Reddit mentions: The best surfing equipment

The are a lot of knock off wooden boards which really ride the same as Victoria wood. The big difference is size. But if you spend 50-100 on a wood board, you could have just bought a real board for 100-200. If a surf store by the beach didn't have one you can check sporting goods stores or buying on Amazon.

Here's another example of a used craigslist posting but this time in Los Angeles area. Southern California is the hands down best place to buy used boards. There are MANY great options feel free to look for yourself and pick the best one: https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/spo/6001199366.html

Here's an example of a functional $25 beginner skimboard from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Bums-Wood-Skimboard-Wave/dp/B008GOZYJE/ref=sr_1_2?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1487008546&sr=1-2&keywords=skimboard&th=1

Hmm, fiberglass looks compromised enough that it needs to be removed. I can see foam, so applying resin only will be a temporary fix until this area takes another hit and will open right back up. Really need some fresh glass to fix that.

I would highly suggest removing all that bad glass, sanding the area around the edges very well and applying at least 2 layers of fiberglass, with resin and QCell (not sure what to suggest for the color, maybe food dye?). If you're not up to the task I would take it to a local shaper for repair. You could probably get by with a small piece of glass to go over that exposed piece of foam, AFTER you soak that area with resin to soak into all those cracks. But I would still suggest a much more permanent fix.

As keeldude was suggesting, cheap paint brushes (think paint by number size) are really great for surfboard repairs. The only issue is the bristles tend to fall out easier with the cheap brushes. Ace Hardware is a good place to get your brushes, tape, sanding paper, anything really other than the fiberglass, resin and qcell.

You can actually get small little repair kits off Amazon that are pretty good value if you have small repairs. Ding All stuff is pretty cheap and works well.

I'm not a ding all rep!

My recommendation looks like this:

1. Buy your own gear. Once you go, you're going to want to return, especially once it's free. Check craigslist and local dive shops that sell used gear if you want to save a little money. Don't buy junk. Companies that don't make junk: Riffe, ScubaPro, Mares, Cressi. Go for black silicone as it ages much, much better than clear, which yellows. Don't mess about with dry snorkels (the ones that close with a float when you go underwater), they just get in the way and cost more money. You'll need fins (full heel if you don't want to buy booties), mask, snorkel.
   
   
2. Start off at Marine Room (parking is easier), go out a couple dozen yards and start swimming north. You'll see some sharks!
   
   
3. Head on over to the cove, the scenery is lots prettier, there's a larger variety of fish but there's fewer sharks and rays.
   
   This is my set-up: Snorkel, mask, fins. But I like overkill. You'd do fine with this: Mask + Snorkel, fins. I'd also recommend some socks to prevent chafing.
   
   Once you're in, you're in so expect to be buying weight belts, wetsuits and spearguns in the near future. Have fun and see you out there!

MAKE A LIST OF EVERYTHING TO TAKE, and FOLLOW IT.

Ear drops as mentioned.

Take motion sickness meds if you're at all prone to motion sickness or aren't sure (bonine tends to work better than dramamine for people from what I've seen, but ymmv). Better safe than sorry on that one.

Pack light... then take out a bunch of that stuff (most people wear less shirts than there are days on the trip in my experience, two swimsuits is plenty as well).

If you need your own towels (you may not), microfiber towels pack great and while not quite a good as "nice" towels, they're much more convenient when traveling.

If you drink, drink lightly. You're paying to dive, so it's best to be able to dive (not hungover) and to do so safely.

Take reef-safe sunscreen and use it.

Fin socks - I don't dive without them if I can help it (in fact, I have two extra pair in my save-a-dive kit).

Take some waterproof band-aids - if you get a cut/scrape (or too much rubbing on your fin that isn't quite the right size) etc the boat probably has a first aid kit, but it may or may not have bandaids that won't come off when you're diving. These don't take up much room and can be very helpful.

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I'll tell you right now it feels good haha. I'm only upgrading from this lol. Yea I'm basically just starting out. I did a bunch of research on boards though and used the help of the Booger Picker from ebodyboarding.com. I trust a pro with years of experience over my own judgement. But it fits what I was looking for because I did enough research to know what I need so I think it's a good pick. I'm excited to get riding for real. Just need fins now.

Something like this for the skin suit, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003554ETU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LsD5CbZFK7QNX I guess you could only wear that but I just put it over my jammers.

