What is a Longboard Surfboard?

A longboard surfboard is generally considered to be a surfboard that is 9 feet or longer and is most closely related to the original long wooden surfboards that the Hawaiians surfed.

Longboards provide a long graceful ride across the face of the wave, and give surfers ample opportunity to hang ten or even surf in tandem, 2 surfers on the same board!

These types of surfboards are a great selection for beginners and the less experienced surfers, often recommended by surfing coaches and instructors.

This is because a longboard surfboard provides a lot of stability for surfers, making it easier to catch waves and stay standing up.

What is The Difference Between A Longboard And A Shortboard?

There are a number of differences between a longboard surfboard and the regular shortboard that  you may be more accustom too hearing surfers talk about.

Length

This is where the name says it all! Shortboards start at the mid 5 foot range all the way up to the 7 foot range, where as longboards can be anywhere from about 9 feet and up.

Surfing Style

One major difference between a longboard and a shortboard is surfing style and performance.

If you want to surf like Kelly Slater and perform radical maneuvers you will need a shortboard.  This is of course after you have mastered the art of surfing!

Those who fancy a more graceful style of riding a long wave all the way to shore, while possibly walking up and down the deck of the surfboard, should stick with longboards. A longboard will give you a much slower and gentler ride while a shortboard will be much faster.

Waves

Longboards are typically more suited for riding a different type of wave than other types of surfboards.  It is more common to see surfers gliding across long, gentle waves on their longboard surfboard, whereas a shortboard is more suited for bigger and more powerful waves.

This is due to the fact that with its added length a longboard is capable of catching small waves that a shortboard would never be able to pick up.

Do You Suit A Longboard?

Now lets see if a longboard is meant for you!

Are You A Beginner?

Longboards are perfect for beginner surfers, primarily because they float so well, and make catching waves a lot easier.

Better still, it is easier to stand up and remain standing, as a longboard will not feel as unstable or as wobbly as a shortboard under your feet.

Another bonus for beginners is that you can practice on smaller waves that are not quite so intimidating or potentially harmful. Most novice surfers don’t really want to start out on 6 foot waves….and neither do you!

Advanced Surfers

A longboard surfboard however is not only for beginners.  Many experienced surfers have a longboard in their garage for those days when the waves are tiny and weak and they still feel like getting wet.

So if you have experience and feel like switching it up for a change a longboard may be a great investment.

Heavy Surfers

Those surfers who have gained a few pounds can move up to longboards. The extra length of the surfboard provides better buoyancy and is much more forgiving as to how much you weigh.

Longboards are also quite wide and thicker than a shortboard, providing a greater surface area to keep you afloat.

Traditionalists

Some surfers just love the traditional style of surfing with a longboard which has been around since the early Hawaiian surfers.  This is therefore often a favourite with the older surfers.

Hanging Ten

Longboards are perfect for those surfers who want to get their “Toes On The Nose” or “Hang 10“. These are surf slang for moving up to the front of the surfboard and hanging your toes over the edge of the nose.

These surfing movements can not be achieved very easily on a shortboard but is ideal on a longboard surfboard.

Tandem Surfing

Longboards are great for taking out the kiddies, your wife or even the dog. We have all seen photos of more than 1 surfer on a longboard at once!

It is virtually impossible for two surfers to ride on a surfboard as small as a shortboard together.  Longboards are therefore perfect as they will provide the necessary area and stability to support both of you.

What Are The Drawbacks To A Longboard Surfboard?

There aren’t too many negatives to owning or buying a longboard, but here are a few to consider..

Cost

A longboard will cost you more than a shortboard due to the extra materials required to produce the extra length of these types of surfboards.

Size

When checking out a longboard surfboard it is important to consider whether you will be physically strong enough to carry the board.

For example, is your arm long enough to hold the surfboard by your side?

Are you tall enough to be able to sit on the surfboard out in the water and straddle it?

For the beginner surfer longboards can be too much to handle. If this is the case for you, you can either choose a longboard on the shorter end, around 9 feet, or opt for a shortboard

Logistics

Those extra few feet of surfboard can add a few tricky logistics, particularly for travelling and storage.

Will that surfboard fit in the elevator? How much room is it going to take up in the shed, garage, or in your bedroom?

These can be crucial factors for many surfers.

Getting Through The Oncoming Set

Due to their increased length, longboards require a different technique for getting through an oncoming set of waves and out through the back off the wave.

Shortboards can be more easily pushed under waves as in a duck dive. This is where you push the front of the surfboard under the wave and go through the wave, and then continue to paddle when you are out the other side.

Longboard riders however, need to turtle roll their surfboards.

Basically, while grabbing the edges (the rails) of the board, the longboard and surfer are flipped over so that the fins are now facing up. Once the wave has passed over, the surfer and longboard flip back over and continue paddling.

However, don’t get too worried if you are now starting out since many longboard riders are on a longboard because of how small the waves are. This is therefore not always such a big issue.

Longboards are extremely versatile surfboards, suiting all surfing abilities and can be a great addition to your surfboard collection for days when the waves are tiny and you still want to get wet.  So weigh the odds and decide if you are cut out for a longboard surfboard.

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