Looking to buy my 2nd board for paddle surfing

[miker]

Hello everyone.  I've been paddle surfing for a couple of years now off and on.  I live on Vancouver Island, but sadly on the East Coast so no waves here, it takes a good drive out to Tofino for some good waves.

Anyway, I've been learning on my brother's old Jimmy Styks Strider, which is a nice big stable boat, but has some challenges when catching waves.  What I like about it is it's incredible stability, even for a bigger guy like me.  I'm currently just over 6' and weigh 210, although I'm working on getting under 200 in the next couple of months.  I'd like to get a new (best would be 'new to me') board that would allow me a better wave riding experience.  The Strider has it's draw backs, mostly the tendency to pearl unless you REALLY stomp on the tail and the other being maneuverability - it doesn't turn well at all.  I still have a lot of fun on it, but I think it's time for a new board.  I've tried my brother's 10'6" wide point and it's ok, but I wouldn't mind something a little shorter and wider.  I've been considering something like the 10' whopper which I think might have the stability with that 34" width and a bit easier turning with it's 10' length.  I also like the looks and discussion I've read of the Hammer, but it's a long drive down to SoCal to try one out and I don't know exactly which size would be a good fit.

Of course, I could always go with a shorter or narrower board and just do a ton of flat water training here on the east coast until I was ready to hit the waves - the ocean is just across the street from my house.  I'd love to know if any of you have suggestions or feedback on this topic.  I figure at my age (53) I'll probably buy one or two more boards - one maybe now and one just before I retire - so I want to make the right purchase.  I'm hoping to retire at 55 or 56 and will be spending a lot of time on beaches for the next 10 years or so - mostly the Big Island and South and Central America.

[TallDude]

Welcome Miker,
The Easy Rider's shop in Edmonton has some 2016 boards on clearance. I believe you can actually demo boards from them at an indoor mall with a wave pool. Might be an ice rink this time of year? Anything will be an improvement for surfing over that JS Strider.

http://www.theeasyrider.com/palladium/category/standuppaddle

Probably some shops in Seattle as well.

[Shem]

How about a bigger Starboard Hypernut? I surf a lot and ride a 7'8 x 30 at 90kg/195lb I rid eit in everything from 1 foot mush to double over head clean. Stability is awesome. Yes paddling is slower bt you get used to it, and it allows you to take off later anyway. the 8'6 would be a good option for you I think.

Ive surfed the 7'4 and still found it big enough.

[Bulky]

I'm about your size (210) and am a big fan of the Hammer (8-11 by 31 is pretty much my all day go-to board).

Not sure what a jump from the Widepoint to that size Whopper will get you.  Easy to ride but the drop in length will be barely noticeable and increasing width won't really increase performance on a wave (that said, you'd catch a lot and be able to surf a long time).

Like TD said, demo if you can, but maybe look in the 9-5 * 31or32 range.  Should still be plenty of stability and shapes that catch waves easily, but once you're on you'll have more fun.  Hammers come in that size.  I also had fun on a Jimmy Lewis Stryker I rented in HI.

[Dusk Patrol]

Welcome Miker, I'm sure your thinking about board shapes will change over the next few years as you surf more. So the question is what board will be your first of probably many

You mention the Whopper and the Widepoint. Think about how you like to turn. Is it from the tail, longboard style? or from the middle of the board? in the latter case a more shaped board (like the Widepoint) is probably better.  I don't know how short you're comfortable with, but if you look at the 9'5" Whopper shape closely, it looks like it might be a different shape, more pulled in nose, than the 10' Whopper.

Are there rental boards in Tofino? That would be a nice way to get these initial questions answered for yourself.  Have fun!

[NorthJerzSurfer]

You are young in your journey grasshopper.  Buy used and demo often!

[miker]

TallDude: thanks for the heads up on the boards for sale. I might not get all the way to Edmonton (well, I do have an overnight on the way to Puerto Vallarta in a couple months...) but it might be worth having one shipped.

