Howdy All. What's a reasonably priced Longboard SUP?

[BigSlaveDave]

Hey All, I'm a longtime Norcal surfer that just started supping.......and I'm totally stoked.  I bought a Starboard Noserider on sale at a local shop--without knowing anything.  After a couple of weeks of figuring it out, I got head high glassy waves the other day......and I think I'm switching over, like all the way.  My friends are gonna hate me.

So here's my question.  The Noserider has 166 liters and I weigh 215.  The Noserider is difficult for me in chop.  Once I get it in the wave, I'm good, but standing or paddling out in chop is hard.  So, while I'm learning, I'd like a bit bigger board with more volume that works in the surf and won't break the bank.  What am I looking for?

Thanks for any help--and sorry if I posted in the wrong spot.  I was corn-fused.

Dave

[Fog City Rider]

Yo BSD,

Welcome to the 'Zone.  Probably something in the 10'6-11'6 range would do the trick, 30-32" wide depending on how stable you wanna go. 

Starboard Blend & Naish Nalu 11'4 come to mind.  Lots of love for those boards, and they come up used or on sale occasionally.  Starboard definitely has 2013 & 2014 Blends that I (or any SB dealer) can get at a solid 15-20% discount. 

If you're out for a deal, I've got a few of our rental Bic Ace-Tec 10'6 & 11'6's left, priced well under $1K.  Stable, surf well, unbreakable. 

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

NSP makes very good, durable, low-priced longboards. I got an NSP 11-footer as my first board and it's still a great board to paddle.

[supthecreek]

Hey Slave... welcome to the Zone

You don't need to go too big to find comfort on a SUP... you just need the right shape.
it was 3 years before I could feel comfortable on a 30" wide SUP, so its not unusual for you to be struggling on your noserider... what looks huge to a surfer, is often "not enough" for a new SUPster.

I was a LOT bigger than you when I changed over to SUP and was on a constant search for a SUP that I felt comfortable on, yet would still perform well in waves.

I have had a longstanding appreciation for the Fanatic Allwave series.
They are VERY stable, surf well in all conditions, are durable and affordable. Plus a high resale since there is a strong demand for them. (I have owned 4 Allwaves and currently own a Prowave)
This year I have also owned 6 other brands, but here I am... buying the new 2015 Allwave again (an 8'5... and I'm 225lbs)

At your size, I think that you should be more than comfortable on the 9'5 x 32.25 Allwave at 170 liters. That's plenty of float for you, and at that width, super stable... but will still give you enough performance to really progress.

JimK at extremewindsurfing.com is a Zone sponsor who offers great deals to Zoners and ships all over the country.
I just got a monthly email flyer from Jim.....
his flyer price for a 2014 9'6 is $1,199

Go to his website for his phone number... leave your number if he's out... he WILL call you back
he is very knowledgable and excellent with new SUPers.
He is the guy that answered all my questions when I was desperate for info.
(tell him you are a Zoner)

Search the Zone... there is a LOT of feedback on the Allwaves

Good luck with whatever you buy, and stick it out... it gets easier very quickly.

[Sup-position]

Hey All, I'm a longtime Norcal surfer that just started supping.......and I'm totally stoked.  I bought a Starboard Noserider on sale at a local shop--without knowing anything.  After a couple of weeks of figuring it out, I got head high glassy waves the other day......and I think I'm switching over, like all the way.  My friends are gonna hate me.

So here's my question.  The Noserider has 166 liters and I weigh 215.  The Noserider is difficult for me in chop.  Once I get it in the wave, I'm good, but standing or paddling out in chop is hard.  So, while I'm learning, I'd like a bit bigger board with more volume that works in the surf and won't break the bank.  What am I looking for?

Thanks for any help--and sorry if I posted in the wrong spot.  I was corn-fused.

Dave

You are doing Great !

The Nose Rider is an excellent choice for, as you said, a "Long Board Sup".

Everyone has a hard time in Chop.

Too much buoyancy can make the board more corky and less stable in chop.

I think you are right where you need to be, just stick with it..
You will build up your core and quads to handle the conditions...know your limitations...

I am happy to chat with Anyone, just hit me up. number, email, website below...

 

[BigSlaveDave]

Thanks tons for the advice you guys!  I'm glad to see that I'm not totally kooking out.

Can I ask what is meant by "soft top?"  Does that mean it's just has that soft foam on top?  I saw a CL add for 11' foot Laird soft top.  Is that not good?  Like, my Starboard board has soft stuff on top.....I thought they all did.

Which brings up another question:  Does anyone just shape these out of regular surfboard foam and glass them normally?

Sorry for all the questions, but SUP surfing has been a lot slower to catch on up here where I am--there's no one to ask.

Man, that Allwave board looks like the right stuff.  Those big, wide short boards (<10') are as stable as the longboards?

Thanks,

Dave

[supthecreek]

The 9'6 Allwave is so much more stable than a 10 x 30.... heck, my 8'10 was probably more stable... there are a LOT of smaller SUPs that will suit you quite well. My personal experience with the Allwaves makes me very comfortable recommending them to people seeking a stable board that performs exceedingly well.

NO... SUPs are built entirely different.
Because of the larger volume size of SUPs, they are made from 1 or 1.5 oz foam which has the same strength characteristics as a Styrofoam cooler.
The strength in SUPs comes from a very technical outside shell.

Multiple layers of high tech materials give the boards their strength, while keeping weight to a minimum.

