Author Topic: Newb questions?  (Read 3978 times)

SUP ox

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Newb questions?
« on: October 21, 2014, 02:04:26 PM »
Hello all. I fianlly took the plunge after the wife went nuts with the whole SUP life.

I went out for my first lesson in the ocean ( small bumps for waves). The board i had was 30" and looked liek a red soft foam board. I struggled for a hour to get up and stay up. I was so tired from hauling my 6 ft 245lb frame up on that board, had to be 30 times. The best i was able to stay up was like 3 minutes.

Went the next week and the instructor brought a different board, it was bigger but under my weight it was kind of sinkign and hard to stay up. This was far better but my ankles were going back and forth after being on the board for a few minutes i needed to sit back down just to relax my ankles. But all in all better than the first week.

Now last week i got on to another board this time a NSP 10'6" x 32". I floated a litlle better yet and did not fall near as much but there were more waves and everytime the waves came my ankles would shake and then off i went.

I know i need to work i my balance but how do i get to demo these wider more stable boards so i can actually learn and get water time. I will buy a board but want ot demo it first because my fat arse need alot of volume!

I am in South Florida does anyone know how to or where to demo the BIG guy boards?

Thanks for any and all comments helping a big old guy have some fun and get back into the game of chasing his wife around the ocean on a board!

Bulky

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2014, 02:30:08 PM »
That's a pretty standard first outing.  I actually don't think you need to look much further than a 10'6 32". I weighed 245 when I started and that was my go-to board--I have to think there's about 180-190L of volume which is plenty.

It's an additional challenge to start out in the open ocean/surf zone.  If you can, grab that board and go into calmer, protected water and see how things go.  I suspect you'll see that it floats you fine--just a matter of getting sea legs and TOW (Time on Water).  You'll likely be amazed at how much you'll improve in 5-6 sessions.  Hang in there and don't give up!
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OUTSIDEWAVE

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2014, 02:31:22 PM »
how old are you and  have you ever surfed before.....  for me after surfing for 46 years couldn't pop up tries to sup a on  a big ol laird 11x29    feel  so much ai was actually sore the next day . In my  more youfull days   mid forties I was capable of making late free drops and pulling it off.   but i was 58  when i first tries sup and it was a tough tough  event.   I  rented a few boards demoed as many as I could   then one day  i rented a hobie atr  and paddled across the harbour at dana point  baby beach made it all the way across an then it clicked ..... so the answer is   time on the water   calm water first. then a little more.  when you can handle closely spaced boat 2 feet spacing on waves   1 foot  high (makes you adjust your weight  a  lot ) wakes you are ready for the ocean on a calm day.  the ocean is a different ball game  so many small  wind waves  and  currents   it will take some time to get used to it. 
so  when you buy your first board be sure it is challenging enough to  advance on.  maybe some thing like a 10 x 32  joe blair or naish mana  or a sup sports  or a c-4 water man 106 x32 there are  a lot of   options

Next and even more important  if you don't  know them already  LEARN THE RULES OF SURF ETIQUETTE
 
1  don't drop in
 
2 don't paddle in front  of someone on a wave

3. be polite courteous you  are an ambassador for the sport

4  don  be a wave hog if you   are already a good surfer..

there re more so search the  forum  and most of  all  HAVE FUN OUT THERE!!
 
SEA BIRDS THEY DO TOUCH AND GO AS THE WORLD JUST TANGOES BY.... SO I SADDLE UP MY SEAHORSE WITH MY FLYROD IN MY HAND.... 10'3 King custom  10'6"  c4 da beachboy

SlatchJim

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2014, 03:47:03 PM »
Thanks for any and all comments helping a big old guy have some fun and get back into the game of chasing his wife around the ocean on a board!

I met my wife when I was but a lad of 17, and through all the years of beach trips and water time, she didn't really surf with me until about 4 years ago.  Now at 51 I get more waves, more surf time, and something we both love all with a simple board and paddle.  Best move you could make.

