Board Types
Long Boards (335cm - 380cm)
The long board is very stable due to its high volume (between 190-250 Litres) and a large daggerboard. This means it's an excellent choice for a beginner because the board is good in light winds and low speeds. Long boards can also be racing boards with addition of footstraps and other fittings, that a learner should avoid as these as they will only hinder the learning process.
Mid-length Boards (310cm - 335cm)
Mid length boards are usually for intermediates, attempting the transition from long boarding to short boarding. Compared to the long board, mid-length boards are less stable in light winds, but become more stable than a short board in high winds, for this reason a retractable dagger board is used to improve stability in light winds. Recent advances in board technology have resulted in many people like myself going straight onto mid length boards.
Short Boards (310cm - below)
These are generally only good for the experienced sailor who has learned some of the more advanced techniques and manoeuvres that go with them. You can only successfully sail a short board in strong winds at planing speeds hence they become very unstable in light winds, especially as they have no dagger board, consequently some short boards actually sink due to there very low volume.
Short boards fall into 3 different categories:
is a short board with a high volume, which due to late advances in technology make them extremely good performers in lighter winds. Still very unlike long and mid-length boards though.
with only 90-115 litres of volume are speed machines for experts!
smallest of the lot, these are for adrenaline junkies who only settle for big waves and strong winds - err, not for beginners!
Board Construction
There are two types of board construction:
boards have a polypropylene or polyethylene outer skin, basically washing up bowl material. Advantages with this stuff is durability and low cost manufacture, you can really knock these about.
boards are constructed from layers of fibreglass and materials such as carbon and kevlar, bonded together with epoxy resin. Advantages here are a lighter and stiffer board, but they are also much more expensive than blow-moulded.
