Volume

One of the most important factors when selecting a surfboard is the amount of volume. The volume determines factors like:

  • how fast you can paddle
  • how easily you can catch waves
  • how easily you can ride waves

Having too little volume can be hindering. The more volume your surfboard has, the higher the buoyancy, meaning how well the board will float you in the water. The higher a board floats you out of the water, the less drag your body will create as you paddle, and so the faster you’ll be able to move. The faster you can paddle, the more waves you can catch, and the less steep those waves need to be in order to catch them.

On the other hand, too much volume also has its downsides. The more buoyant a surfboard is, the harder it becomes to duck dive. In case you are surfing in a spot without a channel that allows you for easy paddle out, a board with a lot of volume will make it hard for you to get out behind the break. In case you try to duck dive big waves with a board with a lot of volume, the buoyancy may cause you to fail and being dragged over the falls of the wave instead, which can be dangerous.

Surfboard Volume Calculation Formula

You can find various Surfboard volume calculators across surfboard manufacturer or retailer websites. Kale Brock recommends to multiply a surfers weight by 0.7 for beginners, by 0.45 for Intermediates and by 0.37 or 0.34 for advanced intermediate to full on advanced surfers. See screenshot below or watch here.

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