Been doing a bit of surfing had the lesson and then been out on hired boards. So just wondering what peoples general thoughts are on moving from hire to purchase…. without making a mistake and buying some crap that will only be good for a few months… tempted by a long board as a few guys have them and seem to suit the conditions better.

Any advice?

Start of on something like a minimal or a longboard. Dont make the mistake of buying a shortboard as your first board as it will be a waste of time and you wont learn anything. Minimals are a good place to start as they will provide you with the stability you need as a beginner. Expect to be on a minimal for a couple of years before stepping down to something shorter or indeed upsizing to a better performing longboard.

Look at some of the new epoxy construction boards as well as boards from Bic and NSP. These are good solid starter boards that hold their value well and can be resold at a decent price. If you get something custom shaped it will get dinged up easily through beginner mistakes.

Have a look at some online shops where they usually offer package deals (usually board, bag, leash, wax, comb) or pop down to your local surf shop and see what they have in stock.

A lot of shops run a "Try before you buy" – take them up on this, I think they refund you the price of the hire board or something.

Be honest about where you're going to surf most and what conditions you're going to do it in. Make sure you buy a board that will catch the most waves and get you standing up.

BIC, NSP, Southpoint – great beg/int makes. My mates (are just standing up for short periods, about 11-13st, average/average+ fitness, 40ish yrs old) love the Southpoint 8f6, they find NSP 7ft6 is just a bit narrow/wobbly/harder to catch small (1ft-5ft) mush waves on and they no longer like the soft Swell boards that they started on.

I'm a one board man using a McTavish surftech[see also tuflite] (much lighter to carry, but more expensive to buy), 8ft 6, (50 yrs old, 13st, average\average+ fitness for age), can stand and turn (ish). (* I actually have 2 other boards but the 7ft 6 requires such effort to get going (and stay on)that I can't be bothered). (Poss for sale mint 7ft 10, berks, McTavish suits me better)

There's probably an equation somewhere, IMHO, the lighter, fitter and more skilled you are the shorter you can go and get the same end result.

Certainly try some and get a feel before purchase. Just ask other surfers, I managed to do that with quite a few.

Been looking at the Cortez mini Mals/ longboards, seem pretty boyant and hard wearing. All the guys who seem to get the time standing are on longer boards at the local breaks.

get a cheap popout minimal – ie bic\nsp. The advantage of a beginner-specific board is that they are normally a bit wider, with a bit more stability inherant than a normal minimal (which might be what you're seeing people riding on), which are slightly slimmer with a view of being easier to turn. I'd go for something at least 1' longer than you are tall, 18" would be best. As a general rule, the longer a board, the easier it is to catch waves, but the harder to steer – longboards are therefore very good for the former, but crap for the latter and can stunt your progress once you get to turning. They're also a pain in the arse to store\transport

one final note, popouts (bics\nsps etc) are a lot more robust, and don't dink as easily – i found this very useful when I was a beginner (akin to getting a beefy wheelset on an mtb). they are, however, pretty rubbish when you get good, and there's a lot of looking down on them by the surfing community as a whole for this reason (a bit like bikers looking down on saracins, I guess)

get a 2nd hand bic for about £150. Sell it in a couple of years when you're done with it for £150. Don't bother buying new as they lose value instantly but hold it when second hand (if that makes sense).

If you do decide on a custom, talk to Chops Lascelles at Beach Beat, St Agnes. This guy's been around forever, he's a legend in his country of origin (Oz) and he now has a hi-tec computerised set-up for designing and shaping. For English surf I'd go for a longboard, I've a 9'9'' cruiser and an Aussie 9'2''. The 9'2'' I hired in Byron Bay this summer was ideal for a wide range of waves. Be wary of getting too small a board, they're harder to paddle and won't take off in English slop. Also the only way to gain paddling fitness is to paddle and for most of us inland that's not an option. If I was in the market for a board I'd go for a tuflite as they are exactly that. Pop-outs are awful.

if you decide on a longboard, I have a 9ft 1 longboard which I have only used a couple of times, i bodyboard everyweekend so bought it for when there was not enough swell to bb. However I never got into it and now having moved to maidstone I am not going to use it. It's been waxed up but there is not a mark on it. It cost 600 with the bag so yours for a sensible offer.