P.S. Don't be afraid of a nice big stable board.  You'll grow beyond that board quickly but everyone you'll want to take out with you for their first try will love you for the extra inches and stability.  For dealers in the FL area, search florida or some cities near you and I'd guess you'll have several shops represented with posts here.

SUP ox

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2014, 03:49:13 PM »
Thanks for the replays, I'm 48, never lived near the ocean so never surfed but back in the day was on a skateboard a lot. Been a athlete my whole life so I am not afraid to work out and practice till I get it. Just want to make sure I am using the proper equipment to start

Zooport

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2014, 03:51:56 PM »
SUP ox, you skipped a step.  It is much easier to learn the basics on flat water.  It is impressive that you are able to stand on the board at all on a rolling ocean.  You would be amazed at how easy it would be on that 10'6 X 32 board on calm water.  You will eventually get it down, even on the ocean, and you will be a step ahead of someone who only can do it on flat water.  Keep us posted on your progress.
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SUPcheat

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #6 on: October 21, 2014, 03:59:10 PM »
SUP ox, you skipped a step.  It is much easier to learn the basics on flat water.  It is impressive that you are able to stand on the board at all on a rolling ocean.  You would be amazed at how easy it would be on that 10'6 X 32 board on calm water.  You will eventually get it down, even on the ocean, and you will be a step ahead of someone who only can do it on flat water.  Keep us posted on your progress.
With no water or surf experience, I practiced on the harbor (relatively and intermittently flat) for ten months on a 10'6"x32 Red Paddle inflatable before going into the ocean.  The ocean was MUCH harder due to the relentless wave and water motion, I was on my knees a lot for another couple of months before being comfortable standing up out there.

I don't know if I am typical or slow in learning, but the balance thing has been very slow and incremental and is still moving forward.  I can tell my balance is getting better after about 26 months.  I hope it keeps up.  I used to fear I would reach a limit and it would be all over, but it hasn't, it keeps getting better with practice.

I think practicing on flat water is also good for morale, to feel you can accomplish something, to develop a stroke and glide technique without feeling constant failure that could lead you to avoid the sport.

I started out at 245 pounds, worked down to about 205, and probably hover around 210 without the wetsuit now.  Regular SUP seems to be miraculous with diet modification for losing weight.
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Sunova Speeed 8'10"x29.12@131L
Sunova Flow 8'7"x30.25"@121L
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Me: 6'1"@230 lbs 68 years old

SUP ox

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #7 on: October 21, 2014, 05:10:49 PM »
Thanks for the words of support. That really lets me know it's not so easy and I am on a good track. Looking forward to more time on the water. I will try to find a place with some calmer water.

JimK

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2014, 07:04:51 AM »
SUPox,

nice to see another big guy getting into SUP. I'm a bit bigger (6'1 280# 55yrs old tomorrow) than you and up here in NJ I absolutely LOVE my Fanatic AllWave 9'10 Stable, fun and durable. Not to mention a very reasonably priced too.
They work in our (less than perfect) surf. They paddle well in chop this board does it all in our everyday condition... AllWave makes everyday surf conditions REALLY FUN

PM or email me for more details

JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com

Zooport

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2014, 08:55:47 AM »
SUPox,

nice to see another big guy getting into SUP. I'm a bit bigger (6'1 280# 55yrs old tomorrow) than you and up here in NJ I absolutely LOVE my Fanatic AllWave 9'10 Stable, fun and durable. Not to mention a very reasonably priced too.
They work in our (less than perfect) surf. They paddle well in chop this board does it all in our everyday condition... AllWave makes everyday surf conditions REALLY FUN

PM or email me for more details

JimK
www.extremewindsurfing.com

I agree with all of the above.  Works great in SoCal too. 