These for your feet, Deep See Elastain Fin Socks, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0026PHGRC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8zD5CbWJ2GHYW

For a wetsuit it’s all about fit unfortunately. I’m not very brand loyal on wetsuits, just what fits the best. Ideally you’d be looking for something with wrist and ankle seals, integrated hood, and taped seams. Henderson makes one that I know a few people like, Henderson Thermoprene 8/7mm Semi-Dry Mens - Small https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002XAYF2Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_avD5CbMS2J6JP it didn’t fit me quite right so I ended up with this https://www.xcelwetsuits.com/shop/product/dive/polar-hydroflex-hooded-dive-fullsuit-876

I just bought this bag and took it on a plane for my trip to Florida. I can’t say much on protection from heat and stuff but for convenience it’s awesome. There is a lot of space to fit towels, sandals, sunscreen etc. Very happy with purchasing it

I use these on my quad and they are great, super sharp though

https://www.amazon.com/Future-Rasta-Quad-Fin-Set/dp/B007WX2092/ref=sr_1_3?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1483718810&sr=1-3&refinements=p_4%3AFuture+Fins

I think they come in thruster sets as well. I usually just go for mid sized and whatever colors look best on my board

Looks small and pretty easy to repair. I would recommend this book. I've been shaping boards and repairing boards for the last 13 years and I still go back to this book every now and then. Depending on your location, check out Fiberglass Hawaii in Ventura, CA. These guys have everything you could ever possibly need and are super helpful.

You'll be fine, I recommend for the bigger guys to go get this board. Stick with the foamy/white wash at first to get a feel for it and be courteous to everyone else around you.

You don't have to fear anything man, you're young so it's understandable to have a complex regarding surfing. Need a boost in confidence? Check this big boy out, larger dudes can shred too man.

> More important than the mount itself is a floater.

Yes, I bought the sony floater, hope it's good!! Or should I switch to the Luxebell?

> Maybe you heard about the old AKA-SM1 mount - could be the reason it was discontinued and replaced by the new mount.

That's it, I only found the AKA-SM1 mount.

I also quickly browsed now and saw there's one from drift that attaches itself to a FCS cup, have you heard of this one?

Anyway, thanks man, I will probably five the VCT-BDM1 a shot since I don't have a cup on the nose of my board yet

I'm officially picking up my yak tomorrow and I'm pretty pumped about it. I'm not bringing my fishing gear the first few times I go out. As the top comment on your post states I'll only be bringing my PFD, paddle, leash and my watertight box to protect my keys and belongings while I'm out there.

I bought this PFD and wasn't aware that it actually comes with a whistle in the front pocket. Didn't realize that's what that orange thing is in the picture. The description doesn't even mention it.

As for leashes, I bought this pack of 1 paddle + two pole leashes, though I got super lucky and got an Amazon Warehouse Deal that cut the price in half. Another highly-rated option would be this set, which are a lot cheaper without taking advantage of used or sale products.

This is the watertight box I'm bringing. Only $10 at Walmart. They carry the same one at Dick's for $15.

I run in water shoes. Much easier to find than running shoes, and they'd be usable for your rowing. 5 minutes of Amazon searches...

https://www.amazon.com/Rafters-Malibu-Water-Shoe-16/dp/B00IU2VB6W?th=1&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/NeoSport-Neoprene-Snorkel-Low-top-Socks/dp/B00S0WNAMK?th=1&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/CevineeTM-Version-Anti-slip-Breathable-Outdoor/dp/B01IGQ6WTC

I will admit, a pair of water shoes only last me a few hundred miles of running, and I'm not terribly hard on them. But, for the cost of them and the amount of running I do, they're still much cheaper than the 2 pairs of Vivo's I went through in two years.

The best water shoes to run in that I've found so far are from Walmart.

https://www.amazon.com/Ding-All-Epoxy-Surfboard-Repair/dp/B005JPB9DI

There's the epoxy version of the ding all kit. Which really is better and worth the higher price IMO. Like the above guy said, no smell (you should really use an organic vapor respirator rated for if you glass with polyester resin). Your board looks to be PU/PE (polyurethane foam/polyester resin), so you could use either epoxy or polyurethane resin for the repair and it'd be fine.

Here's some great references for ding repair if you feel you need them:

http://www.overturesurf.com/ding_manual.pdf

https://shapersupply.com/products/the-ding-repair-scriptures

Future and FCS brand name fins are expensive as shit. I personally like Captain Fin because they're still brandname but they're $15-$30 cheaper than the big boys. Plus I like how they look and feel under my board. that's what matters the most.

