The first step towards envisioning your perfect surfboard is to choose a style.  In a world full of creative and driven people, it’s no surprise that new board style are being created and introduced to the surfing world.  The four most common styles of surfboards; Longboards, Short Boards, Fun Boards, and Fish.


Offering the most stability, the longboard is a great choice for beginners.  A longboard is generally 8.0’-12.0’ in length, at least 2.5” thick and 20” wide.  It should stand about 3’ taller than the rider.  This style makes standing up and riding small waves easier.

Short boards, falling in the 5.0’-7.0’ range, are easier to maneuver.  They allow the rider the freedom to carve through waves for a very active surfing experience.  Typically, short boards will have sharp noses and thin rails with three or four fins.

One step down from a longboard is a funboard.  This board is usually in the 6.0’-8.0’ range with a variety of nose shapes, tail shapes, and foils.  A funboard allows for nose riding and quick turns without loosing the stability of a longboard.

The 6.9’ and under category is dominated by a hybrid board known as a fish. The fish is wide and thick offering with a wide swallow or split tail.  The ride can be quite loose but these boards turn tight in the pocket and shoot down the line of the wave.

Stay tuned for the third part of this series where we discuss different materials used to make surfboards.

Based on your surfing goals and armed with the information above, which style board would you love to own?