I also recommend JimK as a dealer.  I have bought from him and been pleased with his knowledge, his prices and his service.
« Last Edit: October 22, 2014, 09:06:53 AM by Zooport »
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SUPJorge

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #10 on: October 22, 2014, 08:58:44 AM »
SUP Ox,

South Florida is not Hawaii but it's still a great place for SUP!!! Plenty of opportunities to paddle flat water and open ocean any day of the week, a downwinder down the coast or across Biscayne Bay is always around the corner this time of year, the Gods periodically send good, gentle waves just up the coast (see this link for what was on tap just this past Saturday ---> http://www.gulfster.com/Daily/2014PictureGallery/101814ec/pag3.html
South Beach "wind chop" provides a great SUSing training ground and Costa Rica and Puerto Rico are a couple of hours away by plane. Just this past weekend I surfed the waves in the pic on all Saturday and then paddled flat Bay water Sunday morning, watching a pod of dolphins frolicking in the Bay for over 20 minutes.

The CocoPlum Navy is great group of local SUP enthusiasts and Jim at Sandy Point Progressive Sports in Miami is an excellent local retailer.

PS.Presently, my "go to" board for the surf is a Naish 9.1 Hokua XLE and a SIC 14' Bullet V2 for everything else. I have a 9.6 Fanatic Allwave that would suit you well at this stage of your progression.   
14' SIC Bullet V2 - 9'1" Naish Hokua X32 LE

Zooport

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #11 on: October 22, 2014, 09:10:22 AM »
If you can meet up with SUPJorge and try his 9'6 AllWave, I think you would be glad you did.  It's a pretty stable board with enough performance that you can grow into it.  Might seem a little tippy at first, until you get used to it.  But you will, and it's a great, stable board that performs fairly nicely.

If you progress in the sport, it is likely that you will want more than one board.  Stability and performance are somewhat mutually exclusive.  Great to have a nice 10' something cruiser and a narrower, higher performance board too.  The AllWave is the closest thing I've found to having it all.  Not the most stable board ever or the highest performing board ever, but it is a nice combination of the two and it's the best cross between the two I have tried, in my limited experience. 


« Last Edit: October 22, 2014, 09:37:22 AM by Zooport »
8'6 Soul Compass
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9'6 WaveStorm SUP
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SUP ox

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #12 on: October 23, 2014, 09:42:28 AM »
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Definitely will try smoother water sometime soon and try to find some of these boards to demo locally.

Jim when its time i will definitly look you up!

Jorge- awesome pictures, where i was at Saturday in FTL it was nothing like that.

SUPJorge

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #13 on: October 23, 2014, 10:39:19 AM »
Ox,

Figuring out when and where to find waves in SE Fla is equal parts science, tea-leaf reading and secret society membership.

As I'm figuring out the general rule is to begin the search North of Stuart on swell coming from the East (in order to get above the Bahamas shadow). Often the further North the better. The typical pattern/general parameters of the search on east swell stretch from Lake Worth to the South to New Smyrna to teh North and include Juno-Stuart-Jensen-Ft. Pierce-Indiatlantic-CocoaBeach, as well as numerous secret spots in between. Saturday we were at Dollman Beach, just North of Jensen and it was every bit as good as that pic.

Different rules apply when there's a North component to the swell, other rules apply when there's South in it, and special special rules apply to what they call a "Providence Slot Swell" (or just "slot swell") -- named after the slot in between the Bahamian islands.

To look for genuine waves, begin by bookmarking all the MSW and surfline pages for all the spots and cams along the range of coast in the list. Then also check in on slavetothewave.com and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Surfin-Weatherman/142330532466532, dadecosurf.com and http://instagram.com/thankyousurfing.

When there's no real swell in the water, just wind, you can just stay home and practice balancing by surfing your local wind-chop or try to set up a downwinder.

Good luck!
14' SIC Bullet V2 - 9'1" Naish Hokua X32 LE

WhoIsPurpleGoo

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Re: Newb questions?
« Reply #14 on: October 23, 2014, 11:52:47 AM »
Ox,

If you end up looking for a 14', I have a 2014 Naish Glide GX that I'm trying to sell.  It's a bit too much board for me.

I'm in Hollywood.


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