Author Topic: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?  (Read 4538 times)

TP

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Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« on: February 27, 2012, 08:00:30 PM »
As the title says, I'm in the market for a 2nd board.  I currently have a 9'3" Naish Hokua, and I really enjoy it on the waves... once I'm on the wave, but it can be a bugger to get there. I surf on the west coast of BC and when we get clean waves, the 9'3" is tons of fun, but it is less then ideal the rest of the time, which unfortunately is the majority of the time!

We have a major problem with SUP haters out here, fortunately its mostly beach break, so I can usually find a peak to myself, but it would be nice not to be constantly struggling in the wind chop/tide/currents to stay upright on the board.  I have pretty good balance, few other guys that SUP with us can even stand on the 9'3" in our conditions.

I'm looking for something that is more stable in wind chop, is easier to get on slower moving waves, maybe a little easier on distance paddles (1-2miles) for some offshore breaks, and will generally complement the 9'3".  I would love it if the board could surf as well on the wave as the Hokua.  I like the light weight, slim nose and the amount of nose rocker the Hokua has, it makes the massive amounts of white water and steep take-offs a little more bearable.  I'm an intermediate surfer at best.

Suggestions?  I was thinking something along the line of the Starboard 9'8" Element, 9'0" Converse, or either the 9'5" or 8'10" Widepoint.  I have local dealers for Starboard and Naish, everything else is getting shipped... Unfortunately local demo's dont exist. I'm 170lbs and 6'.

Thanks for any help!

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2012, 04:50:08 AM »
Aloha TP,
Sounds like you are struggling with stability...
As you prolly are acutely aware, you are not gonna be able to beat back SUP hate in the lineup if you are constantly falling off in front of crawlers for no friggin' reason...I call those NFR's...;-)

I'm very familiar with the Starboard Wide Point Series, as I designed the original 8'10" WP and gave them the series name...any of them are going to be an order of magnitude more stable than what you are riding...with beach break, I would steer you towards the WP's over the Converse or Element with their wider noses...

In our board line we have a number of options that would work for you...starting with our 8'10" x 32" WD Wide...the standard 9'6" x 30.5" Stoke...or, possibly 32" Stoke Wide if you are considering the 9'5" WP...all quad + 1 option which you will want for paddle surfing beach breaks...

I have lots of info and pics of all of the boards you have mentioned in your post on my site...plus, the couple that I just recommended...you can also compare and contrast them as well...as shown in pics below with 9'5" WP and 9'8" Element...here's a few links that will help get you started...

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2011/09/supsports-new-sup-models.html

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2011/12/sup-sports-board-models.html

http://blog.surfingsports.com/tag/2011-starboard-wide-point

We also produce these models here on the West Coast in carbon and standard epoxy...just built one for a guy on the central Oregon coast...we have a carbon Jammer rider on the Washington coast...in fact, we ship them all over the world...
building a carbon Stoke now for a guy in East Africa...so no problemo getting one to you...

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2012/02/more-carbon-stoke.html

Good luck building out your quiver...
« Last Edit: February 28, 2012, 04:57:42 AM by SUPsports »
Mahalos...{:~)

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TP

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2012, 09:10:30 AM »
Thanks for the info Wardog.  I've tried the first year of the Naish Mana (9'5" I believe).  I could stand on the board fine, and I dont have the balance that I do now, but I didn't like the feel of it while I was surfing and found that it plowed way too much water when I was paddling. I also had a real feeling of fore/aft instability, I was never sure if this was due to the amount of overall board rocker or the high volume of the Mana. How do the WidePoints, both your's and Starboards, compare to the Mana?

Why would you recommend a Widepoint over a Converse? Of course I was starting to lean towards a Converse as I was thinking that would be the better paddling board.

Thanks.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2012, 09:12:02 AM by TP »

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2012, 09:50:51 AM »
Thanks for the info Wardog.  I've tried the first year of the Naish Mana (9'5" I believe).  I could stand on the board fine, and I dont have the balance that I do now, but I didn't like the feel of it while I was surfing and found that it plowed way too much water when I was paddling. I also had a real feeling of fore/aft instability, I was never sure if this was due to the amount of overall board rocker or the high volume of the Mana. How do the WidePoints, both your's and Starboards, compare to the Mana?

