For a beginner, almost never. The failure mode of too little volume is not catching waves; the failure mode of too much is a board that is a bit slow to turn. One of those stops you surfing.
| Skill | Shortboard L/kg | Longboard L/kg |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 0.73 | 1.06 |
| Beginner / intermediate | 0.59 | 0.92 |
| Intermediate | 0.48 | 0.84 |
| Advanced | 0.39 | 0.78 |
| Expert / pro | 0.36 | 0.78 |
From the model at 80 kg. The brand guides this is fitted to run from about 0.33 liters per kilogram for touring pros up to 1.0 and more for learners on soft-tops.
Above roughly 1.1 liters per kilogram a board stops sinking under your rail at all, and turning becomes steering. For a beginner that is still fine. It starts to matter at the intermediate step, when you want the rail to bite in a bottom turn; that is when people come down toward 0.6 and the midlength numbers.
Buying the board you want to ride in a year. A 32-liter shortboard at 75 kg looks right in the shop and catches nothing at the beach. Surf the big board until you are catching waves on your own and turning along the face, then step down one family, not three.
More guides: Beginner board size · Soft-top or hard board · Foamie to fiberglass · Used or new.