SURFBOARDS - A surfer on a longboard can sit much further outside while waiting for sets, than the shortboard surfers, who all have to make late take-offs just to able to drop in. So when someone on a longboard, in a predominantly shortboard spot, paddles out and starts taking the best wave of every set, of course the shortboarders further inside are going to become increasingly angry the more of the good set waves they miss.

The surfer on the longboard in this situation is acting in complete disregard for everyone else in the water. There are surf spots which are understood by the local surfing populations to be "longboard spots," and when everyone in the water is riding longboards, then the amount of waves you get comes back down to paddling ability and wave judgment as it should.

Paddling and wave judgment skills have to be even more refined for the shortboarder, since the wave has to be far steeper and far more ready to break in order to take off, whereas the longboard surfer, again, can catch the wave further out while it is still rolling, and nowhere near the breaking point. By the time it does break, the longboard surfer as had far longer time to get his board gliding right to drop in and make his bottom turn. Please have some respect for other surfers in the water.

Make sure that your surfboard is designed for the type of surf you are surfing. IE: Don't surf knee high surf with a short board. Please email us with any questions on this.

What is a Wet Suit?

A wet suit is a garment of foam neoprene that insulates a diver swimmer surfer from the cold by allowing a thin film of water to penetrate between the suit and the body.Some wet suits are specifically designed for triathlon training.

How do Wet Suits Work?

Wet suits are designed to insulate your body. The bubbles in the neoprene insulate you against the colder water outside the suit, by trapping a thin layer of water in the suit, which is warmed by your body, and by reducing the flow of water around your body. Suits that fit poorly under the arms and around the thighs may allow too much water to collect there, robbing you of your body heat. The colder the water, thicker the suit needs to be to keep you comfortable.

Finding a Wet Suit that are Best for You

The first step in finding wet suits that suit you is to determine your needs. Once you determine your needs, you can start looking for wet suits that meet your needs. Make sure you try on different sizes, brands, and models. What time of the year your planning to spend out on the water.

Wet suits Features

There are many types of wet suits. For optimal swimming, diving, surfing, or body boarding, it is very important to find a wet suit that best suits you. Some features to consider:

WETSUITS

Guide to Buying a Wetsuit in the Northeast

When buying a wetsuit you need to have a think about a couple of things before you go shopping. Firstly, what type of wetsuit do you need to buy. Second, what size do you need to buy. If you are surfing in cold water then you need a good wetsuit and you should be prepared to pay for it. You can find deals on wetsuits as well.

Which Wetsuit To Buy

If you only going to be surfing in the Northeast during the summer months then a spring suit will be fine. Though if you want to surf from April to November, we would recommend a 4/3 wetsuit. If you want to be out on the water from late spring to early fall, then we would recommend a 3/2mm wetsuit. If you plan on be out on the water from November to April then we would recommend any wetsuit over a 5/4mm, but a 6/4mm would be the best for the money. See our winter education page for more information on winter wetsuit buying, etc.

'Shortie' Wetsuit

A shortie is for water temperatures above 70F and is made of 2mm neoprene. If boardshorts are just that little bit cold then a shortie is for you.

Full Suit

A full suit is needed for water temperatures below 65F. Depending on whether you feel the cold or not, or just how cold the water will be you will either need a 3/2mm, 4/3mm, 5/3mm, or a 6/4mm, wetsuit. A 3/2mm wetsuit will be needed if the temperatures get below 65F. A 4/3mm wetsuit will be needed for temperatures below 54F. A wetsuit 5/3mm or thicker will be needed for temperatures below 45F.

Some name brands that work for us - body glove, O'Neill, Quick Silver, yet there is lots more great names out there.