years of experience in surfing and are able to create surfboards that bring out the best in your ability. One of the secrets of surfers that you see just killing it, is that they know what type of shape works for them and they tweak it just a bit to create the ultimate surfboard which equals the ultimate surfing experience.

If you are looking for the ultimate surfing experience it all starts with you and your custom made surfboard.