Learning on a 6' 10"

[FeralInBaja]

My first post here. I'm glad this forum is here and it looks great, I read for 2 hours today. I'm a broke 50 y.o. surfer living in Baja. (5' 10" 155lb) My back has gotten so bad, all my previous specialties (late takeoffs, big waves, tube-riding) are out the window most days. So I get a shot at buying an almost-new 6' 10" x 29"w x 4" quad SUP for what was 1/4 of a fair used price. Incredible deal. The guy who sold it to me said it would be impossible for me to learn on. I fell probably 50 times a day for the first 4 days . My first day out my best paddle was for 30 seconds. I don't have a car, so a hollow beachbreak is my only spot. By my 5th day out, the hour and a half crawl-up and fall sessions clicked in, so I could paddle 15 minutes, then rest. Got my first wave on the 5th day, too. This is crazy hard exercise. Yesterday, day 8, choppy, so it was super difficult, but I got 3 waves, including a head-high barreling left drainer that actually scared me a little, cause this is still a huge board for me. Made it, kicked out happy. When surfing I ride a 5' 5" Lost Rocket and 6' 5" San Miguel Round Pin for barrels. So I wanted to thank everyone for the tons of killer information, and to say if you don't quite have to funds for a quiver of StarBoards, you can still do this. If you love the ocean (or water) enough, you'll work it out. Got 4 good waves this morning. I love going out when it's glassy, it's so much easier. Thanks for giving me a place to talk, I don't know any other SUP'ers, so this is where I can talk about my stunt of learning on an impossible board. Pray for more glassy days.
S.

[eastbound]

props to you for your tenacity--as big as your board feels to you on a wave, it's pretty small to be learning to balance on--for anyone! that's likely why you were able to buy it so cheap
safe to say you are converted and will enjoy back-pain-free surfing again! enjoy

[supthecreek]

Hi Feral.... that's awesome!.....you are paying a price now, for a solid future!
The work you are doing on the small board will resurrect all of your dormant "balance" muscles..... you will notice benefits in everyday life.

Then there's the surf payoff.... when your internship is complete, you will possess mad balance skills and be ripping on that board.... I'd say before the end of September, you'll be casual on that board.

Steal a camera from some gringo and send us some pictures 

[magentawave]

Wow, learning on a 6'-10" is hard core but keep at it and you'll be shredding in no time! What you are doing is the reverse of how all of us started so this is very interesting. Please keep us posted on your progress.

[FeralInBaja]

Man, thank you guys so much for replying to this! I was so tired this morning from double go-outs that I was only out for an hour and went in so not to accidentally hurt myself (way easier to do when over-tired) Still got 4 waves! The low tides here make the waves ledge even more. Almost every drop is a little free-fall. But it's hard to blow a takeoff cause you're already standing!!! I love it. Hope I'm less tired for evening glass-off (if there is one)

[Badger]

If only you had access to a slightly bigger board for a few weeks. That might be all you need to figure out some of the technique without all the falling.

I doubt I could ever master a 6"10". There aren't many who could. 7'10" is small enough. 6'10" is really pushing the limits. I'd love to try one.

[surfercook]

Truly "Feral"! And a super hardcore learning curve. I learned on a 10'6" PSH All Arounder. That thing was a BOAT. And like you, I turned to sup for health reasons (rotator cuff was quite an issue that first year). Now I sup prob 75% of the time (much to the disappointment of many o my fellow surfers who've known me for years) and after 3 SOLID years I am now comfortable on a variety of boards and conditions. I did ride a 6'10" this summer and was quite surprised to catch a bunch of waves on it. I think the one I was on was a tad wider than 29 though. More like 31 and a fish shape. Good luck and keep at it. You will only improve w/time and experience. PICS!
This vid is my smallest sup, which for me is really my threshold for performance. Gulliver V-Box at 8'1" x 27-1/2"x 4" and 117 ltrs

https://youtu.be/79mR66XTXeg

[FeralInBaja]

Woke up at 5:00 for the 5:45 go-out, and it was already choppy! I just used it as practice to balance in chop, turned out to be a good thing, was able to paddle for 15 minutes at a shot before resting. I read Nalu-Sup in the (really good) thread about fins and stability call being out in chop "...a full on twitch fest where I was afraid to turn my head at all to check my lineups..." that's classic! I don't even know any SUP'ers so reading this stuff rules! I started like that today, then just focused on breathing and relaxing and was able to totally lock in and start getting waves. Got 5 cool waves of varying quality (all hollow/ledgy, some closeouts, some good lefts and rights) my best wave yet, a head-high barreling right! That wave alone made my day. And no back pain!!! O.K., thank you Eastbound, Supthecreek, Magentawave, Badger, and Surfercook for the support and advice replying to this thread. And Surfercook! Cool flow and wave knowledge on the video! Thanks for including that! O.k., I'm no longer limited to glass-offs which is good, cause my beachbreak is really tide-dependent for really good waves. OH, a little perspective, I read somewhere, someone learning talking about falling 5 times like that was alot. A really cool thing about Mexican people is how non-jaded they are. They will clap for a boogie-boarder riding chest-high waves straight in. Makes the embarrassment factor of falling repeatedly (for which I may have the crown out of the entire readership, haha!) really come into perspective.

