Surfboard volume: how many litres your board needs
Volume in litres is the number that decides whether you paddle into waves or spend the session arriving late. It matters more than the length: two boards of the same length can be six litres apart and feel like two different sports.
The base calculation is simple: your weight in kilos times a factor that depends on your level. What almost nobody tells you is that the factor moves with the kind of wave you surf, with how often you get in the water and with your age. The calculator applies all four and gives you two figures, one for soft waves and one for powerful ones, because a single number does not describe a quiver.
If you want the number without going through the six questions, here is the chart by weight and level:
| weight | beginner | improver | intermediate | advanced | expert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 lb | 44 L 38–45 | 29 L 25–31 | 21 L 19–23 | 18 L 18–20 | 18 L 18–18 |
| 110 lb | 49 L 43–50 | 33 L 28–34 | 24 L 21–26 | 20 L 18–22 | 18 L 18–18 |
| 121 lb | 53 L 47–55 | 36 L 30–37 | 26 L 23–29 | 22 L 20–24 | 18 L 18–19 |
| 132 lb | 58 L 51–60 | 39 L 33–41 | 28 L 25–31 | 24 L 22–26 | 19 L 18–21 |
| 143 lb | 63 L 55–65 | 43 L 36–44 | 31 L 27–34 | 26 L 23–29 | 20 L 18–23 |
| 154 lb | 68 L 60–70 | 46 L 39–48 | 33 L 29–36 | 28 L 25–31 | 22 L 20–25 |
| 165 lb | 73 L 64–75 | 49 L 41–51 | 35 L 32–39 | 30 L 27–33 | 24 L 21–26 |
| 176 lb | 78 L 68–80 | 52 L 44–54 | 38 L 34–42 | 32 L 29–35 | 25 L 22–28 |
| 187 lb | 82 L 72–85 | 56 L 47–58 | 40 L 36–44 | 34 L 31–37 | 27 L 24–30 |
| 198 lb | 87 L 77–90 | 59 L 50–61 | 42 L 38–47 | 36 L 32–40 | 28 L 25–31 |
| 209 lb | 92 L 81–95 | 62 L 52–65 | 45 L 40–49 | 38 L 34–42 | 30 L 27–33 |
| 220 lb | 97 L 85–100 | 65 L 55–68 | 47 L 42–52 | 40 L 36–44 | 32 L 28–35 |
| 231 lb | 102 L 89–105 | 69 L 58–71 | 49 L 44–55 | 42 L 38–46 | 33 L 29–37 |
The large figure is the recommended volume for average waves. Below it, the band: the low number is for powerful waves and the high one for soft waves. All of it comes from the same function that answers in the calculator.