Look up Fanatic or Jimmy Lewis SUPs sites and review their layup construction.... very interesting stuff. Repairing SUPs and the way you treat dings is similar to surfboard repair, but requires a different approach. Water intrusion can be very bad for SUPs, causing delamination and weight gain. Some of the reasons that a SUP has to be made so tough compared to a surfboard. SUP technology grew out of the windsurf industry, because they had so much previous experience in building tough, light boards that were big enough to stand on and haul up the sail.

The better built SUPs are very durable and hold up well in tough conditions.... some are not as durable. Price is not always a good gauge of quality. Research... tons of info here on the Zone... check out the "Gear" section, "Newly acquired", Shape Shack" .... everything you need to know is here somewhere.... plus we all like to answer questions... so ask away

[PonoBill]

SUP boards have been through a very fast and brutal evolution. You're going to find yourself on a lot smaller board than you expect very soon. I'm 240, and my goto boards are 9'6", 9'0" and 8'8".  I still have ten foot and larger boards, but I never use them for surfing. Except for a skinny 12'2" X 26"  that's just fun, but that's a long story.

So even if you're wobbling around a little now, understand that with your weight and experience you're going to be on boards shorter than your longboard pretty quickly. SUP surfing is different. It's not longboarding with a paddle, it's SUP surfing. Get something challenging today and it will be your "small wave" board in three months. It's just the way this sport is. You can see it in the posts here. Guys are worried that the 9'6" board they have their eye on is too small, and six months later they're on something two feet shorter.

We're not all gonna be Mo Freitas, but this is where the sport is headed:

[Sup-position]

So even if you're wobbling around a little now, understand that with your weight and experience you're going to be on boards shorter than your longboard pretty quickly.

I carry most brands and can hype any of them up..but Bill is right..

You will probably out grow your Nose Rider sooner than later..

[linter]

ponobill: god, i hope not.

as to the starboard noserider, it was quite possibly the board i disliked most out of all the boards i've owned (and that includes the recent v2 pig-debacle pig).  for my money (which i wish i'd never spent on it), the thing was too fat all over, which is a problem once you start adding chop to the equation.  by too fat, i mean both in thickness (especially toward the nose) and in width (again, at the nose).  personally, i think that once you outgrow it (ie get rid of it), you'll find that you make progress at light speed.

[Zooport]

To echo what a lot of others have already said or implied, your problem is width, not length.  I think the Noserider is 30" wide, which is fine, but you will feel much more stable on a board that is 32" or more wide.  You could even go shorter and wider and feel more stable.

[mrbig]

Amen on width being the major determining factor on stability. As an experienced prone surfer I had to eat a lot of crow and humble pie and learn that width rather than volume was the single most important consideration in getting stability as a newbie.

+1 to Jim K who told me that. STC had a chuckle when my new GL sweetiepie , which was NARROWER than my Hobie Raw, showed up to solve my stability issues! In increase of 7 liters of volume was not gonna stop the splashdowns.

GET BIG WIDE CHEAP LEARN HAVE FUN. And be careful out there!!

[SUP Sports ®]

Aloha BigSlaveDave,
Have a look at our new 8'11" x 33" (165 liters) or 9'5" x 34" (185 liters) soft top Hammer models...these are regular epoxy boards with the full EVA deck and side rail treatment...lightweight for their size...24#-25# and they paddle and surf like a dream...priced at $999...

I think that you would do well on the 8'11"...it's 2" wider than our carbon production Hammer model...which has phenomenal stability...and, a sub-9' SUP is gonna be more maneuverable in the surf...the Chisel Tail will allow you to progress and learn kick turns more easily without falling off...when you are ready to progress, you will have a killer friends and family board with better off water mobility than those SUPertankers...;-)

http://supsports.com/standup-paddle-boards/hammer-series/

http://blog.surfingsports.com/2014/11/soft-top-sups.html

These boards blow away the popular SB 10' x 34" Whopper and 9' x 33" Hero...paddle better...surf better...better volume distribution...etc...
They also nose ride like no other...

We have racks of demo boards available at my shop in Santa Barbara...including the SB's mentioned above, if you want to prove it for yourself...;-)

[BigSlaveDave]

We're not all gonna be Mo Freitas, but this is where the sport is headed:

Holy crap, my prone gun is bigger than that thing.

as to the starboard noserider, it was quite possibly the board i disliked most out of all the boards i've owned (and that includes the recent v2 pig-debacle pig).  for my money (which i wish i'd never spent on it), the thing was too fat all over, which is a problem once you start adding chop to the equation.  by too fat, i mean both in thickness (especially toward the nose) and in width (again, at the nose).  personally, i think that once you outgrow it (ie get rid of it), you'll find that you make progress at light speed.

Yeah, I switched boards with another guy out on the line-up --which had less volume--and it was more stable.  I've read a few disappointing things about Nose Rider.  Maybe it wasn't the best choice?

Aloha BigSlaveDave,
Have a look at our new 8'11" x 33" (165 liters) or 9'5" x 34" (185 liters) soft top Hammer models...these are regular epoxy boards with the full EVA deck and side rail treatment...lightweight for their size...24#-25# and they paddle and surf like a dream...priced at $999...

I live up here in Mendocino, CA, which is great for having uncrowded lineups and a friendly crowd, but, man, it's in the middle of frigging nowhere when you want to get something.  I'd love to try those boards.  Yesterday I borrowed a 12' Surftech and surfed it in waist high stuff.  God, what a beast.  Stable, and catches lots of waves--but then you have to surf them.  I think side thruster jets might have helped.  Won't do that again.

This site is great.  Glad I found it.  Thank you guys again........now I'm trying to figure out a road trip to Socal

Big Slave

 

[Sup-position]

Dude Jet Blue into Long Beach
Just over $100 RT

Plenty of boards to try...