The volume of a surfboard is a good reference value when it comes to choosing the right surfboard. Often the stock boards are very sporty to ride and it is worth packing a few extra liters of volume into the board so that it is really a fun and suitable board.

The ideal number of liters for a surfboard depends of course on the surfer. Factors such as weight, surfing level, fitness and wave quality play a role, but we have put together a rough guide on how to find your "correct" number of liters (surfboard volume).

Below is a table from Semente which shows you the appropriate volume depending on body weight - the table assumes a "normal" Portuguese surfer in "normal" waves. For very good surfers or beginners, the volume should be adjusted accordingly. It may be said that a "normal" Portuguese surfer is roughly the equivalent of a really incredibly good Swiss surfer.

What we do in the Surfari is that we have already adapted the Semente boards that we order in Switzerland in advance and in cooperation with Semente. We have increased the volume a bit on some shapes, other shapes like the Gunslinger 6'4 are specially made for the local market. But since every single board is a tailor-made board, you can easily adapt the shapes to the respective needs.

Here are a few examples of Semente Team riders on what kind of boards they surf:

• Guilherme Fonseca (60kg): 5'7 board with 21.4 liters
• Tomas Fernandes (70kg): 5'9 board with 24.2 liters
• Gony Zubizarreta (74kg): 5'11 board with 26.8 liters
• Nicolau Von Rupp (75kg): 5'10 with 27 liters
• Marlon Lipke (82kg): 5'11 with 27.4 liters
• Vasco Ribeiro (85kg): 6'0 with 28.7 liters

The problem for the normal surfer is of course that these liter figures are very sporty. To correct this, Whitney Guild recommends different coefficients depending on surfing level:

• Advanced/Pro Surfers: 0.34-0.36 x body weight in kg
• Intermediate/Advanced: 0.36-0.38 x body weight in kg
• Intermediate/Older Surfers: 0.38-0.42 x body weight in kg
• Weekend surfers: 0.43-0.49
• Beginner: 0.50+ x body weight in kg

This makes it very easy to find the ideal volume for the board. For example: as an intermediate surfer with a body weight of 75kg, a board around 0.40 * 75 = 30 liters makes sense. For a girl with 55kg, who surfs at the same (intermediate) level, a board with 22 liters will fit. But as already mentioned at the beginning, the volume of the surfboard is not the only factor that determines whether the board can even fit you or not. A shortboard - even if it has enough volume - is always the wrong board for beginners - that's why good buying advice in the shop is essential.

With the volume calculator you definitely have a good indication of the range in which the boards can work. When it comes to surfboard dimensions, the thickness of the board is more important than the length/width. That's why the volume alone says something, but by no means everything.