Shem and Bulky: I've looked at the hypernut and it's also intriguing.  I've only ridden the wide point a couple of times, not even enough to really get used to it so I don't want to go from 11'6" right down below 9' right off the bat without adding width for stability.  That might take an awful lot of flat water training to get used to.

Dusk Patrol: part of the problem I'm having is that I can only get out to Tofino about 10 times a year and 95% of the time I surf my big boat, which means the turns are almost exclusively from the back.  I don't really have a 'style', more what I'd made do with so far.

NorthJerzSurfer: I appreciate your advice.  There aren't a lot of used boards around here but there are some options to demo/rent.  I suspect at my level of ability, I'd need a few days on a new board to get used to it.

The Striker can be fun, but it doesn't turn very well at all, for me it's mostly long gentle slalom turns.  I'd like to be able to work up to turning back up the face of a wave in the mid term.  Long term, I'll have to see if I develop a personal style, I suppose.

[JimK]

Miker,

Great to have you join us.

I'd highly recomend the Fanatic AllWave (AW) 9'4 is an easy transition but I bet you'd be able to go 9Ft
These boards are super stable without feeling like a "Barge" They have width a smooth rocker line and the current iterations pulls in the nose and tail for more template  curve for sharper turns.
Plus Fanatic construction is reasonably light and tremedously DURABLE comes with excellent fins and and deck pads that make a perfect setup
This board is super fun in exploring flatwater paddling with good glide for its size

Another board to seriously consider is the Sunova the ONE 9'5 again good stability, fast down the line turns well outstanding construction (a bit lighter than the AW) The fins are OK and a good deck pad...I'll let SUPTHECREEK add more deetail maybe even his new Video.

Another AMAZING thing here is both boards NEW are less than $1199! For boards of this quality of design (no Chinese junk or old designs) and quality of construction THESE BOARDS ARE AMAZING!

PM or email me for more details...I gottas say I'm BLOWN AWAY by both these boards

JimK
Extreme Windsurfing 

[Zooport]

Miker,

Great to have you join us.

I'd highly recomend the Fanatic AllWave (AW) 9'4 is an easy transition but I bet you'd be able to go 9Ft
These boards are super stable without feeling like a "Barge" They have width a smooth rocker line and the current iterations pulls in the nose and tail for more template  curve for sharper turns.
Plus Fanatic construction is reasonably light and tremedously DURABLE comes with excellent fins and and deck pads that make a perfect setup
This board is super fun in exploring flatwater paddling with good glide for its size

Another board to seriously consider is the Sunova the ONE 9'5 again good stability, fast down the line turns well outstanding construction (a bit lighter than the AW) The fins are OK and a good deck pad...I'll let SUPTHECREEK add more deetail maybe even his new Video.

Another AMAZING thing here is both boards NEW are less than $1199! For boards of this quality of design (no Chinese junk or old designs) and quality of construction THESE BOARDS ARE AMAZING!

PM or email me for more details...I gottas say I'm BLOWN AWAY by both these boards

JimK
Extreme Windsurfing 

+1 for the AllWave

[surfafrica]

Miker....welcome to the addiction! At least you don't have the ferry to deal with!

You'll find most boards to be more responsive than one of those Jimmy Styks (sorry Jimmy).  A friend of mine (240 lbs) moved from one of those to a 10' x 34" Starboard Whopper then to a 9'6 x 32" Sup Sports Stoke and improved quite a bit with each step.

I'm a "no" on the Allwave (but that's just my opinion).  I find them heavy (the HRS at least) and the rails are too thick (my buddy has one).  The Sunovas are nice production boards and tend to be a bit more refined. One guy in our crew rides the 9'2 Speeed and it works well for him.  JimK & Creek are great resources to help you find a good Sunova model/size and JimK can have them shipped. I also have a contact who might know a local dealer.  My crew has also had luck with the SUP Sports WD & Stokes. If you do go SUP Sports, I'd suggest his custom carbons over the production versions. I've had good luck with my L41 SIMSUP ST and Infinity RNB out in Tofino. I'm a big fan of custom boards....and the lighter, the better in my books.

