Although you'll probably develop a sentimental attachment to your first board, that doesn't mean it should be expensive - odds are you're going to trash it.
Surf wax is the stuff that makes your feet stick to the top of your surfboard. It's a good thing.
Surfboards are expensive and damage easily, so take care of the one you have. Beat-up boards don't perform as well as those kept in good condition.
Choose a spot appropriate to your skill level. The place where you start surfing will influence your experience and learning curve.
One of the most important things to learn as a beginning surfer is how to stay out of the way of other surfers.
Before you can really test out that surfboard, you've got to get out beyond the breaking waves, also known as "the soup" in surfer lingo.
The surf may be up, but you can't surf until you master this critical skill.
The "takeoff" - catching the wave, standing up, gaining control and turning toward the shoulder of the wave - is the most critical skill in surfing. Once you're up, the rest is relatively easy....
Surfing inside the barrel of a breaking wave is one of the best surfing experiences possible. Your first quality tube ride will make all the effort you spent learning to surf worthwhile.
The first thing you have to do once you catch a wave and stand up is turn toward the unbroken shoulder of the wave.
You're going to get a lot of practice doing this during the course of your surfing career, especially while you're learning, so you might as well get good at it.
Big, powerful cutbacks are one of the signature moves of advanced surfers.
This spectacular move off the top of a breaking wave is a staple move for modern hotshots.
Make like the playful seals or sea lions - swim with the wave and let its motion take you with it. But don't forget: Just like your finned companions, you can steer yourself.
Keep your weight back and walk out to the nose of the longboard for a stylish nose ride.
Balance on your hands and head on your longboard and you'll achieve immortality.
Lie down on your back and cross your arms across your chest to ride your longboard like a coffin.
Cross-stepping is a much cooler way to walk up to the nose of your board.
Try out a few boards and understand the factors involved to determine which longboard is the best for you.
Use a fiberglass repair kit on a properly prepped surface to fix a ding on a surfboard. It'll look just like new.
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