New Member First Post... First Board

[lycokayaker]

Hey Guys & Gals


I am a new member here and am very excited to start stand up paddling.  My fist hurdle to over come is a board.  I live in NJ and close to the water.  Been long boarding for 5 years.  I am 5'10 weighing in at 210.  The only shop in the area that I am aware of that carries SUP's is Brave New World.  They carry the Laird board in tufflite.  Any one have an oppinion on this board?  I am mainly looking at using this board as wave ridding board.  Or any advice on a great beginner board for wave ridding & a beginner Sup.  Any advice or help greatly appreciated. 


Cheers


Bill

[Dwight (DW)]

You're a lucky guy. You live near the mainland source for www.paddlesurfhawaii.com boards

Click the link and scroll to the bottom for the guy you need to see. You'll be way ahead buying one of these top-of-the-line boards.

[DavidJohn]

Go for the big Laird board and try and get a new one with the hand hole to help with carrying it..That was the only thing that I had against them (not having a hand hole) but I've heard that the new ones have one.

Also consider the big Naish and Starboard and even the big Kalama.

DJ

[lycokayaker]

awesome....  Can you give me feedback on how the Kalma and laird ride ?  Pretty stable? 

[Dwight (DW)]

The big laird is a surfing beast, unless you're so huge you need all that board. You don't.

[motopilot]

Bill welcome to the forum.  Go down to exit 63, Long Beach Island.  Island Surf and Sail is the mainland supplier of the Paddle Surf hawaii boards.  All are available for demo (10'6 or 10'3 would be great for you).  Lots of boards in stock and people who knoe what they are talking about. (BNW is a nice store as I tought the owner how to snowboard many years ago).  Go see Terry at Island Surf and Sail (609)-494-5553 tell him you talked to Motopilot.

[stoneaxe]

Hehe...I love the answers to this question everytime it comes up. Must get very confusing. Best thing you can do is demo...it's all very personal. Everybody has their favorites....and their likely to change with the next purchase... .

Take a look at the board showcase on ke nalu
http://www.kenalu.com/forums/showcase-index/
Most of the reviews there were done back in February....each board with multiple reviews by riders of varying skill levels and sizes....50 or so reviewers...over 50 boards. One noteable manufacturer missing (except one board added later) is PSH, have only heard the best from friends and here on the zone on the quality of how they surf and construction.

I ride a Starboard 12-6 x 30 and love it but I have 6" and 30+ lbs on you. I'm getting an 11-2 x 30 shortly. I stuck with real stable boards for my own reasons. Again...it's all personal. Demo as many as you can before pulling the trigger. One word of advice...take it for what its worth...error on the side of stability, but don't go with something that makes it too easy, ie: I don't think at your size you'll need 12' x 30. You'll have more fun while you learn if its reasonably stable but won't outgrow it too fast like you would a real big board. It's likely you'll be looking to get another board a year or so from now anyway....just like the rest of us.

Welcome to the dark side...

[NCBA]

East Coast. You need something stable in chop but manueverable in beach breaks.I ride C4 , it can get you out of a slamming sandbar quickly! Even our small surf is quick.

[Southbay]

I personally think that considering the cost of these boards that you should get a board that will last you and your wave riding a while.  If you have been longboarding for 5 years that you should be able to pick it up fairly quickly, so get a slightly more advanced board.  Alot of guys get in to SUP never having surfed, so they need a huge board!  I find the molded boards to have a corky feel, and less like a longboard on the wave.  Get a shaped board made of Epoxy.  I started on a 10'3'' Lopez 6 months ago, and want to go smaller now.  I'm 5'11'' 175lbs.    I have also noticed that the molded boards ding really easy on the rails.  Just my 2 cents!  Have fun!!!

[boozeesurfs]

well i`m new aswell, and he beat me to my question!!! i`m 5`11 and 210 lbs, been surfing  for over 20 years ,kiteboarding for 6,and feel  good about my water time. i`m thinking i would rather put up with the learning curve with a smaller board and be able to ride the waves better then if i get a huge board that i`ll have to sell and buy end up buying a smaller board later, but my question is will a 10`6 board float me?? good enough for the smaller waves of florida?? But still be big enough for me to use the board as a paddleboard for touring"small distances""? After watching the local and seeing them ride longer boards and have trouble dropping in on them , i`m thinking the smaller board is for me, but am i`m a fool to think that i will pick this sport up that fast!! I haven`t even been on a paddleboard yet. But i surf anything from a oldskool fishes to oldskool longboards"big beast" and i`m fine on all types of boards so what should i get?? sorry for the long start but the coffe has gotten to me!!