[eastbound]

hope you end up a regular zoner, feral. nice to hear of your experiences. enjoy.

[PJBrendel]

Your dedication and progress are so impressive!  I never would have thought anyone could start on a board that small.
Keep posting!

[TallDude]

Buenos Dias Mi Amigo,
There are a handful of really short SUP surf guys I know who have boards in the low 7' range. I see them always sitting in the line-up. They usually paddle out standing. The struggle with standing in chop can just wear you out, so there is nothing wrong with sitting to save your legs. It's probably good there aren't any other SUP's around you, because you might start feeling 'Volume Envy'. The thing is, with volume you lose that quickness that you need to surf your hollow beachbreak. So give those legs a break, and have a seat now and then.
Bien Venidos a Zone ....

[supthecreek]

Feral.... I started on a 11'2 x 36" ....230 liters. After 45 years of hardcore surfing.

I went out at a perfect 2' glassy left and fell 100 times. Got 1 wave on my knees.... my daughter was peeing herself on the beach. I could hear the gales of laughter over the surf.

I'd say what you are doing is remarkable!

[blueplanetsurf]

Kudos to you, I think you also commented on our "Balance tips for beginners" video a while back, great to hear you are persisting are making good progress.  Honestly, I don't know of anyone that learned on a board that small, congratulations on pulling that off!

[magentawave]

It's good that you're standing as much as possible now so you can develop those muscles (you didn't know existed!) and get your paddling and standing technique down, but there's nothing wrong with switching it up and paddling out prone or on your knee's and then sitting to rest between sets.

One of the most frustrating things about sup surfing is that starting out is so unbelievably humbling...and especially if you're a good surfer. I'm almost 3 years into this and riding longer boards than you, and I'm still getting humbled.

Who woulda thought that the sport is so athletically challenging, eh? I didn't, and neither did every other surfer I know. We all looked at sup surfers and thought... "Gimme a break. How hard can it be to ride such a long, wide, and thick barge?" And then we tried it, and oh my gawd. Most surfers I know that tried it don't keep doing it because it's too freaking hard and they don't have the balls to look like a dork for a while.

I heard the guy on the Paddlewoo podcast say that he offers surfers that give him shit $100 cash if they can stand on his board for just a minute. He's had takers but hasn't had to pay out the $100 yet because of course no one can do it. He also said that everyone that's tried it has a new found respect for sup surfing.

You can do it!

Woke up at 5:00 for the 5:45 go-out, and it was already choppy! I just used it as practice to balance in chop, turned out to be a good thing, was able to paddle for 15 minutes at a shot before resting. I read Nalu-Sup in the (really good) thread about fins and stability call being out in chop "...a full on twitch fest where I was afraid to turn my head at all to check my lineups..." that's classic! I don't even know any SUP'ers so reading this stuff rules! I started like that today, then just focused on breathing and relaxing and was able to totally lock in and start getting waves. Got 5 cool waves of varying quality (all hollow/ledgy, some closeouts, some good lefts and rights) my best wave yet, a head-high barreling right! That wave alone made my day. And no back pain!!! O.K., thank you Eastbound, Supthecreek, Magentawave, Badger, and Surfercook for the support and advice replying to this thread. And Surfercook! Cool flow and wave knowledge on the video! Thanks for including that! O.k., I'm no longer limited to glass-offs which is good, cause my beachbreak is really tide-dependent for really good waves. OH, a little perspective, I read somewhere, someone learning talking about falling 5 times like that was alot. A really cool thing about Mexican people is how non-jaded they are. They will clap for a boogie-boarder riding chest-high waves straight in. Makes the embarrassment factor of falling repeatedly (for which I may have the crown out of the entire readership, haha!) really come into perspective.

[Sup-up]

That sounds like an impressive learning curve there. Kudos for taking the plunge.

One of the most frustrating things about sup surfing is that starting out is so unbelievably humbling...and especially if you're a good surfer. I'm almost 3 years into this and riding longer boards than you, and I'm still getting humbled.

This is so true.  Being prepared to paddle out and fall off repeatedly, doing your learning in public, takes a lot of bottle, but is the only way.
I was inspired by Supthecreek's quest to ride a shorter board and so spent a month paddling out in every condition on a 2nd hand 8'5" Hokua.  Even in howling choppy mess falling off endlessly taught me allot.  Balance, coordination and ability to read the water movement, wind and adapt to them have improved massively. 
Same with prone surfing, the only way to get better is put the hours in and not be afraid to learn from mistakes.  Good on you.