Island Surf Co has a selection of SUPs you could check out -> http://www.islandsurfco.ca

Some may argue, but I'm a big believer in not going too big (within reason). You want enough stability to get waves, but if a board is super comfy on your first session, it's probably is too big and might hold you back a bit.  It's amazing how much you can learn and adjust on a board after a few sessions on it.  My friends and I use the following guide lines for volume (for low to upper intermediate skill range):

145 lbs: 85-101 L
155 lbs: 91-109 L
165 lbs: 97-116 L
175 lbs: 103-123 L
185 lbs: 109-130 L
195 lbs: 115-137 L
205 lbs: 121-144 L
215 lbs: 127-151 L
225 lbs: 133-158 L
235 lbs: 139-165 L
245 lbs: 144-172 L

Length, width and shape can then be used to balance your stability vs surfability needs for your conditions. As you know, we often find ourselves in some dumpy beach breaks, so a little less length is sometimes nice (say at NC or SC)....although on those big days at Cox, some extra length can be nice!  (...ya, big Cox...extra length...the jokes can--and do--go on forever).

As always, take all that with a grain of salt....only you know your skill, needs, wants, etc.

Here's a vid with a bunch of shots in Tofino with a number of different boards in action:

[supthecreek]

JimK said:
"Another board to seriously consider is the Sunova the ONE 9'5 again good stability, fast down the line turns well outstanding construction (a bit lighter than the AW) The fins are OK and a good deck pad...I'll let SUPTHECREEK add more deetail maybe even his new Video"

I think that 9'5 "the ONE" by Sunova would be perfect for what you are looking for.
I'm 235 lbs plus winter wetsuit... I have been riding the ONE a lot recently.... a very capable surfer for such an easy board.

My review is done during a  3.5 mile flat-water, morning paddle to show it's versatility.
Plenty of surf vids thrown in... plus I'll put up a shorter, surf only, vid on the Zone today.

[SlatchJim]

Surfafrica speaks the truth.  His volume guidelines are pretty accurate. I've owned a number of the SUP Sports products, starting with two production boards and worked into the carbons, both production and custom.  At my age (53) and size (250#) I can easily stay comfortable on the 9-6 x 33.5" stoke, and on calm days with waves, will steal my wife's 9-2 x 32" stoke just to enjoy it's quickness (it really surfs great, but the slight loss of stability makes it a chore on days with chop - for me). If your break is mushy, the hammer's work fine, but I still prefer the stokes, WDs and Mahalos because I prefer pin tails.  We've owned our Mahalo for over 5 years now, and it's still the favorite of my daughter. All stability and comfort statements need to be tested by the rider.  Everyone, everywhere and every day is different.

I like your plan of retiring in a few years and surfing a bunch.  That's mine too, just add about 4 years or so. 

[miker]

I'm a bit overwhelmed by all of the suggestions and information right now, but one thing really surprised me and that was surfafrica's volume guidelines.  I had thought that coming down in volume by 25L or so at a time was sort of the standard progression and that I'd be targeting more like 175L for my next board (similar to what my brother did when he switched from the Strider at 218L to the Widepoint at 178L.)

We stop in at Island Surf Co fairly regularly on our way out to Tofino since they are right along the way.  I'll be researching the options presented here thinking about the best path forward from here.

[SUP Sports ®]

Hello everyone.  I've been paddle surfing for a couple of years now off and on.  I live on Vancouver Island, but sadly on the East Coast so no waves here, it takes a good drive out to Tofino for some good waves....snippity...

I also like the looks and discussion I've read of the Hammer, but it's a long drive down to SoCal to try one out and I don't know exactly which size would be a good fit.

Of course, I could always go with a shorter or narrower board and just do a ton of flat water training here on the east coast until I was ready to hit the waves - the ocean is just across the street from my house.  I'd love to know if any of you have suggestions or feedback on this topic.  I figure at my age (53) I'll probably buy one or two more boards - one maybe now and one just before I retire - so I want to make the right purchase.  I'm hoping to retire at 55 or 56 and will be spending a lot of time on beaches for the next 10 years or so - mostly the Big Island and South and Central America.

