Deadbait
I bought a 9'6 Allwave 2 weeks ago and I LOVE it.
Like you I learned on a big board. I was surfing a 11'2 x 36 Starboard Avanti as a first SUP... but I was 295 lbs... great first board and it surfs amazingly well for it's size. I surfed and paddled my way to 233lbs and was ready for a much smaller board.... the 9'6 Allwave
I spent 5 months of trolling forums for info on the Fanatic Allwave. I got lots of great info on the Australian site "seabreeze"... happy with that... I bought the 9'6. Go there and searh for the Allwave... LOTS of replies to my queries.
I had previously paddled the Starboard 10'5 wide point and the 9'8 Element. Although I could paddle both with out too much problem... I found them somewhat tippy and tiresome. I think the difference for me was the nose width... a little narrow on the wide point... but then I am quite a bit heavier than you. I never surfed the Starby's.
My first day on my 9'6 Allwave was in small point waves... never fell off once and it surfed great for gutless little waves... I could feel how easily it turned and actually pumped down the line and generated some speed from the mushers... noserides pretty well also.
I flatwater paddled the board 3 times... each for at least 2 hours... just to get to know it. It was stable and surprisingly respectable on long paddles. For such a curvy outline it did not yaw too much. I enjoyed these paddles on my "shortboard"
Two weeks of crap waves and then this Wednesday I got to see what it was made of!
Head high+ zipper tubes ending in a pounding shorebreak.... waves like this is the reason I bought the Allwave. They would have been
very dangerous on my Avanti... ask me how I know...
... I was used to getting the crap beat out of me riding a board that just did not fit into sucked up thumpers... It was more suited to point waves.
The Allwave was perfect! I could get in with no trouble... pump hard and fast down the line and exit with numerous fly away kickouts to avoid damp sand beatings. I felt like I was on a shortboard again... No snickers here boys... It truly felt quicker rail to rail, than my high performance 9' longboards used to.
The fish shape and curvy outline makes it loose and agile. I was able to accelerate out of the turns and the full rails held fast on every wave.... I never missed a takeoff and made a lot of waves.... not slotted and cruising, but turning hard and working the wave. The board NEVER slipped or let me down in any way... I am
psyched!
That is exactly why I bought it.
As far as the 9'6 being more volume than you need... that might be,
however... it surfs MUCH smaller than it's size and if you got one that was more than you need for your weight... I think you would love the stability and wave catching ability of slightly too big...and I do NOT believe you would be unhappy with its performance.
They are LIGHT... I weighed mine with the bathroom scale/holding the board... scientific method... came up with 23 lbs.
They are extremely well built... everyone in OZ says so... and I can't find one paddle mark or dent anywhere on the board after paddling or surfing everyday for 2 weeks.... NO paint to chip
The deck grip is EXCELLENT... it goes right to the rails and is comfortable and GRIPPY.
The stomp pad is perfectly placed and substantial. I bought some "Hula Dek" roll on deck grip for the nose... easy to apply, super grip and invisible.
The nose on the Allwave is wide but surprisingly thin for a fairly thick board... perfect swing weight, board whips around like a pointy model... but more stable
and you can noseride it.
The fins are a true thruster set up, sporting 5" side bites and 5 7/8" center. loose and positive.
The deck is extremely flat... great for stability
The bottom carries a "V" from near the nose through the tail which makes it very rail to rail.
The nose kick is not as strong as I would like. I buried it on a few takeoffs while leaning forward and stroking hard... BUT I was able to pull it out in every case and make the rather critical drops.
The board rides very well from a fixed stance with the back foot on or near the Stomper and the front foot fairly close to the centerline. Just pump and go.
I can't wait to get it into some point waves where I can surf more over the face instead of down the line... In fact I was so excited Wednesday... after 3 hours in zipper shorebreak... I drove 3.5 hours out of state, to try some point waves. They were lack luster waves BUT I was able to try some cutbacks and rebounds off the soup... this is going to be a GREAT board.... a 14 hour marathon surf day from 6am to 8pm
I bought the board from JimK at Extremewindsurfing in Atlantic City N.J.
www.extremewindsurfing.comHe is an extremely knowledgeable and excited to talk SUP.
He offers discounts to fellow Zoners.
His prices and service are fantastic.
He KNOWS boards... from surf to paddle to exactly the construction layup schedules.
I'll include some shots I took to show some of the boards features.
I hope my impressions help anyone interested in the Allwave... feel free to PM me with any questions.
Deadbait, Good luck with selecting a new board and let us know what you get.
