Old man noob ?

[gatorboy]

Can a thick, 230 lb., 48 yr old man who once was athletic, learn to surf?

Or would I just be wasting my time and should sit on the beach watching my son get a solo lesson?

[m2711c]

if this fat fuck can do it, you can too....

[gatorboy]

if this fat fuck can do it, you can too....

OMG....thanks for the laugh. I was expecting a pic of you riding....but this is better.

[topwater]

It aint a waste of time if you're having fun.

[Jong Lafitte]

That critter has a lot of insulating blubber. If it were me I’d start somewhere warm. If it’s not working then hang on the warm beach. Would not want to flail around in 55 degree water.

Guessing u thought of that already. I go now.

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

You're going to flail, people on the beach are going to be pointing at you and making personal comments. Fuck 'em. Accept it, and have a good time.

That's what I do and fwiw I started surfing 40+ years ago.

[happytimefunbox]

Surfed my whole life. Take the lesson. Stay out of other surfers way, have fun and dont worry what others think. If you dont do it now you will be that much older when you finally do

[gatorboy]

OK....here's the deal.

14 yr old son was diagnosed with Leukemia in August '18 and Make-a-Wish is kindly granting his wish.....trip to Hawaii.
We will be staying in Waikiki and my 16 yr old son wants to try it. $60 Groupon for 60 minutes for one person or $77 for two. Leukemic son doesn't have the strength....thus for $17....I'll give my wife a good laugh (with my clothes on this time).

[Idyllwild]

One of the most chill waves out there, I’m not a surfer and it was cool and not too heavy even for a beginner. Go for it!!! They will put you on a 10+ longboard so even the big guys can float

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Oh yeah, you gotta do it.

[rideit]

There really is no downside, might even make your kiddo laugh uproariously.
That is priceless!

[ill-advised strategy]

Of course you can go knock around in a mellow place and get a sense of it.
by percentage of time spent, surfing is mostly just paddling and being in the water anyway. Think of it as an expedited way of swimming, and a nice way to get out there and be in the ocean.

not really applicable to just knocking around for a day or two, but fwiw, as far as developing further as a heavy weight surfer, it helps to remember that the ocean has enormous power, more than enough to toss the heaviest human being who ever lived, so it becomes a matter of positioning yourself so the ocean can pick you up and throw you forward, then learning what to do with yourself during that throw.

But don't worry about all that when you're knocking around for a few days...you'll be fine!

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Great thing about surfing is you don't even have to know how to swim. You have this giant flotation device tied to your ankle.

[Ottime]

Of course you can go knock around in a mellow place and get a sense of it.
by percentage of time spent, surfing is mostly just paddling and being in the water anyway. Think of it as an expedited way of swimming, and a nice way to get out there and be in the ocean.

not really applicable to just knocking around for a day or two, but fwiw, as far as developing further as a heavy weight surfer, it helps to remember that the ocean has enormous power, more than enough to toss the heaviest human being who ever lived, so it becomes a matter of positioning yourself so the ocean can pick you up and throw you forward, then learning what to do with yourself during that throw.

But don't worry about all that when you're knocking around for a few days...you'll be fine!

^^^^^This

Great thing about surfing is you don't even have to know how to swim. You have this giant flotation device tied to your ankle.

Not This^^^^

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

C'mon.. it'll be fine.

[happytimefunbox]

OK....here's the deal.

14 yr old son was diagnosed with Leukemia in August '18 and Make-a-Wish is kindly granting his wish.....trip to Hawaii.
We will be staying in Waikiki and my 16 yr old son wants to try it. $60 Groupon for 60 minutes for one person or $77 for two. Leukemic son doesn't have the strength....thus for $17....I'll give my wife a good laugh (with my clothes on this time).

GB good luck with your son I hope he is doing ok. For $17 you better get out there and do it. What I would give to whet my gills in Waikiki

[easyrdr]

I'm right there with you dude, my wife got me a surfing lesson for Christmas this year. Surfing for my first time at 43 and I can't wait! Do it!

[jackstraw]

The hardest part about surfing is you cannot breathe underwater. Gills would be really helpful because beginner surfers are not very efficient. Be prepared to get worked. Start running now.

[Ottime]

Actually running and swimming would be decent prep. But no mater how good your lungs are seconds feel very long under water. The nice think about Waikiki has plenty of places to hide from any juice, and then it is juts a paddle out into some moving water.

OP, I think this will be one of the best things you could do on vacation. If you catch even one wave you will be blown away. Surfing is such a cool feeling. That is why seals and porpoises do it. It's fun.

[jorion]

Do it! Waikiki is in most ways probably the ideal place to surf for the first time. Which also means that there will be plenty of first-timers out so no need to feel embarrassed. There’s also a dude at least as large as you who is one of the better regulars out there, so size is not an insurmountable obstacle to being pretty damn proficient with a longboard.

I’d also recommend splurging on a lesson from Ohana Surf Project rather than going the more affordable route for what might be a once in a lifetime thing. Most of the “surf lessons” in Waikiki are pretty lame/not that helpful. OSP actually take it seriously and give people way more attention. My partner took a couple lessons with them on separate trips and she loved it both times. They also paddle out at a break a few hundred yards to diamond head side, so you have to deal with way fewer people and can catch more waves. The main canoes/queens area can be a frustrating shitshow sometimes.

Hope you and your kid have a great time.

[plugboots]

Noob here. I was going to suggest Hawaiian Fire, but they closed. My first time surfing I used a long board borrowed from a buddy and surfed at Waikiki and had a blast. So the next day, I rented a big foam thing, (all they had), and did not like. Couldn't turn. All the rest of the times I've surfed, I made sure to not to rent a big foamy thing.
Also, use a rash guard and shorts that go long enough so that when you straddle the board they go below the edge of the board.

[TEXASS]

At 230 pounds your gonna be skinny compared so some of the Samoan Guys in the line up
Enjoy yourself and have fun

[gatorboy]

Well.....our first planned trip in mid February got cancelled when mom and son were diagnosed with Flu A days prior to our departure.

Now....Make a Wish is cancelling all trips until things cool down.
Disappointing for sure, but....que sera, sera
Cheers

[Core Shot]

Bummer.

Sorry about your kid. Fuck leukemia

But yeah, if you want to learn to surf Hawaii is great.
Warm water
Reef breaks
Bikinis

[Ottime]

Actually the bikinis can be very distracting. Especially with a modern cut.