benefits of a longer sup in medium Calif surf

[lopezwill]

  I sold one of my short sup boards and was forced to sup surf my 12 footer PSH on this last swell. The waves were 4 to 8 foot faces with a dumping shore break.  The swells would roll in, crumble and then dump on the inside sand bar.  The waves had power today with a strong current.  My lay down friends were really frustrated with these waves and we forced to surf the inside shore pound with little to no speed to beat out the sections.  They are all good surfers one of which was on a 9'6" high performance long board.  They just couldn't catch the swells out the back with their boards.

  With that 12 footer I was able to catch the waves on the way outside.  I would just roll down the back of the swells. I could get a good bottom turn in and a few speedy carves before I got to the shore pound.  On most of the waves I lost the race on the inside but on some I made it to clear water.  Many times I would cut out just before the shore break and paddle back out (due to the paddling speed of that board) ready for the next set.  It just proved to me again the benefits of a longer sup surfing board for larger Calif surf.  I'm wondering now if anybody else prefers the longer boards in medium large surf?

  Sorry no photos.  too much fun sup surfing.  After two hours.. I'm spent.  Here is a photo of the 12 footer and  large wave at Secos (just north of Malibu) from that Aug 27th swell.

[SlatchJim]

I have designs on a longer board now, but...if that is medium surf,...well,.... this thread doesn't apply to me.   

[standuped]

  With that 12 footer I was able to catch the waves on the way outside...  I would cut out just before the shore break and paddle back out (due to the paddling speed of that board) ready for the next set.....  It just proved to me again the benefits of a longer sup surfing board for larger Calif surf.  I'm wondering now if anybody else prefers the longer boards in medium large surf?

So many good reasons to go this route.   Especially in the medium to big. Catch the last big one of the set, and catch it early. Then I'm not looking so much to slash, I want speed to make the next section if  needed to orchestrate my "exit strategy". Getting back out is also a big element of the equation for me. Paddle speed (glide) is huge.  Many times I find myself with just split seconds being the difference to make it over a breaking wave, a short board is going to come up - well short.  Also speaking of breaking waves more and more I have astonished my self "olie-ing" my board over the white water in a surf stance. the slightly longer board seams to be less pitchy.  I'm loving my 10'6" Generator, I know it's an old school design but there is a reason people like classic rock.

[Area 10]

I have designs on a longer board now, but...if that is medium surf,...well,.... this thread doesn't apply to me. 

Me neither. But I love my PSH 12 gun for fat waves waaay offshore, bombies and the like. Classic board. I miss PSH...the Blane Chambers designed production boards were some of the most advanced production boards we've ever seen, especially if your surf has juice.

[ninja tuna]

Those waves don't apply to me either being in Florida.  We do have some way outside sandbars that I have yet to explore on a big swell.

But, I do have a PSH 12'6" hull paddler.  With the hurricane swell on the way, everyone including me was chomping at the bit to get out. Wednesday morning, the swell did not exactly show up on time.  It was still small so it was good choice to take out the big board to take advantage of the glide.  The situation was similar to what Lopez described, except way smaller.  The waves would jack up on the outside sandbar, not break, and continue to just roll until they got to the beach break. I could ride these unbreaking waves for 60 to 70 to 80 yards until they got to the shore break.  They were only about chest high but it was fun.  Had to make do with what I had, and it was fun.  Just pull out before it pitched up for the shore pound.   I finally had one break that was a hair overhead so I was able to do some turns on that wave.  By that time I had been out there for 3 hours. Went home, ate lunch, and grabbed the shorter board as the swell increased in the afternoon.

[lopezwill]

SlatchJim

  Sorry…I would say that photo is very LARGE surf for the Malibu area.  Depending on where you were…southern Calif. or Malibu that Aug 27th Hurricane swell was "Epic."  I'm no photographer.  I just took a lot of photos of big waves that day.  I have never seen such consistent large surf in that area as I did that day.  I'm still stoked about the waves I saw in person! 

  I just like to post a few amateur (out of focus mostly) photos in this forum from time to time.  I really like it when people post photos of waves and sup surfing…any size surf from ankle snappers to well over head bombs.

Here's a photo of two sup guys surfing a spot just north of County Line on Aug 27th.  These were inside waves that day.  Sorry there out of focus…but you get the picture.

[balance_fit]

 
  With that 12 footer I was able to catch the waves on the way outside.  I would just roll down the back of the swells. I could get a good bottom turn in and a few speedy carves before I got to the shore pound.  On most of the waves I lost the race on the inside but on some I made it to clear water.  I'm wondering now if anybody else prefers the longer boards in medium large surf?

 

Hi lopezwill !

How much volume do you carry on that 12 footer? It looks gunny ! Reminds me of the classic Jimmy Lewis 12'6 Bombora. 

As quoted, one of the nicer things on an sup is the ability to catch waves way behind, and glide them until they're nothing. In my case, i have the pleasure of surfing on reef breaks that allow me a clean run, connecting waves on the inside until there is no more wave, because there's no shorebreak to kick out of-the reef ends on a deeper water channel.

I paddle surf a voluminous 9'6, but, not a heavily rockered one, so i'm able to glide easily and enjoy waves to the end, paddling back quite quickly for more. And the largest waves i ride are slightly OH, most always mushy crumblers.

I had an old Takayama 11' which i sold, and shouldn't have. That board had an eternal glide and it was maneuverable back on the tail. I tend to gravitate from 9 to 11 feet boards to surf on, and my personal style of surfing matches the longer boards better, so i understand your stoke on the longer shapes.

One of these small days i'm getting my Coreban Alpha 12'6 to the surf zone....

Be well

[surfinJ]

I think being on a longer board makes the larger wave experience more
manageable.  Longer paddling distances to get to takeoff area, much more
current to deal with, mobility to hunt down the peak or dodge the cleanup
sets.

I've got a PSH 10-6x28AA, PSH 11x31AA and a 10-5x28 Jeff Clark gun.
Large quads for the first, large fatboy single for the second and the gun I'm
still figuring out. I'll see guys out on shorter boards but they've got to sit and
wait underneath the set.  I'd rather paddle in early on the outside when it's
big.

[lunchbox]

Yeah...I can totally relate to this thread. Through a lot of experimentation, I have come to the conclusion, that for my skillset and my conditions, my board of choice is in the 9'2" range. I've tried smaller boards, but the lack of glide just defeats the purpose of stand up for me (i.e. getting in early).

But, I don't think I'm ready to get my RHCC 12'6" in anything over head high. For me, my Prowave 9'6" is just so much more fun.

Now for waist high and below...I'll take either my 10'2" T. Patterson or RHCC and be all smiles.