I am still pretty new at surfing but l wanna get my own board for this summer. Does anyone know where l can try and get a fairly cheap, used one since l am not going to spend 700 + dollars for it? l am 5' 8'' and about 140-145 pounds, l know longboards are easier since that what l learned on but would it be worth it to get a shortboard so that once l am done with the longboard l wo not have to get a new one? Any advice would be appreciated!!
I am from eastern massachusetts so l know it might be kind of limited for where l can get one.

first off, there is no such thing as being ''done with the longboard''. people spend their entire surfing lives devoted to longboarding. all in all it comes down to what style of surfing u like. if u want to short board then dont buy a longboard. since ur still new l would say dont go any shorter than 6'8''. also try & get somethign a little wider like a fish. if u can find a 6 8 quiet flight stingfish l would say go with that since they r wider boards but can still perform really well & leave plenty of room for u style to grow without having to shell out cash for more advanced boards. l know alot of people who start out on funshapes & within a year want something more performance oriented, but with the stingfish this shouldnt happen. ive been surfing for 13 years & usually ride either a 5 10 quad or a 6 2 thruster. that being said l rode my friends stingfish in some smaller surf & loved how easy it was to both catch waves on (like a longboard) & turn (like a shortboard)

if you're still pretty new at surfing, but still want to transition from a longboard to a shortboard, i'd suggest getting a hybrid or funboard (somewhere between 7'0'' & 7'6'' & a little wider). that will make the switch to shortboarding a little easier if u continue surfing.
good idea on buying a used board. check craigslist or a local surf shop; u can ususally get some pretty good deals.
oh & keep the longboard for days when it is flat & u can not ride the shortboard.

You definitely should stick with a longboard since u r still fairly new to the sport. Start with something in the 8-9 foot range & work ur way down to something smaller once u get really good at that size. It should always be a ''gradual process'' when transitioning from a longboard to a shorterboard. l made the mistake of going from an 8'2'' long to a 6'3'' short (with only 6 months of surfing experience) & paid the ultimate price for it one day in San Diego a few years back when the conditions were nearly epic. Needless to say, l had the wipeout of my life & nearly lost my board. ALWAYS work ur way down & u will have the most fun & gain more skill in the sport. Also, u can go to any surf shop to get good deals on used boards. Of course, u could also do what l did & use E-Bay (even better deals there!). to find a good used board. Good luck & have fun!

The absolute best board to 'step down' from a longboard will be a fish. You will have all the paddle ease of a long board, but with the looseness of a shortboard. Do not waste ur time on a funboard. At ur height & weight l would suggest anything in 5'9-6''1'' range. That may seem short but they surf much better the shorter they are. If u get something close to 7' u might as well get an egg or a funboard (not recommended). l prefer keel fins but a quad will do just fine as well.

Check craigslist or call ur local shaper.