[Dwight (DW)]

well i`m new aswell, and he beat me to my question!!! i`m 5`11 and 210 lbs, been surfing  for over 20 years ,kiteboarding for 6,and feel  good about my water time. i`m thinking i would rather put up with the learning curve with a smaller board and be able to ride the waves better then if i get a huge board that i`ll have to sell and buy end up buying a smaller board later, but my question is will a 10`6 board float me?? good enough for the smaller waves of florida?? But still be big enough for me to use the board as a paddleboard for touring"small distances""? After watching the local and seeing them ride longer boards and have trouble dropping in on them , i`m thinking the smaller board is for me, but am i`m a fool to think that i will pick this sport up that fast!! I haven`t even been on a paddleboard yet. But i surf anything from a oldskool fishes to oldskool longboards"big beast" and i`m fine on all types of boards so what should i get?? sorry for the long start but the coffe has gotten to me!!

You've got the right attitude. Yes to 10'6, provided you pick the right one. Not something freaky narrow or thin. The two most recent 10'6s I demoed (C4 and PSH) will definately do the job. The JL 10'4 and 10'8 will also work at your weight.

[motopilot]

boozeesurfs, I am 5'10 190lbs.  I have the PSH 10'6 and do not have a problem with the size in the surf.  AS for FL that would be agreat size for you.  It works in all conditions as well that we have in FL.  I also use it for downwinders (usually 5-7miles) and the speed is still very good, plus you can stop along the way and catch some waves.  You are more than welcome to try mine if you are the NSB area.

[TerryS]

Hey Bill, Pt Pleasant here! Try and demo some before you buy!I went for a 10'10 Walden if your in the area your welcome to give it a try

[paddlesurf.net]

I'm one of the few who like the big Laird boards. On a big board like this you'll learn faster both on surf and flat water and you'll find that it's a durable, versatile shape that you'll probably want to keep around once you progress. At your weight you should consider it- if you can find a used one you should buy it. Here's why I like it:

Construction: I've taught at least a hundred people on one of those, beginners who've banged the rails plenty. I've also  rented the Laird many times; the rails have streaks on them but NO chipping. I don't know if this is because we bought this Laird when they were first coming out here in California (different construction maybe?) but I think Surftech has been making these composite boards the longest and probably has the best construction. Other brands have been notoriously chippy.

Surf-ability: I don't know what kind of surf you regularly ride over there- but if you're mostly on small, mushy waves (probably the majority of your surf conditions- like everywhere) at your weight, you'll catch plenty of waves and do the same thing that most people on stand ups are doing anyway- going straight and maybe doing a cutback.

When you find yourself pumping and jamming down the line, coming hard off the bottom and off the top, popping off the tops and throwing floaters in good, fast surf, then you might want to consider a smaller board. But if you realistically look at what you're surfing- and how you're surfing it, the Laird will get you in and going just fine. And, if you're using your paddle correctly you'll still be able to whip turns on that thing- just get back, get low, drive with the legs and lean on your blade- you'd be surprised.

As a matter of fact, you'll learn how to surf a big board much faster on the Laird because as a big guy, in chop, balancing on a 28" (or sub-28") wide board, you'll be falling and climbing most of the time instead of paddling and surfing. I've seen this before, people get discouraged with all the falling- the bigger the board the better.

Once again, you'll learn faster: Especially when you move from flatwater to the ocean. When I teach surf-paddling I always put them on a Laird- they do much better. A 270lb local guy started on a board bigger than the Laird (Infinity 12'6" x 32") and he picked it up FAST because he had more on-the-board time than most of us did who started on smaller boards. Because he was up and standing more than us, he caught more waves and could work on the surfing side of it before we could.

Now this holds true for guys in your weight range- obviously if you put a guy who weighs 150lbs on a Laird it's going to feel way too big for them- but I'm near your weight (I weigh 235lbs) and I like that board. Granted my next board (finished next Sat.! Yes!) is a 9'4" x 29.5" x 4.25" little shralp-machine but that won't be my daily ride- I've got bigger boards for that- as a matter of fact, I was just given a different 12' x 31" board by another manufacturer to test drive and all that meat on the bones looks fun to me! I can't wait to paddle it. Big boards are fun.

No doubt about it- if you stay in this sport you'll want a smaller board- especially if the surf gets good where you live- but I'd say you could put a full year on a Laird learning how to surf paddle, kick turn, paddle through breaking waves and just be safe in the lineup before you'd think about a smaller board- it's not like it'd be less fun on the Laird.

[lycokayaker]

Hey Terry


Can I take you up on that offer this week when the ocean calms down?