Why would you recommend a Widepoint over a Converse? Of course I was starting to lean towards a Converse as I was thinking that would be the better paddling board.

Thanks.



TP, as you have already noticed, the Mana does plows water...very sluggish paddler...the wide nose doesn't help, either...to turn it you have to be right on the very back of the tail...the same issue that causes the Mana to plow water also causes that fore/aft instability...rocker starts right in front of where you stand...so, it really doesn't compare to our boards or the SB's...

Volume is much lower than stated...

I estimated it at 165 liters, regardless of what Naish still maintains...FWIW, everyone that I've talked to that has ridden it agrees with me...but, you might find a few Naish wonks that say otherwise...;-)

I ruled out the Converse because, like the Mana, it has a wide longboard style nose...not optimum for beachbreak surf or for longer distance paddling...catches chop and wind...it does paddle decently well for a 9'er...but, the rocker is a little flat for my taste on the wave...if you want to be shorter than your current ride, then the 8'10" WD Wide or SB WP is your huckleberry...

Between our boards and the SB's that you listed, I think you'll find a great 2nd board to solve your problem...I think you need a more pulled nose and quad option if you want your surf skills to continue to improve in steeper, more challenging beachbreak waves...

Our boards have faster rockers...and, we shape the rails to be more 60/40 profile than the softer 50/50 rail that SB incorporates...they have been tested from Alaska to Fiji and people are stoked...

Since we are the manufacturer and don't have the added overhead of international team riders...etc...our much lower pricing is reflected in direct customer supply chain logistics...
Mahalos...{:~)

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marky

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2012, 11:14:44 AM »
 would not go for the 8.10 widepoint turns great but very slow on the wave and even slower to  paddle

Mark

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2012, 01:13:56 PM »
would not go for the 8.10 widepoint turns great but very slow on the wave and even slower to  paddle

Mark

You're not gonna win a race on any sub-9' waveriding SUP...but, in my experience at 200#, the 8'10" WP is fast enough...especially, in quad mode and carbon...our version has a bit faster rocker and more vee...and, double barrel...with sharper rails...

I haven't been on a faster sub-9' board...my wife can paddle it as fast as the fastest I can walk...which is fast enough for paddling back from a wave ride, IMO...;-)

Also, for clarity sake, there are big differences going from 2011/2012 models...

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2012/02/810-wd-wide-points.html
Mahalos...{:~)

WARDOG ®
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TP

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2012, 03:25:55 PM »
How does the WD 8'10" WP and the 9'6" Stoke compare to the 9'3" Hokua in terms of board speed on the wave and paddling speed. One thing that I dont like about the Hokua is the V-Bottom section at the tail, awesome once your moving, but on some slower waves, I sometimes feel the need to keep paddling, which I dont on other boards.

How about catching slower moving sets or getting on a little earlier on the bigger outside waves?

Wardog, from the info that is available on your website I have narrowed it down to the 8'10" or the 9'6" Stoke.  Recommendations?  Which of those two boards would work better to get someone into the sport. (my girlfriend is tiny and a gymnast, so I'm pretty sure she'll be able to stand on anything, but I'm still curious)

Thanks.

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2012, 04:21:19 PM »
TP, I would lean you towards the Stoke...it is so refined and dialed in...absolutely classic...perfection achieved...wouldn't change a thing...evolved from a number of design iterations...

