boards for larger people

[gmhokenson]

I have some friends that are in the 300 pound range does anyone make boards for plus size people?  As I think this is a great sport for fitness, and losing weight.

[AJR]

Try South County Surf or Joe Blair. NSP also has a big board that may work...

[SUP Sports ®]

We've had great success hooking up our larger clients that surf on the 11'2" x 36" @ 206 liters Starboard Avanti...

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2010/02/starboard-2010-avanti.html

For overall fitness paddling, the 11'2" x 37" @ 250 liters Starboard Fisherman has really been remarkable...

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2010/09/starboard_fisherman_in_stock.html

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2010/11/starboard-fisherman-adventure-sup.html

We just had a client near 300 lbs pick one up after he was able to paddle with his sons on it at our last demo...very versatile...also, put dogs and fishing/camping gear on it...

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2011/02/valentine-paddle-boarding.html

Obviously, one of the most stable boards on the planet...this board also has a very fast bottom...everyone was amazed at the effortless glide it produced...

The Starboard Atlas at 12' x 33" @ 236 liters would also do the trick...

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2010/12/starboard-atlas.html

On the budget end of the spectrum, the Cobra factory built NSP 11'6" x 33" @ 235 liters is hard to beat...

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2010/06/new_surf_project.html

[Big Z]

Laird Pearson Arrow 12ft. great board super stable and surfs well. So if he can't surf now it will be a good one when he does get the whole SUP thing down. It flat waters good specially if you put a big center fin in and no side biters. I own one and I love it, besides the 11fter, its a most awesome board. I am about 255lbs...so aloha and good luck!

[Easy Rider]

Pick one of the ones Wardog suggested.
Avanti
Fisherman
Atlas

[corran]

Our 9'10" Chopper can hold a monster - for surfing, and for flatwater/surf the 12'x32" Crossover has proven to be amazing.

Corran

http://web.me.com/imaginesurf/eng/ecological-performance-sup.html

Crossover (29" wide model shown here)


Chopper

[JimK]

As a big guy (6'2 280#) I ride EVERYTHING around that is for big guys and it is simply this

For Big Guys
South County 10Ft or Turtle
Pau Hana Big EZ (11ft X 32") great flatwater and nose rider super easy to surf
Naish Mana 10'5" great in flatwater and surfers better than they say (plus you can windsurf it!
EKO 11 PADDILAC (11 x 36") very smooth feel Best board 36" and over I've ever ridden

There are other factors for big guys like paddles size/stiffness that are critical to the Fun Factor for bigger folks

PM or email me for more details on boards and paddle and more

JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com

[mik911]

If you're in SoCal, I've got a South County 10' for sale.
PM me if interested

[PonoBill]

I think if I were getting a really big guy on a board i'd try to push the limit a little. Not enough to disappoint and discourage them, just enough to make it a challenge. I don't know what my brother Bob weighed when I gave him a starboard 12'6", but I bet it was closer to 300 than he wants to admit, and it was a very good board for him. He still has it--and a full quiver of other boards.

It should be a little hard. It will make it that much sweeter when they lose 30 pounds. Spoken as a guy who just lost 25 pounds and had his Foote 14 Maliko wake up like a magic carpet.

[mdsurf]

Mik911

Nice looking board, it's in great shape.  That is the 10 footer that will float 300 easy and it is good all around for fitness and paddling and surfing.  That is the perfect 300 pound newbie board that also surfs great.

There is your answer to your question gmho.

[SoCo]

Whoa, that's an early 2007 model South County 10'er. Still in great shape too.
They were 35" wide, super stable and we've had guys 350lbs. paddle those with no problems.
Sorry to hear you are getting rid of it Mike but I'm sure it will bring the next owner the same stoke it gave you.

[mik911]

Yeah,  I've really enjoyed this board, and not putting much effort into actively selling it (no ads in classifieds), but if the opportunity arises, I'd like to move onto something a little smaller (I'm just under 200#).

SoCo John--maybe we'll hook up at a paddling event soon, and you can show me some of your new smaller shapes.

Mike

[SoCo]

Sure thing Mike, got some that will blow you away, lots of changes since 2007....maybe Mongoose Cup next Saturday, if you are there look me up. I'm in charge of the training clinics.

[starman]

I'm going to have to disagree with Bill and go with Wardoggy on this one. The bottom line for a beginner regardless of their ultimate goal is to have fun. You want to be able to paddle regardless of the conditions. Meaning you can pretty much paddle anything when it's flat but add a swell and wind chop from another direction you find out pretty quick what works and doesn't. So if the goal is fitness and weight loss up front then you need to be out their daily and getting that stroke down was well your sea legs. If you are doing the hula the whole time that stoke is more like a slap because you are just trying to stay dry for more then a minute at a time.

[AJR]

Saw this on Craigslist today- 

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/spo/2249697265.html