Aloha miker,
If you want to make the right purchase, then I would recommend that you avoid the Whopper...too much rocker pushes water...the huge wide nose increases swing weight...and, at your height/weight you don't need the 34" width...3 fin boxes are also limiting...
 
No need to get "paralysis by analysis"...the way that I see it, your decision really boils down to your surfing style...and, also if you are planning to take your new board consideration on airplane flights to the Big Island and/or South and Central America in the interim before you retire...

We have a number of folks on Vancouver Island riding our boards...both production and custom...from cruisier longboard style surfers on bigger Hammers...to bigger wave chargers on Stokes...down to short board style rippers on my WD's and Jammers...

You mentioned the Hammer...it's a very versatile board...5 fin boxes...very fast and maneuverable on the wave face...nice stability and glide...you can nose ride it...trim it mid-section...or, rip cutbacks off of the tail...really has proven itself to be an awesome bread & butter "ONE DESIGN SUP"...
I even have built mine with a foil cavity box and mast track...

You can also ride this board shorter than a more conventional board because of it's volume distribution packed into a compact size...great for travel...
Our production Hammer at 8'11" x 31" @ 148 liters or the 9'5" x 31" @ 160 liters would be a no-brainer...to the Hammer...any wave is a nail...

I'm a little under 200# and take an 8'11" Hammer with me on just about every trip...top pic is in Central America...

Another option if you are looking to surf bigger and/or hollower waves is my Stoke line...you'd be happy with either the 9'2" x 32" or the 9'6" x 32"...both will exceed your expectations...absolutely dialed in classic designs...also, with 5 fin boxes for max versatility...

Of course, we can build you a custom board at any size/volume you want...in fact, we are building an 8'10" x 33.5" @ 153.47 liters WD right now for a guy 25# heavier than you for his travel board...

Here's a couple of vid clips showing the design differences between the Hammer and Stoke...









Lots more images and vid clips on these links...PM me or email if you have any questions at all...

http://supsports.com/standup-paddle-boards/hammer-series

http://supsports.com/standup-paddle-boards/stoke-series

[surfafrica]

I'm a bit overwhelmed by all of the suggestions and information right now, but one thing really surprised me and that was surfafrica's volume guidelines.  I had thought that coming down in volume by 25L or so at a time was sort of the standard progression and that I'd be targeting more like 175L for my next board (similar to what my brother did when he switched from the Strider at 218L to the Widepoint at 178L.)

Oh ya, I hear you!  I made a very similar post to yours here when I first started looking to buy a surf-focused SUP.  So many options out there. 

For your size and from my understanding of what you might be looking for, I think you should consider 150-165 L.  You could go lower as an intermediate, but there are a bunch of boards in that 150-165 L zone that would work really well for you.  178-218 L wouldn't be SUPing, it'd be bargeSUPing. 

Here are some references of some of my crew that might be applicable for you (all surf Tofino).

1.) 43, 220 lbs, low intermediate.  He surfs about 6-8 weekends a year.  He has two boards depending on conditions and his mood:

8'6 x 31, 140 L L41 SIMSUP ST (he rides this one the most)
9'6 x 32, 165 L Sup Sports Stoke (for windy, big or bumpy days, or when he's feeling tired)

2.) 43, 240 lbs, low intermediate and surfs a 9'6 x 32, 165 L SUP Sports Stoke. He surfs 10 or so weekends a year.

3.) 65-ish, 175 lbs and an upper beginner.  He surfs a 9'2 x 30.75, 148 L Sunova Speeed.  He surfs 6-8 weekends a year.

One thing I appreciate for waves in Tofino is the ability to surf a board from the middle when needed.  This is where I think boards like Sunova's "The One" and SUP Sports Stoke work well, or boards like short SIMS shapes where you are on the tail when you first come out of standing stance to surf stance.