nido
Grommet  
Member #: 158 Posts 11
Registered: 1-3-2003 Location: Thessaloniki Member Is Offline Mood: kalokairini
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| posted on 25-8-2003 at 20:16 |
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Basic equipment and cost
I m planning to start surfing but I have no idea about the first equipment that is needed and about the cost of it.
Could someone give me some basic instructions on my first steps?
Thank you.
iF iT ain'T fun... iT ain'T worThy!
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justal
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| posted on 26-8-2003 at 05:39 |
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Hmmm.
Do you mean surfing as in SURFING, or surfing as in KITE-surfing seeing as this is in the kiting forum??
Theres quite a difference in the equipment needed and the cost!! 
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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nido
Grommet
Member #: 158 Posts 11
Registered: 1-3-2003 Location: Thessaloniki Member Is Offline Mood: kalokairini
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| posted on 1-9-2003 at 12:54 |
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Let me translate first, to see the differences.... and i ll post back.
iF iT ain'T fun... iT ain'T worThy!
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justal
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| posted on 1-9-2003 at 16:52 |
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OK..... Its quite simple though:
Surfing is just surfing a wave on a surfboard, k
Kite-surfing is sailing along on the water using the power of a kite to pull you along.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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nido
Grommet
Member #: 158 Posts 11
Registered: 1-3-2003 Location: Thessaloniki Member Is Offline Mood: kalokairini
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| posted on 2-9-2003 at 10:04 |
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I ll take the first option..... simple surfing on a surfboard!
iF iT ain'T fun... iT ain'T worThy!
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justal
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| posted on 2-9-2003 at 15:03 |
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OK, well thats the cheapest option for sure.
All you'll need (apart from waves) is a board, wetsuit and leash, and if you're going to be going out in colder conditions maybe a
little more protection for the extremities such as gloves, boots and a hood.
As far as the wetsuit goes, it depends on the water temperatures where you'll be surfing. In the UK, a 3/2mm suit is OK for the summer
and you'll need a good quality 5/3mm suit for the winter. The most important feature of a wetsuit is that its a good fit, so your best
bet is to try some on in a shop.. Find one that fits well and is comfortable and that should be fine. If you need a warm winter suit,
make sure that its blindstitched as well, but most are. A summer suit should cost you around £60-£120, a winter suit around
£100-£200.
The board is a little more difficult as it will depend on your height, weight, general athletic ability and aspirations. The waves
you'll be surfing in do make a difference as well, but not really to start with. The general rule is that bigger (longer) boards are
easier to learn on as they are more stable, catch waves easier and provide a relatively forgiving platform. There is a limit though as
really long boards can become a bit of a handful. Generally something like a 7'6" minimal would be considered as a typical beginners
board... (There are lots of other factors that dictate how a board will perform, but most 7'6" minimals should be fine for a
beginner)
Other than the size of the board, the other thing to consider is its construction. Custom board look nice, are light and stiff and
perform well, but they are more fragile and more expensive than mass produced 'plastic' boards. As a beginner, you can't go too far
wrong with a 7'3" Bic Minimal. You'll be able to find them in most surf shops, either 'in the real world' or online for about £200
brand new, or look through some classifieds sites for second-hand ones. They are strong and durable, forgiving to surf and should last
you a long time.
I hope some if this helps. Let us know what you decide and how you get on.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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nido
Grommet
Member #: 158 Posts 11
Registered: 1-3-2003 Location: Thessaloniki Member Is Offline Mood: kalokairini
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| posted on 2-9-2003 at 15:29 |
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Thank you for all the informations, Justal.
If I have more questions, I ll come back.
Right now, after a search I did, I found that there is one store in my city, Thessaloniki.
I m really glad about that, because, since surf is not popular in Greece at all (although we are surrounded by sea), I thought it would
be difficult to find a store in my city.
I ll go and have a look and then ill report here, so as to compare prices etc. Then I ll do a search in the net, so as to decide which
solution will be cheap and good.
iF iT ain'T fun... iT ain'T worThy!
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justal
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| posted on 3-9-2003 at 06:16 |
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Cool....let us know how you get on.
I'm not THAT surprised that surfing isn't very popular in Greece, as although you are surrounded by sea, I shouldn't imagine the surf
is particualrly good.... I could be wrong though.
Some parts of Greece (particularly some of the the islands) are very popular windsurfing destinations for UK (and other) tourists
though, and I guess its prety good for kite-surfing in places too.
Al.
URL: Pixelwave Design - Website Design Wales
Shop: Website Templates
Personal Weblog: A Simple Life of Luxury in West Wales
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Pixelwave Web Design.
justal@forces-of-nature.co.uk