what board to learn on?

[peterb]

hi, have been bodyboarding for 3 years....want to try kneeboarding...i live in sydney...5'8" 100kg...is there such a thing as a 'soft' kneeboard?....grateful for any help

[MALLEE BULL]

DECK PADS ARE THE ONLY THING SOFT WITH KNEEBOARDING
ONCE YOU GET ON YOUR KNEES THERE WILL BE NO LOOKING BACK
GET YOUR SELF TO A COMP MEET FOR ONE OF THE CLUBS THIS MAY HELP.

[ross]

i've got one i can give ya. I'm on the Northern beaches every weekend, so PM me if your keen.

[Nov]

hi, have been bodyboarding for 3 years....want to try kneeboarding...i live in sydney...5'8" 100kg...is there such a thing as a 'soft' kneeboard?....grateful for any help

Whereabouts in Sydney are you? I might be able to help out.

By soft kneeboard do you mean a board made of bodyboard materials? There aren't any that I know of, but you can get kneeboards with full deck pads. Pads are soft so you won't be dinging your knees up on a board that has them (the vast majority of boards have them).

Great to see that you're looking to make the move though. Are you a DK rider?

[peterb]

thanks for the fast response....yes ross i will pm you....by soft kneeboard i meant like the gboards and ninos etc that the surf schools use for learners.....i surf dy curl curl or tamarama bronte depending on wind etc ....i thought that i need something bigger and fatter to learn on....and no never got to dk....probably old hips too stiff

[FLwaves]

Hey Peter, good luck with trying out kneeboarding. I think you'll be stoked. I'm also a bodyboarder who started kneeboarding about a month ago. A softie KB is probably good to start with, but definately try out a fiberglass board w/deckpad once you get comfortable. The speed sensation, especially in steeper waves, is incredible. Have fun!

[Mike Fernandez]

Peter you are going to love it, talk about going fast, and the Sydney boys will help you out. I just came back from vacationing there. Lots of hot kneelo's to surf with. Have fun, and join a club.

[Tony Wales]

Peter, the Sydney Kneeboard Club has a contest this Sunday, April 6. We are meeting at the Long Reef carpark at 7.30AM. Its the first car park on the right as you drive north from DY, just go past the turn off about 100m and do a U turn to get back to the carpark entrance.

Come along and check out what's happening, introduce yourself and talk to the guys.

Next contest is Saturday, May 5 at Wanda Beach in Cronulla.

Sydney Kneeboard Club website: http://www.sydneykneeboardclub.com/

[peterb]

thanks tony will try to make it sunday morning....meanwhile my original question ......any opinions on size board to learn on...mcsurf.com.au has a 7'6" x 24.25x 3.75 fish .....i was wondering how that would go as a beginers kneeboard?

[FLwaves]

Hi Peter,
This is just my opinion, but as a begininng kneeboarder, 7'6" sounds way too long. I'm 5'2" 110 lbs, and my KB is 4'10" and 20.5" wide (can't remember the rest of the dimensions). I've been riding it for about a month now and it's working great. Since you said you never rode dropknee on your bodyboard, maybe learning to balance is more of an issue, but I would still say to go with a board closer to your height.

[SFKneelo]

Peter, my conversion skills may be way off, but that puts you around 220lbs?

If so, the width may be OK, maybe 24". The thickness sounds like alot, maybe less. The length definitely needs to come down. Maybe 5'10" - 6'0"?

Best advice is to go on Sunday and check out the options and have those experts share thoughts...

[peterb]

i am double your weight so dont i need double your board volume?.....in Simon Farrers dvd NSG there were guys riding 7'2".....and they were not learners

[wolruss]

PeterB,
I t doesn't quite work that way.....lower centre of gravity too much board to throw around. Those guys in Simon's NSG DVD, are expert kneeboarders and are riding the sort of waves we don't get that often here in Oz. A lot of different equations here to get used to, suggest as the guys have said, go along to one of the pointscores and talk with experienced kneeboarders. I myself am a little closer to your weight at around 110 to 115kg's, depending on the time of day (or meal) and nearly 52 and I ride a 6' Drift and a 6'2" Flashpoint and find these are plenty to float me.
Cheers, goodluck, and if your down the 'Gong area give me a PM and we'll search for some waves together ( 'cause we all knoww there's no waves in the 'Gong).
Cheers Wolruss

[peterb]

thanks wolruss, will definitely try and get to long reef sunday morning....though i am not a morning person, i know there are plenty of waves down gong way.....lived at minnamurra for nearly 20 years and then wollongong towers for 4 yrs....moved back to sydney for business.....pity i didn't surf then but was too busy making dollars....but my son did....now he has stopped and i have started.....i know what you mean by centre of gravity.....3 years ago i was in waikiki and hired those long boards at the beach...they must be 10-12 ft long....had a ball riding those on my knees....but very difficult for even a small change in direction.

[dua anjing]

Firstly Hello to all, I'm another starter (restarter) to Kneeboarding. A long time ago when I was younger (18) I bought a second hand Neil Luke got to use it about twice and family moved inland. Now I found myself living on the coast with ahankering to get back in the water, took the old double flyer swallow out and I think the 30 odd years it spent in the shed were not to kind. Anyway I managed to have enough fun to catch the bug again. So I am now 49 yrs old, 85 - 90 kg approx 6 ft tall. I am looking for a second board to try for a while before I go whole hog and get a new one. Currently looking at a Strapper 6'1" x 22.5" x 2.5" was worndering if that will be OK to get back into it. I know you guys have had this question heaps of times and I appreciate your help.