Ho Stevie sells thrusters for like $30. Some reviews say that the futures tabs are a little bit too big for the boxes and some people have to sand them down a little bit, but that's the price for saving $60 i guess :)

Every kayak I have purchased in the last 10 years were decided on where my dog would sit. Here is a list of all that I have bought.

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Remove the netting in the bow and it makes for a doggy nest.

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Very nice kayak but very slow ....here are some pics of mine.

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Plenty of room in the cockpit and mine.

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Cute and affordable.



Also, to make it easier on your puppers a good thing to install for them is some non-slip padding.

Bonus

in my area, every surf shop carry either original futures or futures compatible fins

if you don't want to buy an original futures fins - looks at captain fin or true ames or any other brand without fcs in its name

here is true ames - https://www.trueames.com/collections/twin-fins-1

captain fin - https://captainfin.com/collections/twin-fins

and here is a cheaper option - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07S2P6LJQ/ref=sspa_dk_detail_5?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07S2P6LJQ&pd_rd_w=uRIvF&pf_rd_p=45a72588-80f7-4414-9851-786f6c16d42b&pd_rd_wg=iXp6B&pf_rd_r=G2T1B4J00SQN4P9QX5W1&pd_rd_r=0604738b-d18b-40a8-a0e0-00192f435913&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzSkZWN0NTTTg4NlA1JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDY2OTEyMzgwWVZHNUJLSkdGWCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODY3NDMzMzA1WDY3M01JSkJFTiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

The first two links are the same. Will look into that last one.

Not sure if buying from a site like Amazon would be worthwhile:

• http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006P3N51M/ref=twister_B006P3N3KU < love the way this one looks
  
• www.amazon.com/Empire-Hula-Soft-Surfboard-Blue/dp/B00M3SG416

https://www.amazon.com/Casio-G-shock-G-lide-Watch-GLX-5600-1J/dp/B0018JEZDU/ref=sr_1_32?keywords=casio+tide+watch&qid=1574881590&sr=8-32

Cassio Tide watch that I've been wearing for 5-6 years. Has needed a battery replaced but its cheap and fast to replace through Cassio repairs. Thing has been great for me.

Other interesting stocking stuffers:
Tool-less screw for longboard fins -- https://www.amazon.com/SBS-Stainless-Steel-Screw-Longboard/dp/B01598SSIS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=finger+screw+surf&qid=1574881766&sr=8-1
Even less tools than the tooless screw -- https://www.pelicansurfcraft.com/product-page/the-finjak

I use Sex Wax, but get the cold water surf wax like the 2X here. It's softer and stickier than usual hockey wax.

Plus it smells fantastic.

dang man that stinks. When i had a small crack in a board i reached out to the manufacturer and they recommended this. They offered to fix it for free if i shipped it (across US) or buy this for me. I just bought it myself but it worked well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005JPB9DI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Since the board is red, you will definitely see it since you cant dye it.... and even if you could, it wouldnt match.

Do you have pics of the dings? I might be able to help you out a bit more if I know the extent of the damage.

Aside from that, I would recommend going online and ordering some Suncure. It's easy to use, safe and I've done surprisingly significant repairs with the stuff. My buddy's leash ripped a 3 inch slot through the back of his board on a bigger swell. He got out of the water, suncured it and set it out to cure, switched boards and the next morning took the suncured board out for a surf with no problems whatsoever.

You can use fiberglass to repair it, yes. The important thing is to match the cement type to your board. i.e.; if you have an epoxy board with a polystyrene-based core, you'll want to use epoxy and not polyurethane. Additionally, you'll want an epoxy formulated for exposure to UV if you won't be painting over it.

That said, if it's just a small ding, why not use somethign like a sun-curing ding kit? You can even apply at the beach (in the shade) and then expose to the sun, and presto! https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Cure-Fiber-Surfboard-Repair/dp/B000TGEBIC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1526967322&sr=8-2&keywords=sun+cure+epoxy&dpID=41Oc9jcDTJL&preST=_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Hahaha the name is misleading. Its wax originally created for surfers. You can find it here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LU2GVKU/ref=pd_sim_468_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=T2RDJKSQJ949MQG2ECM5

https://www.amazon.com/Ding-All-Epoxy-Surfboard-Repair/dp/B005JPB9DI

They offer a kit for poly, too.