Does everything well...fast, loose, stable, glides well...you won't miss any waves on this puppy...great secondary stability...and, definitely won't need to paddle once on the wave...the Stoke is also very popular in carbon...great all around traveling size...perfect combo of surfiness and glide...

http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=10825.0

You would lose glide on the 8'10" and the width wouldn't be good for your GF as far as tracking...if you really wanted to concentrate on short board skills...and, have an aggressive climb and drop surf style...then, I'd go for it...otherwise, the Stoke is a no-brainer...it will prolly force you to sell your current board...;-)

"The Stoke is a refined wave rider with great glide and stability. We’ve ridden just about all of the mid-9′ SUP’s on the planet and the Stoke comes out on top…read CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS...
The quad + 1 fin box setup allows the rider to dial into whatever the conditions throw out…steeper beach break or smaller waves where a faster board is the call, try running the quad setup…bigger surf where more drive is needed…or longer paddles, run as a trifin…the Stoke is also popular with our wahine clients who want a smaller board that is stable…glides well…and, is not too big…off-water mobility is a piece of cake…"

Heaps more shots in this gallery and on the website...

http://surfingsports.com/supsports_sups_gallery1/album/index.html

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2011/09/supsports-new-sup-models.html
Mahalos...{:~)

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Dwight (DW)

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2012, 05:53:17 PM »
One thing that I dont like about the Hokua is the V-Bottom section at the tail, awesome once your moving, but on some slower waves, I sometimes feel the need to keep paddling, which I dont on other boards.

Not only that, but that bottom shape makes it far less stable. Almost anything of similar dimensions, with a more current bottom shape, would out perform it in every way. That shape is something like 5 years old by now.

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2012, 08:12:45 PM »
One thing that I dont like about the Hokua is the V-Bottom section at the tail, awesome once your moving, but on some slower waves, I sometimes feel the need to keep paddling, which I dont on other boards.

Not only that, but that bottom shape makes it far less stable. Almost anything of similar dimensions, with a more current bottom shape, would out perform it in every way. That shape is something like 5 years old by now.

Zackly...it came from the original 10'6" x 28"...very tippy for higher weight paddlers...
I remember paddling it 10 miles in a piss wind breeze against the prevailing current...
I'm 200 lbs and wouldn't do it again, (unless somebody paid me) at this point in SUP evolution...;-)
Mahalos...{:~)

WARDOG ®
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(805)962-SUPS (7877) store
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TP

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #10 on: February 29, 2012, 10:39:29 AM »
Hi Wardog,

I've sent you an email with some questions regarding a custom board.

Thanks

SlatchJim

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #11 on: February 29, 2012, 11:37:43 AM »
Wardog,
Do you have any plans to give a little more width to the mahalo (I'm thinking 32") or is that something you'll keep as a custom order?

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #12 on: February 29, 2012, 11:45:55 AM »
Wardog,
Do you have any plans to give a little more width to the mahalo (I'm thinking 32") or is that something you'll keep as a custom order?

Right now that Mahalo dim (10'3" x 32") is custom...as you know, standard is 29.5"...wide is 31"...
We will have a XX Wide production version at 32.5" in stock June time frame...
Mahalos...{:~)

WARDOG ®
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(805)962-SUPS (7877) store
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PonoBill

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #13 on: February 29, 2012, 12:31:46 PM »
Zackly...it came from the original 10'6" x 28"...very tippy for higher weight paddlers...
I remember paddling it 10 miles in a piss wind breeze against the prevailing current...
I'm 200 lbs and wouldn't do it again, (unless somebody paid me) at this point in SUP evolution...;-)

I was always amazed at the poor stability of the 10'6". It LOOKED right, and seemed like it should work, but I've never fallen more often on any other board.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Weasels wake

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Re: Time for a 2nd board.... suggestions?
« Reply #14 on: February 29, 2012, 04:57:01 PM »
would not go for the 8.10 widepoint turns great but very slow on the wave and even slower to  paddle

Mark

You're not gonna win a race on any sub-9' waveriding SUP...but, in my experience at 200#, the 8'10" WP is fast enough...especially, in quad mode and carbon...our version has a bit faster rocker and more vee...and, double barrel...with sharper rails...

I haven't been on a faster sub-9' board...my wife can paddle it as fast as the fastest I can walk...which is fast enough for paddling back from a wave ride, IMO...;-)

Also, for clarity sake, there are big differences going from 2011/2012 models...



Too bad you can't get anymore 2011's, glad I got mine.  ;)
It takes a quiver to do that.

 


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